Chipmind emerges from stealth with $2.5M for AI in chip design
Chipmind launches AI agents to speed chip development, shortening design-to-manufacturing cycles.
Zurich-based startup Chipmind has officially launched with $2.5 million in pre-seed funding to revolutionize the semiconductor industry. The company, co-founded by Harald Kröll and Sandro Belfanti, focuses on developing AI agents to streamline the design and verification of microchips, promising to save engineers significant time and effort.
Transforming Chip Development with AI
Chipmind has introduced its flagship product, Chipmind Agents, a new class of AI tools designed to automate and optimize complex chip design and verification tasks. These agents are deeply embedded in a customer’s proprietary workflows, adapting to unique design environments and toolsets. They function as intelligent collaborators, autonomously handling multi-step tasks while keeping engineers in control. According to Chipmind, this approach can reduce the time engineers spend on repetitive, low-level tasks by 40%, enabling teams to focus on innovation.
"In the semiconductor industry, deep customization and data protection are fundamental, but true design awareness is what separates a generic tool from an intelligent partner", said Harald Kröll, Co-Founder and CEO of Chipmind. "Our 'design-aware' agents are engineered to holistically understand the entire chip context, not just the surrounding tools. We’ve found this deep awareness is the key that unlocks productivity, translating directly into significant time savings on the most complex tasks, all while integrating seamlessly into existing workflows."
Addressing a Critical Industry Challenge
As the demand for increasingly powerful microchips continues to rise, traditional design methodologies are struggling to keep pace with growing complexity. The semiconductor industry is at a pivotal moment, where innovation is essential to meet market needs. Hiring more engineers is no longer a viable solution, given the scale of the challenges. Chipmind’s AI agents are positioned as a much-needed alternative, offering a collaborative approach that boosts efficiency while preserving the integrity of existing workflows.
Co-founder and CTO Sandro Belfanti reflected on the inspiration behind Chipmind’s mission, drawing from his own extensive experience in chip design: "Anyone who’s spent time in chip development knows how much of the work is repetitive and time-consuming, demanding precision but not necessarily creativity. Throughout my career developing chips at top-tier semiconductor companies, I’ve often wished for a solution that could magically take care of those tedious tasks so I could focus on solving real engineering challenges. With Chipmind Agents, we’re finally bringing that solution to life: AI agents that can autonomously handle the boring parts, letting engineers focus on what truly matters: innovation."
A Unique European Perspective
Chipmind distinguishes itself as the first European startup dedicated to advancing AI in semiconductor design. The company’s foundation lies in the expertise of its co-founders, who met during their PhD studies at ETH Zurich. Together, Kröll and Belfanti bring over two decades of experience in AI and chip development, having worked on more than 20 chips, including mobile modems and system-on-chip solutions.
The startup’s focus on empowering existing workflows rather than replacing them is a key differentiator. "The evolution of chip design has created powerful, deeply embedded EDA tool flows that were not designed for interaction with modern AI agents", explained Kröll. "Recognizing that these critical systems can't be discarded, we developed Chipmind’s agent-building technology. Instead of replacing legacy systems, our technology makes them ready for the future of chip design."
Backed by Strong Industry Support
Chipmind’s $2.5 million pre-seed funding round was led by Founderful, with participation from prominent angel investors in the semiconductor sector. The funding will be used to expand the startup's engineering team, accelerate product development, and deepen partnerships with key players in the industry.
Edouard Treccani, principal at Founderful, expressed confidence in Chipmind's potential: "In a world buzzing with AI every day, Chipmind stands out as a refreshingly real solution to a problem Harald and Sandro have spent 20 years deep in. From day one, they’ve built in close dialogue with the market, and the early feedback has been remarkably positive. Founderful is thrilled to be part of their journey!"
Redefining the Future of Semiconductor Design
Chipmind’s launch marks a significant step forward for the semiconductor industry, offering a practical solution to the growing challenges of chip design. As AI becomes an increasingly integral part of this field, Chipmind is poised to lead the way in fostering collaboration between human creativity and machine intelligence, unlocking new possibilities for innovation and efficiency.
