Indian startups, products, funding, policy and research.
Sensesemi Technologies, a Bengaluru-based fabless semiconductor startup, raised ₹25 crore (about $2.75 million) in a seed round led by Piper Serica, with participation from multiple funds and angel investors, as it develops edge-AI chip products.
Cartesia, a San Francisco-based startup building low-latency voice AI agents, is entering India by launching operations in Bengaluru. The company says it will invest $2.5 million initially, hire researchers and support clients building voice-led solutions tailored for Indian business needs.
India’s technology sector began 2026 with a notable dip in hiring demand, with active tech job openings reported down 24% year-on-year to around 1.03 lakh roles, according to staffing firm Xpheno’s January outlook.
Microsoft has announced its second-generation Maia 200 AI chip, built on TSMC’s 3-nanometre process, with early deployments expected for internal frontier-model work and broader use across Copilot and Azure AI offerings—an escalation in the race against Nvidia and cloud competitors.
Microsoft has introduced the Maia 200 AI chip, built on TSMC’s 3-nanometre process, positioning it as an alternative to Nvidia’s leading AI processors and a competitive signal to cloud rivals such as Amazon and Google.
Google marked India’s 77th Republic Day with a special Doodle themed around space exploration. The artwork highlights a rocket launch and space motifs, celebrating ISRO’s contributions and India’s growing presence in global space collaborations.
Google released a Republic Day 2026 Doodle in India centred on space exploration, highlighting ISRO’s contributions and India’s growing presence in space. The artwork features a rocket launch with satellites and orbital motifs, linking national pride to scientific progress on the day the Constitution is commemorated.
A KPMG note around the World Economic Forum 2026 highlights India’s semiconductor and AI push, pointing to approvals for multiple semiconductor fabrication plants and increased deep-tech R&D allocations. The message: India is shifting from policy intent to execution, aiming to strengthen chip-making, packaging and ecosystem capabilities.
Google released a Republic Day 2026 Doodle celebrating India’s space journey, highlighting ISRO and the country’s growing presence in space exploration through a vivid illustration built around rockets, satellites and the tricolour.
A report said ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) encountered an anomaly during its first mission of 2026, resulting in the loss of all satellites onboard. The incident was described as the second consecutive setback for PSLV within eight months and comes amid industry concerns about launch delays and access to testing infrastructure.
An international AI Impact Summit is scheduled for 19–20 February 2026 in New Delhi, positioned as a follow-on to recent global AI summits and focused more on implementation and measurable impact, particularly for the Global South.
A growing focus on semiconductors and AI is being framed as a major economic lever for India, with approvals for multiple fabrication plants, higher deep-tech R&D allocations, and an ecosystem push spanning inputs, packaging, partnerships and skills.