THE ULTIMATE ROADMAP

The Fabless Design House Bootstrap Roadmap (2-Person Team)

Ye plan tumhari B.Tech journey se shuru hokar, initial revenue generation

tak ka blueprint hai. Tum dono ki strength ke hisaab se roles thode adjust
ho sakte hain, lekin ye ek ideal split hai.

Phase 1: Foundation & Skill Mastery (B.Tech Years & Immediate

Post-Grad)

Goal: Solid technical base banana, portfolio build karna, aur market ko
samajhna. Abhi focus learning aur practical execution par hai, clients par
nahi.

Person 1: The "Digital Design & Architecture Lead"

(Focus on RTL, Architecture, Synthesis, Design for Testability)

 Core Responsibilities:

o Digital Circuit Design: Deep dive into combinational and

sequential logic, state machines, micro-architecture.

o RTL Coding: Master Verilog/SystemVerilog for complex digital

blocks. Clean, synthesizable code लिखना सीखो.

o Logic Synthesis: Understand how RTL converts to gates.

Yosys (open-source) par hath saaf karo.

o Design for Testability (DFT): Scan design, JTAG, BIST basics

samajhna aur implement karna.

o Timing Analysis Basics: Setup and hold time concepts.

 Actionable Steps:

1. College Subjects: VLSI, Digital Electronics, Computer

Architecture mein top score karna.

2. Verilog/SystemVerilog Mastery: Online courses, NPTEL

videos, aur "Verilog HDL" by Samir Palnitkar jaisi books se
padho.

3. Open-Source EDA: Yosys aur OpenLane toolchain ko setup

karke uspar chote-chote designs synthesis aur basic P&R tak
run karna seekho.
 4. Practice Projects: Simple CPU (e.g., a custom 8-bit or 16-bit
processor), UART, SPI, I2C controllers design karo RTL mein.
Har project ko GitHub par acchi documentation ke saath daalo.

Person 2: The "Verification & Flow Automation Lead"

(Focus on Testbenches, Scripting, Physical Design Flow, Open-Source Tools

Management)

 Core Responsibilities:

o Verification: Testbench development using

Verilog/SystemVerilog, UVM (Universal Verification
Methodology) basics ko samajhna. Simulation tool
proficiency.

o Scripting: Python aur TCL mein expertise. Design flows

automate karna, data parsing.

o Physical Design Flow Basics: Magic VLSI, OpenLane mein

basic layout generation, DRC/LVS ki understanding.

o Open-Source Toolchain Management: Tumhara kaam hoga

open-source tools ko setup karna, libraries manage karna, aur
unko stable rakhna.

o Technical Documentation: Projects ki detailed technical

reports, design specs, verification reports banana.

 Actionable Steps:

1. College Subjects: Digital Electronics, VLSI labs ko serious lo.

Linux proficiency.

2. SystemVerilog & UVM: Online courses aur "SystemVerilog

for Verification" by Chris Spear jaisi books se padho.

3. Open-Source EDA: Icarus Verilog, Ngspice, Magic VLSI,

OpenLane ko setup aur use karna master karo. SkyWater
130nm PDK par practice karo.

4. Practice Projects: Person 1 ke banaye hue IP blocks ke liye

robust testbenches likho. Har testbench ka functional
coverage aur code coverage report generate karo. Ek
complete OpenLane flow setup karke GDSII output tak
pohochne ki practice karo.

Joint Responsibilities (Phase 1):

  Foundational Knowledge: Both should understand the full chip
design flow (RTL to GDSII), semiconductor physics basics, CMOS
technology.

 Networking (Early Stage): College professors se baat karo,

industry speakers ke sessions attend karo. LinkedIn par industry
experts ko follow karo.

 Market Research (Initial): India mein semiconductor landscape,

government initiatives (ISM, PLI, DLI), aur kis type ke chips ki
demand hai, iski basic understanding develop karo.

 GitHub Portfolio: Dono ke projects ek shared repository mein ya

individual repositories mein consistent, well-documented format
mein upload hone chahiye. This is your professional resume.

 Continuous Learning: Naye trends, technologies (e.g., RISC-V,

low-power design, AI accelerators) par nazar rakho.

Phase 2: Bootstrapping & Initial Revenue (Post-Grad / College Ke

Final Year Mein)

Goal: Small projects secure karna, quality work deliver karke reputation
banana, aur initial revenue generate karna. Funding abhi bhi avoid karna
hai, but project revenue se growth plan karna hai.

Person 1: The "Lead Designer & Technical Point of Contact"

 Core Responsibilities:

o Project Design Execution: Client requirements ko technical

specifications mein translate karna, actual design (RTL coding,
synthesis for client targets).

o Architecture & Micro-architecture: Client ke liye optimal

chip/IP architecture define karna.

o Technical Client Communication: Client se technical

doubts discuss karna, design decisions explain karna.

o Design Reviews: Internal design reviews lead karna,

ensuring quality.

 Actionable Steps:

1. Requirement Analysis: Potential client projects ki

requirements ko break down karna.
 2. Design & Development: Agreed upon IP blocks ya smaller
sub-systems design karna.

3. Client Demos: Client ko design progress aur functionality

demo karna.

4. Problem Solving: Design related technical challenges solve

karna.

Person 2: The "Verification Architect & Operations Lead"

 Core Responsibilities:

o Verification Strategy: Project ke liye comprehensive

verification plan banana (testbench architecture, coverage
goals).

o Testbench Development: Complex UVM testbenches

develop karna.

o Flow & Automation: Design flow ko optimize karna, custom

scripts likhna for efficiency.

o Quality Assurance: Ensuring all deliverables meet quality

standards (DRC, LVS, timing checks - basic level par).

o Project Management (Initial): Deadlines track karna, task

assignment.

o Business Development (Support): Freelancing platforms

par profile manage karna, leads follow-up karna.

 Actionable Steps:

1. Verification Planning: Har project ke liye detailed

verification plan banana.

2. Testbench Implementation: Design ke liye robust

testbenches likhna, corner cases cover karna.

3. Flow Optimization: Automated scripts likhna jisse design aur

verification flow smooth ho.

4. Deliverable Preparation: Final GDSII (agar client demand

kare), reports, documentation, test reports ready karna.

Joint Responsibilities (Phase 2):

 Client Acquisition (Key Focus):

 o Freelancing Platforms: Upwork, Fiverr par detailed profiles
banao, sample work upload karo. Start with small, low-cost
projects to build ratings and reputation.

o LinkedIn: Actively post about your projects, engage with

industry discussions, reach out to relevant startups/companies
(professional cold outreach).

o Networking: College alumni network use karo. If possible,

attend local tech meetups or startup events (even if online).

o Value Proposition: Clearly communicate what you offer –

small-batch, high-quality design/verification services at
competitive rates.

 Legal & Financial Basics:

o Sole Proprietorship/Partnership Registration: Initial

stages mein simple business registration.

o Bank Account: Business ke liye separate bank account

kholna.

o Contracts: Simple Statement of Work (SOW) ya Service

Agreement templates use karna (online mil jaayenge, ya kisi
lawyer friend se help le sakte ho). Isme scope, deliverables,
timeline, payment terms clearly likhna.

o Pricing Strategy: Initial projects ke liye competitive pricing

rakho, jaise-jaise reputation badhegi, rate badha sakte ho.

 Continuous Portfolio Update: Har successful project ko portfolio

mein add karo, client testimonials lene ki koshish karo.

Phase 3: Growth & Expansion (Jab Revenue Steady Ho Jaye)

Goal: Revenue re-invest karna, better tools acquire karna, aur team
expand karna.

Person 1: The "CTO / Chief Designer"

 Core Responsibilities:

o Technical Vision & Roadmap: Company ki long-term

technical direction define karna (e.g., custom IP development,
specific niche).

o Complex Design Leadership: Bade aur complex projects ko

lead karna.
 o R&D: Nayi technologies, design methodologies explore karna.

o Talent Acquisition (Technical): New engineers interview

karna, technical capabilities assess karna.

Person 2: The "COO / Head of Operations & BD"

 Core Responsibilities:

o Operational Efficiency: Design flows ko aur streamline

karna, quality control processes implement karna.

o Project Management: Multiple projects juggle karna,

timelines manage karna, client relations handle karna.

o Business Development: Bigger clients target karna,

partnerships explore karna.

o Financial Management: Budgets, expenses, payroll manage

karna.

o Talent Acquisition (Operational): Non-technical hires (if

any), onboarding.

Joint Responsibilities (Phase 3):

 Re-investment:

o Commercial EDA Tools: DLI scheme ke under support

explore karo ya phased manner mein licenses acquire karo.
Cloud-based EDA solutions bhi explore karo.

o Computing Infrastructure: Better servers, workstations.

o Training & Certifications: Team ki skills ko upgrade karne ke

liye trainings.

 Team Expansion:

o First Hire: Decide karo ki sabse badi "pain point" kya hai –
kya tumhe aur verification engineers chahiye, ya physical
design specialists, ya analog designers? Uske hisaab se hire
karo.

o Hiring Process: Referrals, college placements, LinkedIn.

Initial hires mein "cultural fit" aur "learning attitude" par focus
karo.

 Strategic Partnerships: Foundries (for tape-out), IP vendors, other

design houses ke saath relationships build karo.
  Government Schemes: India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) ke
Design Linked Incentive (DLI) scheme ka pura-pura fayda uthao.
Ye bahut helpful ho sakti hai EDA tools, IP access, aur even tape-out
cost mein.

Kuch Aur Important Points (Dhyan Rakhne Wale):

 Patience & Persistence: Semiconductor business ek long game

hai. Success overnight nahi milegi.

 Networking: Isko kabhi underestimate mat karna. Right

connections can open doors.

 Adaptability: Market trends badalte rehte hain. Flexibility rakho

aur naye areas mein jaane ko ready raho.

 Financial Discipline: Jab revenue aaye, toh usko wisely re-invest

karo. Unnecessary spending se bacho.

 Documentation: Har project ki proper documentation ek

professional approach hai aur future ke liye valuable asset hai.

 Legal & IP: Jaise-jaise tumhare designs complex hote jaayenge,

Intellectual Property (IP) protection bahut zaroori ho jaayegi.
Iske baare mein seekhna aur experts se consult karna.

Ye roadmap kaafi comprehensive hai. Isko follow karte hue aur apni skills
ko continue develop karte hue, tum dono definitely semiconductor
industry mein apna mark bana sakte ho.

SOMETHING MORE TO KNOW ABOUT IT

Kya Chhoot Gaya Tha? Kuch Aur Zaroori Points:

1. Mental Toughness & Resilience

Yeh sabse zaroori cheezon mein se ek hai jo humne direct discuss nahi ki.
Semiconductor industry extremely challenging hai. Failures aayenge,
projects latakenge, clients mana karenge, funding nahi milegi (at later
stages).
  Kya Add Karna Chahiye: Tum dono ko mental रूप से strong rehna
hoga. Ek-doosre ko support karna, setbacks se seekhna, aur kabhi
haar na maanne wala attitude rakhna. Ye journey lambi hai.

2. Financial Management (Micro Level)

Humne funding aur re-investment ki baat ki, lekin initial phases mein
personal financial discipline bahut important hai.

 Kya Add Karna Chahiye: Jab tak revenue stable na ho, expenses
ko control mein rakhna. Zaroorat se zyada kharch mat karna. Side
gigs ya part-time work agar possible ho toh kar sakte ho, jisse
personal expenses manage ho sakein aur business par pressure na
aaye. Isko "personal runway" bolte hain – kitne time tak tum bina
business income ke survive kar sakte ho.

3. Legal & Compliance (Initial)

Humne registration aur bank account ki baat ki, but kuch aur points hain:

 Kya Add Karna Chahiye:

o NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreements): Jab tum clients se baat

karoge, especially bade clients ya jinke paas sensitive IP hai,
toh woh NDA sign karwayenge. Tumhe bhi apni IP protect
karne ke liye NDA use karna pad sakta hai. Inka basic
structure samajh lo.

o IP Ownership: Clients ke saath contracts mein clear ho ki

design ki IP (Intellectual Property) kiski hogi – client ki ya
tumhari? Agar tum IP blocks bana rahe ho jinhe future mein
reuse karna hai, toh IP rights tumhare paas hone chahiye.

o Taxation: Business registration ke baad relevant taxes (GST,

Income Tax) ki basic understanding honi chahiye. Ek chhota
accountant hire karna ya kisi expert se advise lena better
hoga.

4. Networking Quality over Quantity

Humne networking ki bahut baat ki, but specific quality matter karti hai.

 Kya Add Karna Chahiye: Sirf contacts banane se kaam nahi

chalega. Meaningful relationships build karo. Industry ke
influential logon se, potential mentors se, aur un startup founders se
connect karo jo tumhare niche mein hain. Unke liye value create
karne ki koshish karo, not just taking.

5. India-Specific Ecosystem Understanding

Humne general baat ki, but India ke context mein kuch specifics:

 Kya Add Karna Chahiye:

o MSME Registration: Jab tum apna business register karoge,

toh MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) ke
under register karna faydemand ho sakta hai. Isse
government tenders aur schemes mein kuch advantages mil
sakte hain.

o Local Talent Pool: India mein kahan-kahan se best VLSI

talent mil sakta hai (IITs, NITs, IISc, BITS, etc.). Future mein
hiring ke liye ye research abhi se useful hogi.

6. Cybersecurity & Data Protection

Tumhare design files, client data, aur IP bahut sensitive honge.

 Kya Add Karna Chahiye: Starting se hi secure development

practices adopt karna. Version control systems (Git) use karna,
data backup karna, aur basic cybersecurity measures (strong
passwords, two-factor authentication) implement karna.