boAt’s Bold Semiconductor Push Gets Major Breakthrough

India’s electronics and semiconductor industry is taking a major step forward as consumer tech brand boAt has partnered with Bengaluru-based startup HrdWyr and Tata Electronics to develop India’s first locally designed semiconductor chip for audio wearables. The new chip, called Indus 1011, is expected to power future wireless audio products and help reduce the country’s dependence on imported semiconductor technology.

The partnership is being seen as an important move under India’s “Make in India” and “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiatives, which encourage companies to build and manufacture advanced technology within the country. HrdWyr is a deep-tech semiconductor startup founded in 2023 by Ramamurthy Sivakumar, the former Managing Director of Intel South Asia. The company focuses on AI-native semiconductor products designed for edge computing and smart devices that can process data in real time without depending heavily on cloud systems.

Recently, the startup raised $13 million in Series A funding. The investment round was led by Ideaspring Capital and also included participation from Singularity AMC, Avatar Growth Capital, and Persistent Systems. The fresh funding is expected to help HrdWyr expand its semiconductor research and product development efforts.

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Indus 1011 Chip Designed for boAt Wearables

The Indus 1011 chip has been specially designed for True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbud charging cases. It combines a microcontroller system-on-chip with power management technology in a single solution. According to the companies, the chip can improve charging efficiency by 20% to 30% while also offering better battery management and lower power consumption.

The companies believe this chip can improve overall device performance and give users longer battery life. Future software updates may also include AI-powered features that can automatically optimise battery performance based on user behaviour. Each company in the partnership has a specific role in the project. boAt is acting as the anchor customer and has shared consumer insights, product specifications, and user behaviour data to help shape the chip according to market needs.

HrdWyr is responsible for designing the chip architecture and developing the intellectual property in Bengaluru. Tata Electronics, on the other hand, will manage assembly, packaging, and testing operations in India. While the actual silicon fabrication will initially take place in other Asian countries, the final packaging and testing will happen domestically through Tata Electronics. The chip is expected to first appear in boAt’s premium Nirvana product lineup. Prototype devices are likely to be ready by December 2025, while commercial rollout is expected to begin in mid-2026.

boAt Looks to Reduce Dependence on Imported Chips

boAt has become one of India’s biggest consumer electronics brands in recent years. Founded in 2015 by Sameer Mehta and Aman Gupta, the company has dominated India’s audio and wearables market for several quarters. It currently holds a major share in categories such as wireless earbuds, headphones, and smart wearables. The company has also increased local manufacturing in recent years. Around 76% to 80% of boAt’s products are now manufactured in India through partnerships with companies like Dixon Technologies. boAt plans to increase this localisation rate further in the coming years.

However, semiconductor chips still remain one of the biggest imported components in wearable devices. Chips account for nearly 30% to 40% of the overall bill of materials for such products, forcing brands to rely heavily on suppliers from Taiwan and China. With the Indus 1011 project, boAt wants to reduce supply chain dependency and gain better control over product performance and costs. The company also expects the move to help it compete more strongly with global brands such as Apple and Samsung by creating products with unique in-house semiconductor technology. By late 2026, boAt aims to use the Indus 1011 chip in nearly 25% of its device portfolio, including future products under its Nirvana, Prime, and AirDopes series.

For HrdWyr, the partnership is also expected to open new business opportunities. The company plans to offer the Indus 1011 as a merchant chip to other electronics brands in the future. Reports suggest that HrdWyr has already identified several potential customers beyond boAt. Industry experts believe this collaboration could become an important milestone for India’s growing semiconductor ecosystem as the country pushes to strengthen its position in global electronics manufacturing.