Breaking Development in AI Hardware
Major Investment Signals India Expansion
Graphcore Plans £1bn Bengaluru Campus Creating 500 Semiconductor Jobs
The Details
QUICK TAKE
- Graphcore commits £1bn investment in Bengaluru AI campus over 10 years
- 500 new semiconductor engineering positions to be created
- SoftBank backing supports India expansion strategy
- Initial focus on 100 Silicon Design and Verification roles
- Part of broader push to double UK workforce to 750
British AI chip designer targets India’s Silicon Valley for major expansion, backed by SoftBank’s continued investment commitments
Graphcore, the artificial intelligence hardware specialist, is setting up a major engineering campus in Bengaluru with plans to pump £1 billion into the project over the next decade. The move will create 500 high-skilled semiconductor jobs in India’s technology capital.
The British company chose Bengaluru for its deep pool of engineering talent and established tech infrastructure. The city’s status as India’s Silicon Valley, plus its concentration of leading universities and tech companies, fits with Graphcore’s strategy to expand global semiconductor development capabilities. SoftBank Group is backing this expansion strategy.
Strategic Focus on Advanced Chip Design
The new AI Engineering Campus will first tackle filling 100 engineering positions across critical areas including Silicon Logical Design, Physical Design, and Verification. These roles form the technical foundation for developing next-generation AI processing chips that power machine learning applications worldwide.
Graphcore’s Bengaluru expansion is part of a bigger workforce strategy that includes doubling the company’s UK-based team to approximately 750 employees. The focus is on software engineering and AI development roles. This parallel growth shows the company’s commitment to scaling operations across multiple strategic locations.
SoftBank’s Strategic Investment Framework
Since supporting Graphcore, SoftBank has positioned the company within its broader artificial intelligence portfolio, which includes participation in major infrastructure projects. The Japanese conglomerate recently committed to significant investments in AI computing infrastructure development that aligns with its broader AI vision.
SoftBank’s investment in India already exceeds $12 billion over the past decade. Graphcore’s campus represents a continuation of this strategic commitment to the country’s technology sector. The parent company’s financial backing gives Graphcore resources to pursue ambitious expansion plans while maintaining focus on innovation.
Global Impact Through Local Innovation
Engineering teams at the Bengaluru facility will contribute to addressing significant global challenges through AI advancement. Their work will support developments in public health applications, environmental sustainability solutions, and pharmaceutical drug discovery processes. These are areas where artificial intelligence shows substantial potential for societal impact.
The campus will also strengthen Graphcore’s position in the competitive semiconductor market. Demand for specialized AI chips continues growing as companies across industries adopt machine learning technologies for business operations and product development.
Talent Acquisition and Industry Development
Graphcore plans recruitment events in Bengaluru to attract engineering talent ranging from recent graduates to experienced professionals. This approach reflects the company’s strategy of building diverse teams capable of tackling complex semiconductor design challenges. The teams will contribute to India’s growing expertise in advanced chip development.
The establishment supports India’s national objectives of becoming a major player in semiconductor manufacturing and design. It complements government initiatives to reduce dependence on foreign chip suppliers and build domestic capabilities in critical technology sectors.
Market Positioning and Future Outlook
The Bengaluru campus positions Graphcore to compete more effectively in the global AI hardware market. Companies require increasingly sophisticated chips to handle complex machine learning workloads. By expanding development capabilities across multiple countries, Graphcore can leverage diverse talent pools and accelerate product innovation cycles.
This expansion also aligns with SoftBank’s vision of leading development in AI infrastructure. The conglomerate views this sector as central to future technology advancement. The combination of Graphcore’s chip expertise and SoftBank’s investment capabilities creates opportunities for significant market influence in AI infrastructure development.
The £1 billion investment timeline spans ten years. This provides Graphcore with sustained financial commitment to build substantial engineering capabilities in India while contributing to the country’s emergence as a global semiconductor design hub.
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