In a significant advancement for the semiconductor industry, Singapore-based deep tech startup SixSense has successfully raised $8.5 million in a Series A funding round. This latest investment, led by Peak XV’s Surge (formerly Sequoia India & SEA), with participation from Alpha Intelligence Capital, FEBE, and others, brings the company’s total funding to approximately $12 million. ([techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/31/female-founded-semiconductor-ai-startup-sixsense-raises-funding/?utm_source=openai))
Addressing Critical Challenges in Semiconductor Manufacturing
Founded in 2018 by engineers Akanksha Jagwani (CTO) and Avni Agarwal (CEO), SixSense is dedicated to transforming semiconductor manufacturing through its AI-powered platform. The company aims to tackle a fundamental industry challenge: converting vast amounts of raw production data—ranging from defect images to equipment signals—into real-time insights that help factories prevent quality issues and improve yield. ([techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/31/female-founded-semiconductor-ai-startup-sixsense-raises-funding/?utm_source=openai))
Despite the semiconductor industry’s reputation for precision, inspection processes have remained largely manual and fragmented. This reliance on human intervention often leads to inefficiencies and potential quality issues. SixSense’s platform addresses this by providing engineers with early warnings to address potential issues before they escalate, offering capabilities such as defect detection, root cause analysis, and failure prediction. ([techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/31/female-founded-semiconductor-ai-startup-sixsense-raises-funding/?utm_source=openai))
Founders’ Expertise and Vision
Akanksha Jagwani brings a deep understanding of manufacturing, quality control, and software automation through her experience building automation solutions for manufacturers like Hyundai Motors and GE. She also led product development at startups like Embibe. Avni Agarwal adds technical experience from her time at Visa, where she built large-scale data analytics systems, some of which were later protected as trade secrets. A skilled coder with a strong background in mathematics, she had long been interested in applying AI to traditional industries beyond fintech. ([techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/31/female-founded-semiconductor-ai-startup-sixsense-raises-funding/?utm_source=openai))
Together, the duo evaluated sectors from aviation to automotive before focusing on semiconductors. After speaking with more than 50 engineers, it became clear there was significant room to modernize quality checks in the semiconductor industry. ([techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/31/female-founded-semiconductor-ai-startup-sixsense-raises-funding/?utm_source=openai))
Innovative AI Platform Designed for Engineers
SixSense’s AI platform is specifically designed to be used by process engineers rather than data scientists. Process engineers can fine-tune models using their own fab data, deploy them in under two days, and trust the results—all without writing a single line of code. That’s what makes the platform both powerful and practical, said Agarwal. ([techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/31/female-founded-semiconductor-ai-startup-sixsense-raises-funding/?utm_source=openai))
The platform’s capabilities include:
– Defect Detection: Identifying small, rare, and critical defects that human inspectors may overlook.
– Root Cause Analysis: Tracing anomalies to their source, enabling prompt corrective actions.
– Failure Prediction: Anticipating process drifts before they lead to larger failures.
By integrating with existing inspection equipment, SixSense’s system is compatible with devices covering over 60% of the global market. This compatibility ensures that semiconductor manufacturers can adopt the platform without significant changes to their current infrastructure. ([techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/31/female-founded-semiconductor-ai-startup-sixsense-raises-funding/?utm_source=openai))
Proven Impact and Industry Adoption
SixSense’s AI platform is already in use at major semiconductor manufacturers like GlobalFoundries and JCET. To date, more than 100 million chips have been processed using the system. Customers have reported:
– Up to 30% faster production cycles.
– A 1-2% boost in yield.
– A 90% reduction in manual inspection work. ([techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/31/female-founded-semiconductor-ai-startup-sixsense-raises-funding/?utm_source=openai))
These improvements translate to significant cost savings and enhanced product quality, positioning SixSense as a valuable partner in the semiconductor manufacturing process.
Strategic Expansion Plans
With the new funding, SixSense plans to:
– Expand into Key Markets: Targeting semiconductor manufacturing hubs in Malaysia, Taiwan, and the United States.
– Strengthen Partnerships: Collaborating with AI-focused inspection equipment manufacturers to deepen on-the-ground AI integration.
– Invest in Research and Development: Focusing on enabling connected AI-driven decision-making across entire production lines. ([entrepreneur.com](https://www.entrepreneur.com/en-in/news-and-trends/ai-startup-sixsense-raises-usd-85-mn-for-global/495339?utm_source=openai))
The ongoing geopolitical tensions, particularly between the U.S. and China, are reshaping global chip manufacturing dynamics, prompting new investments in various regions. We are witnessing aggressive expansions in Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, India, and the U.S., noted Agarwal. ([news.ssbcrack.com](https://news.ssbcrack.com/sixsense-raises-8-5-million-to-enhance-semiconductor-manufacturing-with-ai-platform/?utm_source=openai))
Conclusion
SixSense’s innovative approach to semiconductor manufacturing, combining AI-driven insights with user-friendly implementation, addresses critical industry challenges. By enabling real-time defect detection and predictive analytics, the company empowers manufacturers to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve product quality. With its recent funding and strategic expansion plans, SixSense is poised to play a pivotal role in the future of semiconductor manufacturing.
