Surat-based Vicharak is pioneering India’s hardware revolution

Akshar Vastarpara’s journey to founding Vicharak, a deeptech hardware company, is a testament to his entrepreneurial spirit and drive for innovation.

Growing up in Surat, Gujarat, Vastarpara’s journey began with a vision to challenge conventional boundaries in technology. 

After completing his degree in software engineering in 2016, he initially ventured into software consultancy. However, he was soon captivated by the intricate world of hardware. 

“I realised that understanding hardware was crucial to fully grasping the systems powering our software,” Vastarpara tells YourStory. This led to the founding of Vicharak in 2022. 

The Surat-based company focuses on edge computing solutions, specifically leveraging field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). These devices outperform traditional systems by optimising computational processes, offering efficiency for industries reliant on robotics, autonomous vehicles, and drones.

“Our products are designed for low-power, high-performance applications, making them ideal for the growing demand in edge computing,” says Vastarpara.

Vicharak’s flagship product, the Axon single-board computer (SBC), aims to compete with global leaders like Raspberry Pi, marking a significant milestone for an Indian company in the deeptech hardware space.

“We’re proud to be among the first Indian companies to produce a single-board computer on par with international brands,” he says.

Vaaman, another innovation, is an advanced edge computing board created by Vicharak. It combines a powerful six-core processor and special FPGA technology to handle tasks quickly and efficiently. This makes it ideal for applications like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and processing data in real-time.

A shift from software to hardware

Vastarpara’s early professional years were marked by a curiosity for hardware systems, leading him to establish a consultancy that bridged software and hardware solutions. This initiative quickly grew into a team of over 30 engineers, delivering over 150 projects worldwide. Despite his success, Vastarpara sought deeper innovation, ultimately pivoting to launch Vicharak. 

“Our goal was to develop faster, more efficient computing systems that pushed the boundaries of existing technology,” he says.

The product

The versatility of Vicharak’s technology has positioned it as a critical player in several emerging industries. Its edge computing solutions cater to sectors such as manufacturing, robotics, and transportation that need high-speed, low-latency computing. 

By processing data directly on devices rather than relying on remote servers, Vicharak’s innovations enhance the efficiency and functionality of autonomous systems, says Vastarpara.

Vicharak’s Vaaman Single Board Computer (SBC) is a compact and energy-efficient computing solution for various applications. The SBC comes with an RK3399 processor, which provides high performance with low power consumption, while the Trion T120 FPGA processor allows for customisable hardware acceleration.

Its Axon Board Computer, powered by Rockchip RK3588, is designed to cater to a diverse audience, including software developers, researchers, hardware designers, AI and machine learning enthusiasts, multimedia professionals, IoT implementers, and more.

Chhavi is one of the world’s smallest fingerprint sensors that can be used to secure personal devices like smartphones and laptops.

“We are committed to fostering the next generation of hardware engineers, because we are able to recognise India’s untapped potential, and therefore recruit young, talented graduates, providing them with training and opportunities to work on transformative projects,” says Vastarpara. 

“The younger generation has immense potential, and with the right platform, they can achieve incredible things,” he adds. 

Vicharak’s forward-thinking approach also addresses the growing need for computational power, particularly in light of the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). By leveraging reconfigurable computing and parallel processing—which is its USP—Vicharak aims to overcome the limitations of traditional computing architectures, such as the ‘Von Neumann Bottleneck’, which separates memory and CPU. 

The company’s innovative hardware solutions are poised to revolutionise computing, making systems faster, more efficient, and adaptable to the needs of modern software.

Challenges and competition

While Vicharak’s niche in deeptech hardware development offers unique opportunities, it also presents challenges. With competitors like Nvidia Jetson and Raspberry Pi, the startup operates in a field that demands unparalleled expertise across multiple engineering disciplines—from compiler design to embedded systems. 

“Hardware startups in India face significant obstacles, including limited infrastructure, a lack of skilled talent, and minimal funding opportunities,” says Vastarpara. 

Despite these hurdles, Vicharak’s 55-member team is focused on research and development, ensuring the company stays ahead in these times of innovation.

Funding and the road ahead

Currently, Vicharak is gearing up for international expansion, aiming to position itself as a global brand in hardware technology. 

The startup has so far raised Rs 2.5 crore at a Rs 100 crore valuation.

Vastarpara estimates market numbers to hit around $290 billion worldwide by 2030. “Our target market is robotics, autonomous cars, drones, and industrial machine vision industry. Our remarkable reconfigurable edge computer will be the brain of it,” says Vastarpara.

The company plans to launch several new products over the next two to three years and is actively seeking funding to scale its operations. 

“By 2025, we envision a global presence, showcasing our innovations at international exhibitions and collaborating with industry leaders,” says Vastarpara.

Vicharak was part of YourStory’s Tech30 cohort of the most promising startups of 2024.