HCLTech Partners with Japan's Rapidus for Next-Gen Semiconductor Technologies

Indian IT services company HCLTech and Japan’s Rapidus Corporation have announced a partnership focused on next-generation semiconductor technologies. To support the Japanese chipmaker's semiconductor engineering requirements, two dedicated development centres have been inaugurated in Bengaluru and Hubli.

According to a regulatory filing by HCLTech, the newly established centres will provide specialised semiconductor engineering capabilities. These include mask design, design infrastructure, process design kit development, design technology co-optimization, and layout design. Additionally, the partnership aims to build a pipeline of Indian engineering talent to meet Rapidus' evolving workforce requirements in Japan.

Atsuyoshi Koike, Representative Director and CEO of Rapidus Corporation, stated that building a strong engineering ecosystem is essential as the company works to establish next-generation semiconductor manufacturing capabilities in Japan. He noted that the collaboration allows Rapidus to access India's growing pool of semiconductor engineering talent and set up dedicated development capabilities that complement its operations in Japan.

The collaboration comes as Rapidus seeks engineering expertise and technical resources to support its manufacturing ambitions for advanced logic semiconductors in Japan. The partnership also underscores the increasing role of India's semiconductor engineering workforce in supporting advanced chip development, alongside strengthening technology cooperation between India and Japan.

C Vijayakumar, CEO and Managing Director of HCLTech, remarked that advanced semiconductors will define technologies of the next decade. He added that the partnership combines Rapidus' ambitions with HCLTech's engineering expertise to accelerate chip adoption, compress time-to-market, and lay foundations for future semiconductor innovation.

Rapidus is a Japanese semiconductor company focused on developing and manufacturing advanced logic chips. Its core activities encompass chip design, wafer processing, and advanced packaging, with a primary emphasis on reducing development and production timelines.

For HCLTech, the collaboration expands its footprint in semiconductor engineering services while creating opportunities to develop specialised Indian engineering talent for advanced chip technologies. The companies have not disclosed the financial terms of the partnership or the exact number of engineers expected to be deployed across the two new development centres.

"This partnership highlights the growing capability of Indian engineering firms in high-value technology sectors like semiconductors. By establishing dedicated development centres in Bengaluru and Hubli, HCLTech is strategically positioning itself to support global chip manufacturing ambitions. For the broader ecosystem, such cross-border collaborations validate the depth of specialized technical talent available in India, moving beyond traditional IT services into advanced hardware and logic chip development." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes