Arm

Arm

Arm Holdings, founded in 1990 in Cambridge, UK, designs the semiconductor architecture that powers 95%+ of the world's smartphones and billions of embedded devices. Arm licenses its instruction set architecture (ISA) and processor designs to chip manufacturers and startups, and runs dedicated programs to support the global semiconductor startup ecosystem.

Startup Programs

• Arm Startup Program: Provides hardware startups with subsidized or free access to Arm IP (processor cores, physical IP, fast models), developer tools, technical support, and business development assistance — removing a major cost barrier for chip startups
• Arm Flexible Access for Startups: Pre-SoC startups can access a broad portfolio of Arm IP for design and development before committing to licensing fees, significantly reducing upfront investment
• Arm Ecosystem Partners: Access to Arm's vast ecosystem of EDA vendors, foundries, and system partners for end-to-end chip development support
• Arm DevSummit: Annual developer conference providing networking and knowledge sharing for the semiconductor and embedded systems community

Relevance for India

India's chip design ecosystem — centered in Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Pune — relies heavily on Arm architecture. The Arm Startup Program is critical for Indian semiconductor startups building custom SoCs for IoT, automotive, and communications applications.

Who Should Apply

Semiconductor startups, fabless chip design companies, and hardware entrepreneurs building IoT devices, automotive chips, AI accelerators, or communication SoCs on Arm-based architectures.