Bluehill VC

Frontier-tech focused fund based in Bengaluru & Chennai

[manu iyer @DeepTechManu]

We had done 2 fabless semiconductor investments from the fund and both have managed to tapeout in record time. Both have taped out with TSMC. Here below is a summary of what both companies are building. Exciting times for investors in semiconductors!

@BluehillVC @SanketPanda10

[manu iyer @DeepTechManu]

Data centres are massive drains on power and water and are increasingly constrained by geography. And the pace of new compute demand is outstripping visible terrestrial power build-outs. Local regulations and environmental considerations are additional constraints that need to be managed.

The next logical step? Move them to space.

In orbit, data centres can be modular, powered independently by solar panel arrays, and cooled via radiative heat dissipation into the cold vacuum of space (which is at -270 C). The @nytimes article below explores this idea which is now being pursued by multiple companies.

We at @BluehillVC are exploring multiple ideas along this value chain of space including power, compute & communication.

[manu iyer @DeepTechManu]

India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) 1.0 had approved 10 projects. Of that Micron's ATMP plant in Sanand was the first to go operational last month. This month, Kaynes' OSAT plant in Sanand will go live. By end of the year CG Power+Renesas OSAT facility is also expected to go live.

The big one - Tata Electronics+PSMC Fab targeting 50K wafer starts per month is expected to start production at 28nm node in the first quarter of 2027. Tata Electronics is also setting up their own OSAT expected to go live in Assam by end of the year.

Multiple smaller projects are in various stages of execution and the rollout of ISM 2.0 is also expected to bring more momentum to the sector.

Exciting times ahead for Semiconductors in India!

@BluehillVC

[manu iyer @DeepTechManu]

Advanced packaging is one of the most important developments in modern semiconductors. As the effect of Moore's law becomes more pronounced and traditional transistor scaling slows, the next domain to improve performance is by stacking chips vertically and integrating them more tightly through advanced packaging.

3D-packaging provides for multiple benefits including shorter signal paths, lower latency, higher bandwidth and better energy efficiency.

"Everything is going 3D. This increases the importance of material science". - Applied Materials President.

At @BluehillVC, we are investing across the semiconductor value chain, including in the material science part of the value chain.

[manu iyer @DeepTechManu]

India’s space-tech moment is accelerating 🚀.

In 2025 alone: $276M was invested across 33 venture deals, which is more than the previous two years combined!

Capital is quickly following ambition.

[manu iyer @DeepTechManu]

Rogue drones are used to drop arms, drugs, counterfeit money, etc across the India-Pak border. This has been escalating recently as you can see below. The usual recourse from our armed forces is to shoot these down but we lose forensic information on the drone like the take-off coordinates, target coordinates, photography captured, make of the flight controller, etc. Our portfolio company at @BluehillVC, Zebu Intelligent Systems has a relevant "Drone-capture" solution, to capture these rogue drones "alive" to enable forensics by our armed forces.

[manu iyer @DeepTechManu]

There's outsize focus in bringing Electronics Production "inhouse" in India. Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme is supporting manufacturing in Multilayer PCBs, Lithium Ion Cells, Optical Transceivers, Sub-assemblies, etc. Investment is coming in from various groups including Tatas, Samsung, Wipro.

[manu iyer @DeepTechManu]

First podcast in the books! 🎤

Chatted frontier tech, real builder traits, and why funding hard science/tech in India is different on @bestplace2build hosted by @AmrutashM (recorded @ CFI IIT Madras).

Watch here: https://t.co/Uf4GcDGH95

@BluehillVC

Drop a like if you're into India's next-decade innovation!

[manu iyer @DeepTechManu]

The Indian Government has been urging corporates to start engaging with startups on multiple fronts - the lowest hanging of which is for business via early PoCs. More importantly Indian industry has to engage on acquisitions and investments with startups to deepen capital formation especially around deep-tech.

[Marksmen Daily @DailyMarksmen]

Union Budget 2026 is a "watershed moment" for Indian deep tech. Manu Iyer of @BluehillVC   highlights the significance of connecting the dots between raw minerals and finished chips.

The synergy between ISM 2.0 (semiconductors) and the new rare earth corridors is critical. Iyer notes that this "not only deepens the foundation for high-tech growth but also enhances supply-chain resilience."

By controlling the entire value chain—from mining critical minerals to designing advanced chips—India is insulating itself from global shocks. This integrated approach promises to drive high-skilled employment and secure India’s role in "resilient global value chains."

Article link - https://t.co/XTzmisM6xA

#UnionBudget2026 #SemiconductorMission #TechSelfReliance #CriticalMineralsIndia #MarksmenDaily

[manu iyer @DeepTechManu]

One Fab to rule them all! Tata is doing that one fab in India. We however need to ramp up capabilities to build in Fab. Whoever controls the Fab controls the future of compute!

https://t.co/ClZkbkt3QS