Shaping the Future of Semiconductor Sustainability with KeenSemi
KeenSemi is a cutting-edge semiconductor company focused on designing innovative, high-performance chips for next-generation technologies and sustainable electronics solutions. During an interaction with Vidushi, Pankaj Panjwani, CEO and Founder, KeenSemi highlighted the company’s advancements in democratizing semiconductor design, delivering end-to-end SoC solutions, expanding globally, fostering sustainability, and driving innovation in AMS, DFT, and energy-efficient designs.
- What trends in semiconductor design will shape the next five years, and how is KeenSemi leading in these areas?
Over the next five years, semiconductor design is expected to take a more democratized approach. While semiconductor fabrication remains concentrated in a few regions, integrated circuit (IC) design has evolved significantly, allowing anyone with access to the right resources to participate in the design process. This shift enables a range of solutions to address complex problems through varied semiconductor products and systems. KeenSemi has developed proprietary intellectual properties (IPs) and methodologies to support designers worldwide in realizing their visions on silicon. Our comprehensive, end-to-end offering is tailored to small and medium-sized companies, helping them accelerate the design-to-productization process and enhancing reliability.
2. How does KeenSemi approach the domestic and global semiconductor markets to stay competitive?
KeenSemi prioritizes understanding and addressing customer-specific requirements. In our eight years of operation, we’ve partnered with clients across both domestic and international markets, including sectors like IoT, communications, and automotive. Our approach is centered on helping clients bring distinctive products to market by fine-tuning our design approaches to meet their unique needs, ensuring they achieve meaningful differentiation.
3. Can you share recent SoC solutions KeenSemi has developed to meet evolving client needs?
KeenSemi has heavily invested in developing in-house System-on-Chip (SoC) platforms, general-purpose IPs, Verification IPs, and backend and Design-for-Test (DFT) methodologies across multiple technology nodes. With this range of capabilities, our clients can rely on KeenSemi for all their semiconductor needs, eliminating the need to coordinate with multiple vendors.
4. What recent partnerships are you excited about, and how do they align with KeenSemi’s mission?
KeenSemi’s mission is to be a one-stop solution for semiconductor services. Our goal is to transform customer specifications into fully functional silicon products or end-use systems. We are actively building an ecosystem of IP providers, EDA software vendors, fabrication partners, and test engineering firms to deliver a comprehensive solution package to our customers.
5. What major milestones has KeenSemi achieved since 2016 that solidify its industry standing?
Since our founding in 2016, KeenSemi has expanded from offering only physical design services to a full range of services, including design-for-test, verification, analog and mixed-signal design and layout, mixed-signal simulations, SoC architecture, and FPGA prototyping. We now operate from multiple locations in India and California, U.S., and our engineering team is set to exceed 100 members by early 2025.
6. Are there plans to expand into new regions or focus areas in the semiconductor industry?
Yes, KeenSemi is expanding its business development efforts in strategic markets, including the U.S., Taiwan, Japan, and Europe. These regions are critical due to their high profit margins and the advanced technology node projects that align with KeenSemi’s expertise. Over the next 2-4 years, we plan to establish local offices in additional countries to enable seamless, real-time customer interactions and facilitate in-person collaboration.
7. How does KeenSemi’s expertise in AMS and DFT add value to clients?
Many semiconductor designs interface with the real world through sensors—such as those for temperature, pressure, and light—requiring analog capabilities. KeenSemi’s in-house expertise in Analog and Mixed Signal (AMS) design allows us to provide clients with a complete, integrated package. Additionally, our deep knowledge of Design-for-Test (DFT) enables us to integrate test logic early in the design process, helping clients meet production requirements with minimal issues.
8. How does KeenSemi incorporate sustainability and energy efficiency into its designs?
Power, Performance, and Area (PPA) remain the three critical metrics for semiconductor products, and at KeenSemi, we rigorously design to meet or exceed these targets. Power efficiency, in particular, has become essential for product success. KeenSemi leverages advanced methodologies to ensure our designs use optimized logic gates and IPs, delivering high performance at the lowest possible power levels. Our use of state-of-the-art EDA algorithms minimizes performance variability over time, contributing to sustainability and reducing the need for frequent component replacements.
