boAt Bets Big on Indian Innovation: Partners with Semiconductor Startup HrdWyr

India’s journey to becoming a global technology powerhouse just hit an important milestone—and it comes from an unexpected but powerful partnership. In a move that could redefine how Indian consumer brands engage with deep tech innovation, boAt, the country’s leading audio wearables brand, has joined hands with Bengaluru-based semiconductor startup HrdWyr to unveil a first-of-its-kind, indigenously designed branded chip: the HrdWyr Indus 1011.

The chip—designed entirely in India—marks a bold shift for the consumer electronics sector. For years, Indian brands have relied heavily on global semiconductor giants to power their devices. But with this collaboration, boAt has become the first Indian audio wearables company to place its trust in a homegrown chip, signaling not just a product innovation, but a potential turning point for India’s semiconductor ambitions.

A Shift in Strategy: From Import Reliance to Indigenous Innovation

boAt’s rise in the audio wearables segment is well-documented—it has consistently dominated market charts, competing with international names and shaping consumer preferences in India. Traditionally, like many others, boAt partnered with established global chipset makers to power its devices. But the decision to back a startup like HrdWyr at the core semiconductor level is a departure from the norm.

This shift is about more than supply chains—it’s about vision. By embracing a young domestic player at such a fundamental level of innovation, boAt is effectively signaling that the future of consumer technology differentiation lies not just in design or branding, but in ownership of the chip-level intelligence that powers next-gen devices.

Sameer Mehta, Co-founder and CEO of boAt, put it succinctly:

“True product differentiation comes from innovation at the chip level, and this can be achieved right here in India.”

What the Chip Brings to the Table

The Indus 1011 chip, developed by HrdWyr, isn’t just another entry in the semiconductor race. It introduces intelligent battery management capabilities—a critical innovation for the growing true wireless stereo (TWS) segment where power efficiency is a game-changer.

boAt plans to roll out this chip in its upcoming premium TWS charging cases early next year, ensuring the innovation reaches consumers at scale. The move positions boAt as not just an adopter of new technology, but as a catalyst that enables Indian startups to innovate and compete globally.

A Collaborative Model: Brand Meets Startup

What makes this story truly compelling is the collaboration model. boAt brought deep consumer insights—knowledge of pain points, performance needs, and end-user expectations—while HrdWyr translated those into silicon, building application-specific system-on-chips (AISoCs) designed for low power, high reliability, and enhanced performance.

This partnership is not just about a product launch; it’s about creating a template for how Indian consumer brands and deep tech startups can come together to accelerate innovation. HrdWyr, in turn, gets what every young semiconductor startup dreams of—a lead customer willing to back them at scale.

As Ramamurthy Sivakumar, Co-founder and CEO of HrdWyr, explained:

“This milestone proves that India can innovate at the deepest levels of technology—semiconductor product design and IP creation.”

Completing the Loop: Tata Electronics Steps In

A chip’s journey doesn’t end at design. It requires robust assembly, packaging, and testing capabilities to scale. Enter Tata Electronics, which has stepped in to complete the loop within India’s borders. With design, IP creation, and packaging all executed domestically, the collaboration stands as a shining example of Atmanirbhar Bharat in action.

This integration echoes the Government of India’s broader vision for Make in India, Digital India, and the India Semiconductor Mission. It demonstrates that India is moving beyond being just a market for global tech and toward becoming a creator of globally competitive innovation.

Why This Matters for India’s Semiconductor Ambitions

The implications of this partnership stretch far beyond boAt or HrdWyr. India has long been seen as a software powerhouse, but its semiconductor journey has remained dependent on imports and global supply chains. For a large and fast-growing economy, strategic autonomy in semiconductors isn’t just an aspiration—it’s a necessity.

This collaboration represents a proof point that India’s semiconductor ecosystem is maturing—where design, manufacturing support, and large-scale deployment can all happen within the country. It highlights the critical role of fabless startups like HrdWyr, which can build indigenous intellectual property and eventually export Indian innovation to the world.

boAt’s bet on HrdWyr is more than a corporate decision—it is a signal of confidence in India’s capability to create and lead in deep tech. For consumers, it means more efficient, differentiated products. For startups, it shows that big Indian brands can be early adopters and enablers of breakthrough innovation. For the country, it marks a crucial step toward self-reliance in one of the most strategically vital industries of the 21st century.

In choosing to be the first mover, boAt has not only strengthened its own innovation playbook but also opened doors for a new model of startup-brand collaboration that could shape India’s technology future.