ARM expands chip design operations

UK-based ARM, which specialises in microprocessor intellectual property for a variety of electronic equipment, has expanded its research and development activities in the country. Its Bangalore design centre is set to become the second largest design centre for the company outside its Cambridge, UK headquarters.

ARM India is expected to grow its staff from the present 350 people to 700 people, with the expanded team of engineers focusing on next-generation ARM technology for advanced digital products.

Speaking on the occasion, ARM COO Tudor Brown, said, "This expansion reinforces the critical role played by India in ARM's worldwide operations. Since ARM began operations in India in 2004, the Bangalore design centre has become increasingly important in harnessing skilled technical talent to develop leading technology solutions for the digital world. Going forward, India offers ARM tremendous opportunities to grow and expand its scope of product development activities."

According to him, ARM's Indian operations are aimed at creating high-value semiconductor intellectual property (IP), products and solutions that address these markets, as well as offering services for companies developing products based on the ARM architecture.

The Bangalore design centre is the company's only R&D centre outside the UK to handle all technologies related to ARM. The engineers in Bangalore work on processors, media, system design and VLSI (very large scale integration) libraries apart from providing technical support.

"The ARM India design centre is the fastest growing within ARM worldwide and is a microcosm of the ARM global family, since key technical functions including physical IP design, processor design, testing and embedded software design are performed here," said ARM India MD Anil Gupta.

ARM Holdings Plc entered India in August 2004 after acquiring the Artisan Inc, which employed 50 personnel in Bangalore. Besides Britain and India, ARM has design and R&D centres in France, Germany, Israel, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and the US. It invests about 25-26 percent ($120-125 million) of its total revenue in design and R&D operations annually.

Tudor said ARM's semiconductor partners have shipped more than 10 billion ARM powered processors to date - currently at a rate approaching 100 every second. "ARM delivers high-performance, low-power processors, graphics engines, physical IP, peripherals, software and tools that are at the heart of more than 90 percent of the world's mobile devices, as well as being the architectural basis of applications in the wireless, networking, security and automotive spaces," he added.

In India, ARM has eight partners including HCL, IBM, KPIT Cummins, MindTree Consulting, Sasken, Tata Elxsi, TCS and Wipro.

The Indian subsidiary is collaborating with Indian academia, including Visvesvaraya Technology University in Karnataka, Indian Institute of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore to groom talent and hone skills of engineering graduates for a career in chip designing and embedded technologies.

ARM also announced its corporate social responsibility programme 'Anvas' to support socioeconomic, educational and health initiatives. ARM has volunteered to work with Ashwini Charitable Trust, Sahasra Deepika Institute for Education and the Marathahalli Government School in Bangalore.

The company will commit 6000 hours of ARM employees' voluntary work with the three organisations over the next two years. In addition to working for children's education and empowerment, ARM will contribute a financial amount matching the personal contributions of its employees, to encourage Anvas.