TDK Ventures has invested in semiconductor startup C2i Semiconductors as part of a $16.7 million Series A funding round that also included participation from Peak XV Partners and several semiconductor industry leaders. The investment aims to accelerate the development of C2i’s software-defined voltage regulator platform, designed to improve efficiency and thermal performance in AI data centers.
As artificial intelligence workloads continue driving rapid increases in data center energy consumption, existing power delivery architectures are approaching physical limitations. Industry projections estimate that global data center electricity demand could reach 1,000 TWh by 2030. At the same time, next-generation GPUs and AI accelerators are expected to require peak currents of up to 6,000A by the end of the decade. While NVIDIA’s H100 accelerator launched in 2022 required approximately 700W, future processors such as the projected “Feynman” architecture could demand as much as 4,500W by 2028.
Founded in 2024 by former Texas Instruments engineers and technologists, C2i Semiconductors is focused on solving the “last-inch” power delivery challenge through a redesigned “grid-to-core” architecture intended to improve efficiency and reduce thermal constraints in AI infrastructure.
The company’s platform includes several proprietary technologies. Its Manas Controller is a software-defined controller designed with a control architecture that can adapt to changing processor and power delivery network requirements. The Sarayu Power Stage is designed to improve conversion efficiency while increasing reliability. The company also developed a modular scalability approach that allows the controller to support a larger number of operational phases for high-current applications and voltage power delivery architectures.
C2i said its platform is projected to deliver more than 96% power conversion efficiency, compared with approximately 94% efficiency in existing solutions. In a 100MW AI data center, the company estimates the gains in efficiency and lower heat output could generate approximately $12 million in annual energy savings. The technology is also expected to allow processors to operate up to 4°C cooler, potentially extending the lifespan of AI hardware systems.
Nicolas Sauvage, President of TDK Ventures, said:
KEY QUOTES:
“The transition to AI-scale compute is one of the most significant infrastructure build-outs of our generation, and it requires innovation at the very layer that delivers power to the silicon. By making the power conversion more efficient, C2i is solving one of the most critical thermal and efficiency constraints of the AI era.”
Nicolas Sauvage, President, TDK Ventures
“Our vision is to make energy flow more reliable, denser, and more efficient from the grid all the way to the processor core. Partnering with TDK Ventures provides us with deep insights into advanced passives and access to a global ecosystem that will accelerate our path to mass production.”
Ram Anant, Co-founder And CEO, C2i Semiconductors
