With a decade-long investment plan and 500 engineering jobs, Graphcore aims to build India’s next major AI chip design hub.
$1.2 Bn Investment to Build AI Engineering Ecosystem
SoftBank-owned Graphcore has unveiled a massive $1.2 Bn (₹11,860 Cr) investment plan in India over the next 10 years.
- The investment will support the setup of a new AI engineering campus in Bengaluru, cementing India’s place in the global AI semiconductor race.
- This initiative will create 500 high-skilled jobs in semiconductor engineering, significantly enhancing Graphcore’s worldwide operations.
Bengaluru Campus to Drive Next-Gen AI Hardware
The upcoming campus will serve as a global R&D centre for advanced AI computing hardware, focusing on:
- Semiconductor product development for AI applications
- Solving challenges in drug discovery, public health, environmental sustainability, and enterprise productivity
- Specialised roles in silicon logic design, physical design, chip verification, and bring-up
Hiring for the first 100 roles has already begun, targeting deep-tech talent in India’s growing semiconductor ecosystem.
A Strategic Move Post-SoftBank Acquisition
Graphcore, founded in 2016 by Nigel Toon and Simon Knowles, was acquired by SoftBank in 2024 as part of its broader AI infrastructure strategy.
- The acquisition ties into SoftBank’s $500 Bn Stargate project, developed with OpenAI and Oracle, aiming to create cutting-edge AI computing infrastructure.
- Graphcore complements this mission with its full AI compute stack, including custom AI chips, data centre infrastructure, and software.
India: A Hotbed for Global AI & Chip Talent
Graphcore’s India expansion reflects a wider trend of AI and semiconductor players building deep roots in India:
- OpenAI, Anthropic, and Perplexity are planning local engineering centres.
- NVIDIA recently signed an MoU to set up an AI university and support AI factories in Andhra Pradesh.
India’s tech workforce and engineering prowess are turning it into a global hub for AI product development and chip design.
AI Chips: The Next Big Opportunity in India
India’s overall semiconductor market is forecast to hit $150 Bn by 2030. Of this, the AI-specific chip market is expected to contribute over $21 Bn.
- Graphcore’s campus adds momentum to this trajectory, offering AI chip design capabilities that can serve global use cases from Indian soil.
- This investment also aligns with India’s vision to become a semiconductor powerhouse, supported by policy incentives and international collaboration.
SoftBank’s Long-Term Bet on India Continues
SoftBank has already invested over $12 Bn in Indian startups, including:
- Swiggy, Delhivery, Paytm, PB Fintech, FirstCry, Ola Electric, and Eternal
Now, through Graphcore, it is deepening its commitment by building foundational AI infrastructure directly in India, rather than just funding it.
