India’s chip industry is rapidly moving forward and no place is more central to the change than Chennai, one of the country’s fastest-growing cities. The semiconductor firms in Chennai now form one of the most vibrant groups of semiconductors engineering in Asia. The semiconductor industry here ranges from India’s sole indigenous IC assembly plant to the high-tech fabless startups emerging from IIT Madras with their own designs, verification, testing, packaging and equipment.
From a new graduate ECE engineer looking for their next career move to an experienced VLSI professional seeking insights into future opportunities, or even a global investor keeping a keen eye on India’s chip aspirations, knowing the top Semiconductor Companies in Chennai for 2026 is a must.
Chennai’s Semiconductor Ecosystem: From Auto Capital to Chip Hub
The city’s automotive heritage has become a rocket fuel for its newfound prominence in the chip industry, as well. It is no wonder that semiconductor companies in Chennai are attracted to the city and its rich pool of engineering colleges, as well as its close proximity to IIT Madras.
The initiative of Government of Tamilnadu to establish industrial corridors in Oragadam and Sriperumbudur, as well as their forward-looking policy on semiconductors, has ensured that Chennai is firmly on the global map of chips.
Quick Overview Table: Top Semiconductor Companies in Chennai
| Company Name | Type | Est. Year | Focus Area | Chennai Location | Key Clients | VLSI Hiring? |
| SPEL Semiconductor | OSAT | 1984 | IC Packaging & Testing | Maraimalai Nagar | Global IDMs | Suspended |
| Polymatech Electronics | OSAT / Manufacturing | 2007 | GaN & Opto-Semiconductors | Oragadam | Lighting, Auto | Yes |
| Applied Materials India | Equipment | 1967 | PPACt & Wafer Fab Tools | Taramani | Global Foundries | Yes |
| Microchip Technology | IDM / Fabless | 1989 | MCUs, RF, Mixed-Signal | Semmencheri | Industrial, Auto, Aero | Yes |
| KLA India | Process Control / Equipment | 1975 | Yield Management & Metrology | Perungudi / Taramani | Chip Foundries | Yes |
| HCLTech Chennai | Design Services | 1991 | VLSI, RTL, Verification | Sholinganallur | Consumer Tech, Auto | Yes |
| Tessolve | Design & Test Services | 2004 | DFT, Post-Silicon Test | Guindy | Qualcomm, TI, ARM | Yes |
| Sasken Technologies | Embedded & Design Services | 1989 | Modem SW, V2X, Satcom | Perungudi | Automotive, Satcom | Yes |
| ASM Technologies | Manufacturing Consulting | 1992 | Wafer Processing & Vacuum Tech | Tharamani | Fab Equipment Makers | Yes |
| Mindgrove Technologies | Fabless Startup | 2021 | RISC-V SoCs, Edge AI | Taramani (IITM Park) | IoT, Defense, Consumer | Yes |
| PRS Semicon | Fabless Startup | 2024 | Custom VLSI IP, AI/ML | Anna Nagar | Imaging, Networking | Yes |
| iVP Semi | Fabless Startup | 2024 | Power Chips, EV Modules | Raja Annamalaipuram | Renewables, EV Makers | Yes |
Top 12 Semiconductor Companies in Chennai (2026)
A) OSAT / IC Assembly & Test Companies in Chennai
1. SPEL Semiconductor — India’s First & Only IC Assembly & Test Facility (Est. 1984)
| Field | Details |
| Company Type | OSAT (Outsource Semiconductor Assembly & Test) |
| Founded | 1984 |
| Parent Company | Natronix |
| Chennai Office | Plot No. 32, SIDCO Industrial Estate, Maraimalai Nagar, Chennai — 603 209 |
| Specialisation | Leaded Packaging, QFN, FBGA, Wafer Testing |
| Key Technologies | QFN, FBGA, Leaded ICs, Burn-In Testing |
| Clients Served | Global Fabless Companies, IDMs |
| Hiring Status | Operations Suspended (Early 2026) |
| Website | https://www.supremepower.in/ |
SPEL Semiconductor stands in a unique and historic position among semiconductor manufacturers in Chennai as it is the first and only indigenous Outsource Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) facility in India, for decades. The company was known for its expertise in packaging integrated circuits in led, QFN and FBGA formats for worldwide integrated device manufacturers and fabless chip companies. A major event in the industry that led to an early 2026 voluntary shutdown of manufacturing operations at the Maraimalai Nagar campus of SPEL.
SPEL’s legacy lives on today in the company of the institution that helped nurture a generation of Indian hardware engineers who were trained in the field of wafer level assembly, burn-in testing and precision IC packaging, skills that are still very relevant in the wider OSAT sector.
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2. Polymatech Electronics — Opto-Semiconductor Chip Manufacturing (SPECS Programme)
| Field | Details |
| Company Type | OSAT / Opto-Semiconductor Manufacturer |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Parent Company | Independent |
| Chennai Office | Oragadam Industrial Corridor, Chennai — 602 105 |
| Specialisation | GaN Chip Manufacturing, Sapphire LED Encapsulation |
| Key Technologies | Gallium Nitride (GaN), High-Brightness LEDs, Sapphire Substrates |
| Clients Served | Lighting Industry, Automotive OEMs |
| Hiring Status | Actively Hiring |
| Website | https://www.polymatech.in |
Polymatech Electronics is one of the most exciting Chennai based semiconductors companies. The company’s closed, fully automated chip manufacturing line in Oragadam with India’s Production Linked Incentive (SPECS) scheme is responsible for the design and encapsulation of ultra-high brightness Gallium Nitride (GaN) chips and sapphire based LEDs.
Quick expansion of infrastructure in the Oragadam industrial corridor puts it among the prime spots for an optical physics graduate, packaging engineer and semiconductor process specialist to gain real-time experience in the manufacturing of semiconductors on a large scale in the country. The company’s development is in line with India’s quest for localization of semiconductor manufacturing processes.
B) Global Semiconductor Equipment & Design Leaders with Chennai Centres
3. Applied Materials India — Semiconductor Equipment & PPACt Solutions
| Field | Details |
| Company Type | Semiconductor Equipment & Engineering |
| Founded | 1967 |
| Parent Company | Applied Materials Inc. (USA) |
| Chennai Office | Taramani, TIDEL Park, Chennai — 600 113 |
| Specialisation | Wafer Fab Equipment, Materials Engineering, PPACt Optimisation |
| Key Technologies | Thin Film Deposition, CMP, Materials Science, Automation |
| Clients Served | TSMC, Intel, Samsung, Global Foundries |
| Hiring Status | Actively Hiring |
| Website | https://www.appliedmaterials.com |
Applied Materials India’s Chennai engineering centre at Taramani is a powerhouse among semiconductor companies in Chennai for deep-tech hardware work. The centre is responsible for the core components and software for automation of wafer fabrication equipment used in the best of the world foundries. It specializes in Power, Performance, Area and Cost (PPACt) optimisation—all of the engineering trade-offs that lie behind each node shrink in the semiconductor industry.
Here, engineers have unprecedented exposure to precision electronic systems, materials science and next generation fab tooling. The growth opportunity is terrific because Applied Materials is a supplier to just about every advanced foundry that exists in the world.
4. Microchip Technology — Embedded Control, MCUs & RF Devices ($300M India Expansion)
| Field | Details |
| Company Type | IDM / Fabless |
| Founded | 1989 |
| Parent Company | Microchip Technology Inc. (USA) |
| Chennai Office | Semmencheri, Old Mahabalipuram Road, Chennai — 600 119 |
| Specialisation | Microcontrollers, Mixed-Signal ICs, RF Devices |
| Key Technologies | 8/16/32-bit MCUs, PIC, AVR, Mixed-Signal, RF |
| Clients Served | Automotive, Aerospace, Industrial, Consumer Electronics |
| Hiring Status | Actively Hiring |
| Website | https://www.microchip.com |
Microchip Technology’s Semmencheri centre is one of the most strategically placed semiconductor firms in Chennai, and based on a huge investment roadmap in India, the company has pledged $300 million in investment to ramp up its engineering capability throughout the country. The Chennai center is dedicated to the design of smart, connected and secure embedded control systems ranging from 8-bit PIC microcontroller to advanced 32-bit RF-enabled SOCs.
Engineers here enjoy first-to-market ownership of product lines that supply the global automotive, aerospace and industrial software-defined sectors, all of which are rapidly evolving and increasingly dependent on embedded silicon with more complex functionality.
5. KLA India — Process Control & Yield Management Systems
| Field | Details |
| Company Type | Semiconductor Process Control & Equipment |
| Founded | 1975 |
| Parent Company | KLA Corporation (USA) |
| Chennai Office | Perungudi / Taramani, Chennai — 600 096 |
| Specialisation | Wafer Inspection, Metrology, Yield Management |
| Key Technologies | AI-Driven Inspection, Metrology Systems, Sub-3nm Process Control |
| Clients Served | Leading Global Chip Foundries |
| Hiring Status | Actively Hiring |
| Website | https://www.kla.com |
Unlike other semiconductor firms in Chennai, KLA India’s work is at the nexus of physics, data science, and machine learning for the world’s most precise manufacturing processes. The Chennai facility is working on the AI algorithms, computational physics models, and inspection instrumentation to track yield in sub-3nm chip fabrication nodes. Here, engineers address real challenges that are at the limits of human engineering ability.
The career development opportunity is outstanding: some of the skills KLA has in Chennai are utilised in algorithmic problems solving and statistical modelling, considered as the highest demanded skills across the semiconductor equipment industry.
C) Indian IT Giants with Semiconductor Design Divisions in Chennai
6. HCLTech Chennai — VLSI Design, RTL, Verification & Chip Engineering
| Field | Details |
| Company Type | IT / Design Services |
| Founded | 1991 |
| Parent Company | HCL Enterprise |
| Chennai Office | ELCOT SEZ, Sholinganallur, Chennai — 600 119 |
| Specialisation | ASIC Layout, RTL Design, Physical Verification |
| Key Technologies | RTL, DFM, Formal Verification, ASIC Physical Design |
| Clients Served | Consumer Tech, Automotive OEMs |
| Hiring Status | Actively Hiring |
| Website | https://www.hcltech.com |
The Chennai operation of HCLTech at ELCOT SEZ campus is one of the largest semiconductor design service providers among all semiconductor companies in Chennai and supports full flow ASIC development from RTL specification to tapeout ready physical verification. The division supports complex ASIC designs and design for manufacturability (DFM) processes for leading technology companies around the world in automotive and consumer electronics applications.
HCLTech provides structured career ladders, international project rotations and the scope of work that only a Tier-1 IT company can offer in the semiconductor services domain for those looking for a structured corporate environment with wide exposure to global clients.
7. Tessolve (Hero Electronix) — Chip Design, Validation & Post-Silicon Testing
| Field | Details |
| Company Type | Design & Test Services |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Parent Company | Hero Electronix |
| Chennai Office | Guindy Industrial Estate, Chennai — 600 032 |
| Specialisation | DFT, ATE-Based Post-Silicon Testing |
| Key Technologies | Design-for-Test (DFT), Automated Test Equipment (ATE), Validation |
| Clients Served | Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, ARM |
| Hiring Status | Actively Hiring |
| Website | https://www.tessolve.com |
For engineers who wish to take the next step from design simulation to actual silicon, Tessolve is one of the most comprehensive semiconductor firms in Chennai. Tessolve is a silicon engineering solution provider operating from its design centre at Guindy under the Hero Electronix group from pre-silicon Design-for-Test (DFT) silicon architecture, to post-silicon validation on Automated Test Equipment (ATE).
The jobs engineers have with other silicon vendors, such as Qualcomm, Texas Instruments and ARM, are a unique and valuable blend of design insight and hardware lab experience, which is a hot commodity in the silicon world.
8. Sasken Technologies — Semiconductor & Embedded Software Services
| Field | Details |
| Company Type | Embedded & Design Services |
| Founded | 1989 |
| Parent Company | Independent (BSE-listed) |
| Chennai Office | Global Infocity Park, Perungudi, Chennai — 600 096 |
| Specialisation | Modem Software, V2X, Satellite Communication Protocols |
| Key Technologies | Modem SW, LTE/5G Stacks, V2X, Satcom |
| Clients Served | Automotive OEMs, Satellite Companies |
| Hiring Status | Actively Hiring |
| Website | https://www.sasken.com |
Sasken Technologies is one of those few Chennai-based semiconductor companies that are known for its specialty called, chip-to-cognition engineering — programming the embedded software that sits right on top of the silicon and allows it to talk intelligently to the world. The Chennai team of Global Infinity Park works on low level modem software, next generation satellite based communication protocols and Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) telematics stacks.
Sasken offers embedded software engineers specialized knowledge in areas of communication technologies, which are hardware adjacent such as 5G, satellite internet, autonomous vehicle communication, etc., and a knowledge that is very rare in the market.
9. ASM Technologies — Wafer Metallisation, Packaging & Manufacturing Consulting
| Field | Details |
| Company Type | Manufacturing Consulting |
| Founded | 1992 |
| Parent Company | Independent |
| Chennai Office | Tharamani, Chennai — 600 113 |
| Specialisation | Vacuum Chambers, Robotics, Fluid Gas Dynamics |
| Key Technologies | Vacuum Technology, Robotics, Wafer Processing Equipment |
| Clients Served | Fab Equipment Manufacturers |
| Hiring Status | Actively Hiring |
| Website | https://asmltd.com |
ASM Technologies is one of the most specialized semiconductor companies in Chennai, which focuses on high precision engineering needs of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, not on chips. Tharamani-based company plans and advises in ultra-high precision vacuum chambers, robotic material-handling arms and fluid gas flow systems within chip fabrication lines.
That’s why it’s a special place for mechanical and electronics engineers who prefer working with precision machinery instead of circuit design, and are looking to add invaluable knowledge to the semiconductor industry: engineering physics, the foundation of every modern chip factory.
D) Fabless Semiconductor Startups in Chennai
10. Mindgrove Technologies (IIT Madras Spinout) — AI, IoT & SHAKTI-Based SoCs
| Field | Details |
| Company Type | Fabless Startup |
| Founded | 2021 |
| Parent Company | IIT Madras Spinout |
| Chennai Office | IITM Research Park, Taramani, Chennai — 600 113 |
| Specialisation | RISC-V SoC Design, Edge AI Compute |
| Key Technologies | SHAKTI RISC-V Core, Edge AI, IoT SoCs |
| Clients Served | IoT, Defense, Consumer Electronics |
| Hiring Status | Actively Hiring |
| Website | http://www.mindgrovetech.in |
The new generation of semiconductor firms in Chennai is arguably led by Mindgrove Technologies. Mindgrove was born out of IIT Madras’s Spinout Program called SHAKTI, which develops commercial RISC-V based System-on-Chips (SoCs) for IoT devices, edge AI compute applications and secure vision analytics hardware.
The company has a flat organizational structure from the IITM Research Park, where engineers can be responsible for the design of an entire block and can engage in complete tape-out cycles, from architecture to GDSII submission. Mindgrove is an experience that no large company can duplicate for those ambitious chip designers who would like to engage in every aspect of silicon design.
11. PRS Semicon — Fabless Chip Design for AI/ML & Imaging Applications
| Field | Details |
| Company Type | Fabless Startup |
| Founded | 2024 |
| Parent Company | PRS Group |
| Chennai Office | Anna Nagar, Chennai — 600 040 |
| Specialisation | Custom VLSI IP, Spec-to-GDSII Design Flows |
| Key Technologies | Digital Verification, Physical Design, AI/ML Hardware |
| Clients Served | Imaging, Networking |
| Hiring Status | Actively Hiring |
| Website | https://prssemicon.com |
PRS Semicon is one of the latest semiconductor manufacturers in Chennai founded in 2024 by PRS Group for the custom VLSI IP that addresses the growing demand for IP which is specifically designed for the AI and imaging hardware applications. The company provides full design flows from specification to delivery of GDSII from digital verification, physical design and custom IP development.
In a unique move, PRS Semicon is also running the adjacent Semicon Academy, which offers its engineers an in-house skill development facility for machine learning hardware architectures and imaging silicon, creating a continuous learning environment along with their projects. Rapid growth of the company with significant ownership to early joining engineers.
12. iVP Semi — Power Chip Design & EV Power Modules (Tamil Nadu Govt. Backed)
| Field | Details |
| Company Type | Fabless Startup |
| Founded | 2024 |
| Parent Company | Backed by Tamil Nadu Government Industrial Initiatives |
| Chennai Office | Raja Annamalaipuram, Chennai — 600 028 |
| Specialisation | Power Semiconductor Chips, Intelligent Power Modules |
| Key Technologies | Power MOSFETs, EV Chips, Smart Power Modules |
| Clients Served | EV Manufacturers, Renewable Energy Companies |
| Hiring Status | Actively Hiring |
| Website | https://www.ivpsemi.com |
iVP Semi is a fabless semiconductor company, supported by the government, that designs power semiconductor chips and intelligent power modules for India’s booming electric vehicle and clean energy industry. iVP Semi is one of the few semiconductor companies in Chennai whose business is exclusively power electronics, an area traditionally dominated by European and Japanese firms.
It develops customized power MOSFETs, gate driver ICs and smart power modules which can be used for replacing imported components in Indian EV drivetrains and solar inverters. iVP Semi is one of the best opportunities for analog circuit specialists and power grid engineers in the city.
Automotive Semiconductor Demand: Chennai’s EV & ADAS Opportunity
- Chennai is home to more than 40% of India’s automotive manufacturing and is quickly moving towards EVs, resulting in a huge local demand for automotive silicon, such as ADAS processors, battery management ICs and motor control silicon.
- The city’s existing Tier-1 automotive suppliers—Bosch, Continental, Delphi—are now creating chip requirements with semiconductor manufacturers in Chennai, and no longer relying on imported, ready-made ICs.
- India’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for the automotive components sector explicitly includes a monetary incentive for semiconductor companies serving the Chennai auto cluster for its EV components.
- The adoption of ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) features in Indian vehicles is gaining momentum with the new safety regulation mandates, fueling the demand for radar, camera, and LiDAR processing chips from local design houses.
- The EV power module programme by iVP Semi and the automotive MCU designs by Microchip Technology directly cater to the needs of the Chennai automobile industry to have their components localised.
- Tamil Nadu’s EV policy aims for 100% electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers by 2030, creating a ten-year power semiconductor and embedded automotive silicon demand runway for companies in the city.
VLSI Engineering Careers in Chennai: Roles, Skills & Salaries 2026
Top VLSI Roles in Chennai
- RTL Design Engineer: Verilog/VHDL Designer of digital logic blocks; Core Skill for HCLTech, Mindgrove, PRS Semicon
- Verification Engineer: Works on building UVM based testbenches to validate RTL correctness; of critical need in all design service companies.
- Master Physical Design Engineer: Responsible for floorplanning, placement, routing, and signoff; key roles at Tessolve, HCLTech, KLA
- DFT Engineer: Architects scan chains and BIST structures for testability, specialty of Tessolve and Microchip Technology
- Analysts: Responsible for the analysis of timing closure at each design stage, hired by Applied Materials, KLA, HCLTech,
- Embedded Software / Firmware Engineer: Writing bare metal and RTOS software for MCUs and SoCs for the core hiring section of Sasken, Microchip and Mindgrove.
Salary Benchmarks: Fresher to 5-Year Experienced VLSI Engineer in Chennai (2026)
| Experience Level | Role | Salary Range (INR per annum) |
| Fresher (0–1 Year) | RTL / Verification / DFT Trainee | 4.5 – 7.5 LPA |
| Junior (1–2 Years) | RTL Design / Physical Design | 7 – 12 LPA |
| Mid-Level (2–4 Years) | Verification / DFT / STA | 12 – 18 LPA |
| Senior (4–5 Years) | Lead RTL / Physical Design Lead | 18 – 28 LPA |
| Specialist (5+ Years) | VLSI Architect / Module Lead | 28 – 45 LPA |
Best Colleges for VLSI in Chennai
- IIT Madras: Home of the SHAKTI RISC-V programme and Mindgrove Technologies spinout; M.Tech VLSI Design is one of the most esteemed courses in the country and directly leads to chip design jobs in semiconductor companies in Chennai.
- Anna University (CEG Campus): It has strong placement partnerships with HCLTech, Tessolve and Sasken, thus serving as a major talent bank for the design services sector in the city.
- SRM Institute of Science and Technology: Offers a dedicated M.The Tech VLSI & Embedded Systems programme is active with industry sponsorship from Microchip Technology & ASM Technologies.
- SSN College of Engineering: Good ECE department offering VLSI options with active semiconductor club; increasing placement record at Tessolve and Mindgrove.
- Rajalakshmi Engineering College: Has a good production of VLSI trained engineers every year and has good interaction with Guindy and Sholiganallur semiconductor design campus.
Conclusion
The transformation of Chennai from an automotive manufacturing hub to a full-fledged semiconductor hub offers one of the most interesting industrial stories in the Indian context today. Today, the semiconductor companies in Chennai cover all aspects of the semiconductor industry’s value chain, ranging from GaN wafer fabrication at Polymatech to SoC design based on the RISC-V architecture at Mindgrove, and from yield management using AI at KLA to designing the power module at iVP Semi.
With the proactive policy of semiconductor industries and the right engineering talent pool from IIT Madras and Anna University, Chennai will be a more attractive destination for both job seekers and global investors as India’s ambitions to establish a home-grown chip industry are followed up. In 2026, Chennai is no longer just an alternative, it’s a preferred choice for every ECE / VLSI engineer.
FAQs
Which is the only company in India that assembles and tests ICs?
SPEL Semiconductor is the first and only indigenous OSAT (Outsource Semiconductors Assembly and Test) house in India, which was established in Maraimalai Nagar in Chennai. The company, however, had ceased manufacturing activities in early 2026 on its own.
Would it be beneficial for semiconductor jobs to be located in Chennai?
Yes, absolutely. With more than a dozen major semiconductor companies, such as OSAT, semiconductor design, process equipment, and VLSI chip startups in the city, Chennai has a well-established reputation as one of the leading cities in India for semiconductor and VLSI careers in 2026 and is also being actively developed by the government.
What would be a VLSI engineer salary in Chennai?
The fresher-level and mid-level (2-4 years) VLSI engineers in Chennai receive 4.5 to 7.5 LPA and 12-18 LPA, respectively. In firms such as KLA, Applied Materials and Microchip, senior engineers and VLSI architects earn between 28 LPA and 45 LPA.
Which are the various types of semiconductor companies that are there in Chennai?
The mix includes global equipment giants such as Applied Materials, KLA, IT design services like HCLTech, Tessolve, Sasken, fabless startups like Mindgrove, PRS Semicon and iVP Semi, and OSAT/packaging companies like SPEL, Polymatech.
What impact is India’s Semiconductor Mission having on Chennai?
The Semiconductor Mission of India (ISM) is investing billions of rupees in chip design incentives, ATMP facility support and workforce skilling initiatives. This is directly impacting semiconductor companies in Chennai via the establishment of manufacturing capabilities through SPECS, the Chennai government’s investment in iVP Semi, and the whole talent ecosystem based on IIT Madras.
