Bengaluru-based deeptech startup C2i Semiconductors has raised $15 million in a new funding round led by Peak XV Partners, with participation from Yali Deeptech and TDK Ventures. The fundraise comes less than a year after the company secured $4 million from Yali Capital in November 2024, underscoring growing investor confidence in India’s semiconductor innovation ecosystem.
The fresh capital will be deployed to accelerate global expansion, establish a US office to engage closely with customers and decision makers, and build an applications and systems engineering team in Taiwan.
Building Power Infrastructure for AI Data Centres
Founded in June 2024 by Ram Anant, Vikram Gakhar, Preetam Tadeparthy, Dattatreya Suryanarayana, Harsha S B, and Muthusubramanian N V, C2i Semiconductors is developing advanced power management solutions for AI data centres and cloud infrastructure.
The startup is focused on system level innovation rethinking how power flows from the grid to processor cores. As AI workloads intensify and GPU clusters scale rapidly, efficient power delivery has emerged as a critical bottleneck for data centre operators.
C2i claims its proprietary architecture can deliver 8–10% energy efficiency gains, improve GPU performance by around 3%, and extend overall server lifespan. A 10% efficiency improvement could translate into nearly 1 kW saved per server tray, resulting in significant operational savings at hyperscale deployments.
Rapid Move From Design to Silicon
The company plans an aggressive product roadmap. Its first chip is scheduled for tapeout in April, followed by a second in July. One product will be manufactured at Tower Semiconductor in Israel, while the other will be fabricated at GlobalFoundries in Singapore or Dallas.
C2i is already in discussions with three to four enterprise server manufacturers to define components for next generation platforms.
Riding the AI Infrastructure Wave
According to industry estimates, global AI infrastructure capital expenditure could reach $500–600 billion in the next 12–18 months and potentially expand to $1 trillion by 2030. Power efficiency and thermal optimisation are emerging as key investment priorities for hyperscalers and enterprise data centres.
With fresh funding, a fast-moving silicon roadmap, and early enterprise engagements, C2i Semiconductors aims to position itself as a critical enabler in the next wave of AI infrastructure buildout.
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