C2i Semiconductors, a startup based in India, has successfully taped out its power management chip aimed at addressing the surging energy demands associated with graphic processing units (GPUs) amidst the AI boom. The tape-out represents a crucial phase in semiconductor development, where the chip design is sent to a foundry for production. Ram Anant, CEO and co-founder of C2i, highlighted that the power requirements for data centers are escalating, with energy consumption rising from a few kilowatts to over 100 kilowatts due to AI workloads. This increase in power usage leads to higher heat generation, which can compromise reliability. Founded by former Texas Instruments executives in 2024, C2i has raised $19 million from investors including Peak XV Partners and Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan. The company plans to produce six wafers, which will yield around 21,000 chips, and expects to validate these chips with customers over the next eight to nine months. C2i's customer base includes manufacturers of GPUs, CPUs, telecom servers, and embedded processing units, positioning the company to tap into a global market exceeding $13 billion for power management solutions.