Mahindra University has launched India’s second HackerFab, following IIT Bombay’s student-led facility. It is the country’s first university-backed, student-driven open-source semiconductor fabrication lab, supporting India’s semiconductor goals and the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision.
The initiative will help build indigenous skills and technical capabilities for semiconductor manufacturing by enabling students to design and develop low-cost fabrication tools for education and research. Based on the open-source HackerFab model, it will give students practical exposure to semiconductor fabrication while helping build India’s talent base in this strategically important sector.
Led by students from the University’s B.Tech. in VLSI Design & Technology programme, the HackerFab will focus on building core semiconductor fabrication equipment, including a maskless photolithography system, RF sputtering chamber, spin coater and tube furnace. This hands-on approach complements Mahindra University’s plans to establish a cleanroom facility for teaching and research, giving students exposure to both chip design and fabrication.
Mr. Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group and Chancellor, Mahindra University, said, “Every great Indian innovation started with someone taking something apart to see how it worked. HackerFab gives students a license to do exactly that. To fail loudly, fix it, try again, no permission needed. That’s how you build a generation unafraid to build. That’s the India I want Mahindra University to help create.”
Dr. Yajulu Medury, Vice Chancellor, Mahindra University, said, “India’s semiconductor ambitions will need engineers with a practical understanding of both design and fabrication. HackerFab takes learning into the lab, where students will build equipment, test ideas and understand the fabrication process first-hand. Together with our VLSI programmes and planned cleanroom, it strengthens our focus on developing industry-ready semiconductor talent for India.”
HackerFab was started at Carnegie Mellon University’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in 2023 as an open-source initiative to make semiconductor microfabrication more accessible through low-cost, student-built equipment. The model has since been adopted by institutions internationally and in India.
Students at IIT Bombay started India’s first student-built HackerFab in August 2025. They have built prototypes of tools used for semiconductor manufacturing in-house, including maskless lithography, spin coating, sputtering and furnace systems, giving undergraduate engineers practical exposure to the flow and systems used in semiconductor fabs.
The initiative expands on Mahindra University’s investments in semiconductor education. The University launched its M.Tech. in VLSI & Embedded Systems in 2023, followed by a B.Tech. in VLSI Design & Technology in 2024, in alignment with the Government of India’s semiconductor priorities. Students have access to industry-leading tools and platforms, including Synopsys and Cadence EDA suites, along with hardware support from AMD and Silicon Labs.
With HackerFab, Mahindra University is bringing semiconductor design, fabrication and research closer together. As India builds its domestic semiconductor capabilities, the University will continue to focus on developing engineers with the technical knowledge and practical experience required to contribute to the country’s technological self-reliance.
