Mahindra University has launched India’s second student-led HackerFab to give students hands-on experience in semiconductor fabrication and research.
Mahindra University has launched HackerFab, India’s second student-led open-source semiconductor fabrication facility, following the initiative at IIT Bombay. It is the first university-sponsored, student-led facility of its kind in the country.
Anand Mahindra, Chairman of the Mahindra Group and Chancellor of Mahindra University, said students should have the freedom to experiment, fail and build solutions themselves. He described HackerFab as a space where students can take things apart, understand how they work and learn through practical experience.
Building semiconductor skills through hands-on learning
The initiative is designed to give students practical experience in semiconductor fabrication and strengthen the technical talent needed for India’s growing domestic semiconductor industry.
Students from Mahindra University’s B.Tech programme in VLSI Design & Technology will lead the project. They will work on developing low-cost semiconductor fabrication equipment for education and research.
The facility will focus on key processes and equipment, including:
- Maskless photolithography
- RF sputtering
- Spin coating
- Tube furnace operations
The university said the hands-on approach will allow students to move beyond chip design and gain direct experience with semiconductor fabrication.
The project will also support Mahindra University’s plans to establish a cleanroom facility for teaching and research.
From open-source project to Indian universities
HackerFab originated in 2023 at Carnegie Mellon University’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. The open-source initiative was created to make semiconductor microfabrication more accessible through affordable, student-built equipment.
The model has since been adopted by institutions in India and other countries.
IIT Bombay launched India’s first student-built HackerFab in August 2025, developing prototype systems for maskless lithography, spin coating, sputtering and furnace operations.
Mahindra University’s facility builds on this approach while placing students at the centre of equipment development and experimentation.
Preparing engineers for India’s semiconductor ambitions
The university said the initiative is intended to develop engineers with both theoretical knowledge and practical fabrication experience.
As India expands its semiconductor ecosystem, access to hands-on training is becoming increasingly important. HackerFab aims to allow students to understand the manufacturing process directly rather than limiting their education to chip architecture and design.
The project reflects Mahindra University’s broader focus on practical engineering education, with students encouraged to experiment, build, test and improve their own systems.
For Anand Mahindra, the philosophy is straightforward: build, fail, fix and learn by doing.
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Source: Entrepreneur India
Photo: Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group
