Google extends efforts to design hub Bengaluru

Alphabet’s Google has hired more than a dozen microchip engineers in Bengaluru, in recent months and plans to rapidly add more, according to LinkedIn profiles, job postings and two industry executives, as the search firm expands its programme to design the guts of its devices internally.

The Bengaluru site, which has not been previously reported, makes Google the first among the handful of big internet platform firms developing their own chips to establish a team for those efforts in what has become a leading hub for semiconductor design over the last two decades. Google declined to comment on the hires.

Jim McGregor, who follows the semiconductor industry for Tirias Research, said since most traditional chipmakers long have had large presences in Bengaluru, it made sense for the industry’s new players to start following to find experts.

“Everyone tries to keep things close to home when starting out, but when you reach a certain level of success you have to expand out,” McGregor said.

Since 2014, Google has designed computer server chips for its data centres and an image processing chip for its Pixel smartphones. Its aim is to create more powerful and efficient devices by customising key components that traditionally came from firms such as Intel Corp.

Amazon.com, Microsoft Corp, Apple and Facebook each have launched similar chip design efforts, which could help them cut costs, reduce reliance on vendors and keep pace in building attractive products.

In Bengaluru, Google has hired at least 16 engineering veterans and four talent recruiters for its “gChips” team from traditional chipmakers such as Intel, Qualcomm Inc, Broadcom Inc and Nvidia Corp, according to a review of LinkedIn profiles.

Rajat Bhargava describes himself on LinkedIn as Google’s “silicon site lead” in Bengaluru, saying he joined last May after a decade at Broadcom and a year at Intel.

One executive said the team could grow to 80 people by year’s end.