NEW DELHI: Mahindra University has announced the launch of India’s second HackerFab, following the student-led initiative at IIT Bombay, and the country’s first fully university-sponsored, student-led open-source semiconductor fabrication facility.

The initiative aims to strengthen India’s semiconductor ecosystem by providing students with hands-on experience in chip fabrication, equipment development and semiconductor research. It will enable students to design and build low-cost fabrication tools, helping develop indigenous technical capabilities aligned with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Led by students of the University’s B.Tech. in VLSI Design & Technology programme, the HackerFab will focus on developing key semiconductor fabrication equipment, including a maskless photolithography system, RF sputtering chamber, spin coater and tube furnace. The facility will complement Mahindra University’s plans to establish a cleanroom for teaching and research, giving students practical exposure to both chip design and fabrication.

Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group and Chancellor, Mahindra University, said the HackerFab would encourage students to experiment, build and learn through practical experience, describing it as an opportunity to create a generation of engineers who are unafraid to innovate.

Dr. Yajulu Medury, Vice Chancellor, Mahindra University, said India’s semiconductor ambitions require engineers who understand both chip design and fabrication. He added that the HackerFab would allow students to build equipment, test ideas and gain first-hand knowledge of semiconductor manufacturing processes.

The HackerFab concept originated at Carnegie Mellon University’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in 2023 as an open-source initiative aimed at making semiconductor microfabrication more accessible through affordable, student-built equipment. The model has since been adopted by institutions in several countries.

At IIT Bombay, students launched India’s first student-built HackerFab in August 2025. The initiative has enabled undergraduate students to develop prototypes of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, including systems for maskless lithography, spin coating, sputtering and furnace processing.

Mahindra University’s latest initiative builds on its growing focus on semiconductor education. The University launched its M.Tech. in VLSI & Embedded Systems in 2023, followed by the B.Tech. in VLSI Design & Technology in 2024. Students also have access to industry tools and platforms, including Synopsys and Cadence EDA suites, along with hardware support from AMD and Silicon Labs.

With the new HackerFab, Mahindra University seeks to bring semiconductor design, fabrication and research closer together. The initiative is expected to provide students with practical, industry-relevant skills as India expands its domestic semiconductor manufacturing and technology capabilities.