Uniting global research strengths, EPIC Foundation and Fraunhofer forge an Indo‑German industry‑academia alliance to drive advancements in India’s ESDM sector.
EPIC Foundation, a hardware think‑tank founded by HCL’s Dr Ajai Chowdhry and Arjun Malhotra, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Germany’s Fraunhofer Group for Microelectronics (VµE), Europe’s cross‑location R&D alliance in microelectronics. The partnership aims to accelerate India’s electronics system design and manufacturing (ESDM) sector by merging Indian and German research strengths.
The agreement was formalised at the Indo‑German Workshop on collaboration in electronics manufacturing and semiconductors, held at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
The event featured senior officials from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the India Semiconductor Mission, and the National Security Advisory Board, alongside industry leaders and academics.
Fraunhofer brings expertise in microelectronics, covering sensors, micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), opto‑electronics, complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) design, packaging, and reliability testing.
EPIC expects this collaboration to enhance domestic manufacturing, drive innovation, and strengthen skills development in priority areas identified by the Indian government.
“This partnership is about harnessing top‑tier R&D to build a truly self‑reliant electronics ecosystem,” said Dr Ajai Chowdhry, Chairman of EPIC Foundation. “We want to move from being a major consumer of electronics to a global producer, creating jobs, future‑ready talent, and strategic autonomy.”
Anandi Iyer, Director of Fraunhofer Office India, described the partnership as “a bridge between two innovation powerhouses”. She added: “India offers a unique combination of skilled talent, industrial growth, and policy support. Together, we aim to co‑develop technologies that are globally competitive yet tailored for India’s needs.”
The initiative will map the strengths and gaps in India’s electronics sector, propose a strategic roadmap for Electronics Innovation Clusters, and foster researcher exchanges.
It will also support industry‑sponsored projects that bridge academic research and commercial application, aiming to shorten time‑to‑market for advanced technologies.
India’s ESDM market projected to reach $520 billion by 2025, EPIC predicts.
