Makr Microsystems Raises ₹10.2 Crore Seed Funding Led by Bluehill VC

Bengaluru-based semiconductor metrology startup Makr Microsystems has raised ₹10.2 crore in a seed funding round led by frontier-tech venture capital firm Bluehill VC, with participation from Artha Venture Fund. The round is approximately $1.1 million based on current reporting.

The company plans to use the fresh capital for technology development, customer validation and moving its products towards commercial deployment with semiconductor manufacturers.

Founded by Ashwin Lal, Makr is developing nanoscale three-dimensional subsurface metrology technology aimed at helping semiconductor manufacturers visualise and measure structures and defects beneath the surface of semiconductor devices without damaging the samples being analysed.

The problem is becoming more relevant as semiconductor manufacturing moves towards increasingly complex device architectures and advanced packaging. Structures such as buried interfaces and chiplet interconnects can sit beneath multiple layers of material, making inspection and measurement more difficult using techniques focused primarily on the surface.

Makr’s core technology is Acoustic Atomic Force Microscopy, or AAFM. The approach combines atomic force microscopy with acoustic sensing to obtain information from beneath semiconductor surfaces. The company is also developing optical tomography and three-dimensional data analytics to support high-resolution subsurface analysis.

According to SEMI’s description of the company’s technology, Makr has demonstrated nanometre-scale imaging of samples containing both shallow and deep subsurface structures. Its technology is being developed for non-destructive inspection, which could allow manufacturers to examine buried structures without having to destroy the sample during analysis.

Makr’s initial application areas include advanced semiconductor packaging, hybrid bonding, buried interfaces, chiplet interconnects and subsurface defect detection. These applications are becoming increasingly important as semiconductor manufacturers adopt three-dimensional architectures and advanced packaging technologies.

The company is positioning its technology as a tool for accessing information that may not be readily available through conventional surface inspection. Its broader objective is to develop semiconductor metrology technologies from India for use by global semiconductor manufacturers.

Makr has also participated in semiconductor-focused industry programmes. The company was part of the sixth cohort of Applied Materials’ ASTRA accelerator in Bengaluru, where it was given an opportunity to present its technology to Applied Materials and ecosystem partners.

The startup was also selected as one of the semifinalists in SEMI’s Startups for Sustainable Semiconductors programme in 2025. SEMI said Makr’s technology had demonstrated nanometre-scale imaging of subsurface structures, while the programme was designed to connect semiconductor startups with industry and investment networks.

The investment is also a recent addition to Bluehill VC’s semiconductor portfolio. The Chennai-based frontier-tech investment firm completed the final close of its maiden ₹400 crore fund in August 2026 after exercising a ₹50 crore greenshoe option. The fund is focused on early-stage companies across areas including semiconductors, energy, electric vehicles, advanced materials, defence, spacetech, manufacturing, robotics and industrial technology.

Bluehill said it had invested ₹106 crore across seven portfolio companies by August and plans to deploy another ₹80 crore over the following six months. The firm expects to build a portfolio of around 15–16 early-stage companies, with typical investments ranging from $1 million to $2 million.

Unlike semiconductor chip designers or manufacturers, Makr is operating in the equipment and metrology layer of the semiconductor value chain. Its technology is aimed at addressing a specific inspection challenge: understanding structures that are located below the visible surface of a semiconductor device.