Renesas Expands Presence in India with New R&D Hubs and Strategic Partnerships!

Renesas Electronics Corporation, a global leader in semiconductor solutions, has significantly expanded its operations in India with new research and development (R&D) hubs and partnerships aimed at fostering innovation and supporting India’s growing semiconductor ecosystem. The company has teamed up with the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) to bolster startups and academia in VLSI and embedded systems development.

In a major development on May 14, 2025, Renesas and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), an autonomous scientific body under MeitY, signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) as part of the Chips to Startup (C2S) programme. These agreements will enable Renesas to:

1. Empower local startups by providing technological support and encouraging domestic semiconductor manufacturing in line with India’s Make in India initiative.
2. Enhance industry-academia collaboration to foster a product-centric approach to engineering education, aligning with India’s vision to develop a strong domestic semiconductor ecosystem.

This partnership marks a step toward strengthening India’s position as a key player in global semiconductor manufacturing, utilizing the country’s growing pool of skilled talent. Renesas aims to generate over 10% of its global revenue from India by 2030, focusing on increasing R&D, product development, and manufacturing within the country.

At the opening event in Noida, key figures including Ashwini Vaishnaw, India’s Minister for Railways, I&B, and Electronics & IT, and Malini Narayanamoorthi, India Country Manager and VP of Engineering at Renesas, participated. Hidetoshi Shibata, Renesas’ CEO, also joined virtually, underscoring the global significance of this initiative for both Renesas and India’s tech future.

“The expansion of Renesas’ operations in India, with new offices and partnerships, is a testament to our long-term commitment to India’s growth,” said Malini Narayanamoorthi. “By supporting the C2S programme, we aim to cultivate local talent, encourage self-reliance in semiconductor design, and drive India’s position in global technology development.”

The Startup MOU between Renesas and C-DAC focuses on enhancing local startups’ product design capabilities by providing Renesas development boards and Altium Designer software for PCB design. Renesas will also contribute to the Academic MOU by offering training, development kits, and cloud access to support future-ready electronics engineers. This partnership will connect over 250 academic institutions with startups, developing a robust ecosystem for innovation in India.

As part of its commitment to expanding in India, Renesas has moved into new, larger office spaces in Bengaluru and Noida. The Bengaluru site is now the company’s largest in India, housing top-tier R&D engineers, test labs, and integrated facilities to accelerate product development. This facility also hosts teams from recent acquisitions like Altium and Part Analytics.

In Noida, the office will focus on developing high-performance computing solutions for industries like automotive, particularly R-Car SoC (system-on-chip) platforms. The office is designed to enhance collaboration across Renesas’ global teams and to solidify the company’s leadership in automotive innovation.

India’s semiconductor market is poised for significant growth, with key initiatives like the Chips to Startup (C2S) programme spearheading the country’s efforts to develop domestic manufacturing capabilities. This programme addresses the entire electronics value chain, from manpower development to IP creation and system design, and fosters collaboration between academia, R&D bodies, and startups.

With its extensive investments in R&D and partnerships with Indian institutions, Renesas is well-positioned to contribute to India’s vision of becoming a global hub for semiconductor innovation. The company’s expanded presence in India will not only support local manufacturing but also drive innovation, creating a sustainable and competitive semiconductor ecosystem in the country.

Renesas continues to focus on its commitment to technology, sustainability, and global growth, positioning itself as a key partner in India’s clean energy transition and digital future.