Tamil Nadu government backs semiconductor startup Aheesa with ₹20 crore
Tamil Nadu's government just invested ₹20 crore in Aheesa, a Chennai-based semiconductor startup, through its Emerging Sector Seed Fund.
This boost is set to help Aheesa move from prototype to actual product launch.
Founded in 2021, the company designs chips for broadband and system control: think tech that keeps your internet running fast and secure.
Aheesa's flagship product is the VIHAAN-I chip
Aheesa's big product is the VIHAAN-I chip, built on RISC-V tech and C-DAC's VEGA core.
It packs in features like high-speed memory (DDR4), multiple Gigabit Ethernet ports, PCIe 3.0, USB 3.0, plus built-in security and support for things like VPNs and 5G backhaul, basically making networks smarter and safer.
The chip currently powers Indian-made Optical Network Terminal (ONT) platforms
VIHAAN-I powers Indian-made Optical Network Terminal (ONT) platforms such as Seshnag for device makers here at home.
Around 60% of the tech uses licensed IP, but key parts like broadband access and encryption are built by Aheesa itself, showing off some real local innovation.
Aheesa was started by 3 founders in 2021
Aheesa was started by Sridharan Mani, Sukha R Ghosh, and Anil Raj Thulasi Das.
With a small team of 30 focused on research and development, they've finished their first chip version ("tape-out") and plan to roll out samples by mid-2026 before full production kicks off in early 2027.
This funding should help them speed things up from lab to market.