Startup Policy Forum launches semiconductor consortium to support ISM 2.0 rollout

Startup Policy Forum (SPF) on Tuesday launched The Semicon Consortium, a new industry alliance bringing together semiconductor startups, investors and global technology companies to support the implementation of the government's ₹1.27 lakh crore India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) 2.0 and strengthen India's chip ecosystem.

The announcement was made during Semicon Baatcheet, a high-level roundtable chaired by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) Secretary S. Krishnan. The event brought together senior government officials, semiconductor startups, venture capital firms, industry leaders and policy experts to deliberate on the operationalisation of ISM 2.0, which was approved by the Union Cabinet on July 15 with a fiscal outlay of ₹1,27,500 crore.

The consortium will serve as a permanent industry platform to advance semiconductor policy, facilitate structured engagement between the government and industry, and support long-term ecosystem development.

Industry flags priorities for ISM 2.0

The roundtable focused on ensuring that the implementation framework for ISM 2.0 reflects the requirements of India's growing semiconductor startup ecosystem.

Participants identified faster deployment of patient capital, effective implementation of the proposed government co-investment model, strengthening semiconductor talent pipelines, improving access to shared infrastructure, creating demand through strategic public procurement, and simplifying operational guidelines as key priorities for the sector.

The discussions were attended by startups including Agrani Labs, Agnit Semiconductors, Incore Semiconductors, Mantra Semiconductor, Photonsilica and Bharat Semi; venture capital firms such as Bessemer Venture Partners, Speciale Invest, Elevation Capital and Iron Pillar; and global semiconductor companies including AMD, Intel and Ericsson.

"India's semiconductor journey requires strong partnerships between government, industry, startups, academia and investors. As we implement ISM 2.0, our objective is to build an ecosystem that rewards innovation, accelerates commercialisation and creates globally competitive semiconductor capabilities," MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan said.

He added that structured engagement between industry and the government would help ensure policy design remains aligned with practical requirements.

Semiconductor ecosystem report released

The event also marked the release of India's Semiconductor Startup Landscape 2026, a report jointly published by Startup Policy Forum and Speciale Invest. The report maps India's emerging semiconductor startup ecosystem and highlights opportunities across chip design, materials, manufacturing technologies, packaging and enabling infrastructure.

Shweta Rajpal Kohli, ​president and CEO of Startup Policy Forum, said India's semiconductor ambitions would depend not only on large-scale manufacturing investments but also on startups developing intellectual property, equipment, materials and next-generation technologies.

"As ISM 2.0 enters its implementation phase, sustained dialogue between government, startups and investors will be essential to ensure that policy translates into globally competitive businesses," she said.

Kohli said the newly launched Semicon Consortium, under SPF's Centre for Deep Tech Policy Research, would institutionalise engagement with stakeholders and support evidence-based policymaking for the semiconductor sector.

According to SPF, insights from the discussions will contribute to policy recommendations being prepared with knowledge partner Ikigai Law on the implementation of ISM 2.0 and future semiconductor policy initiatives.