Akshar Vastarpara’s journey to founding Vicharak, a deeptech hardware company, is a testament to his entrepreneurial spirit and drive for innovation.

Growing up in Surat, Gujarat, Vastarpara’s journey began with a vision to challenge conventional boundaries in technology. 

After completing his degree in software engineering in 2016, he initially ventured into software consultancy. However, he was soon captivated by the intricate world of hardware. 

“I realised that understanding hardware was crucial to fully grasping the systems powering our software,” Vastarpara tells YourStory. This led to the founding of Vicharak in 2022. 

The Surat-based company focuses on edge computing solutions, specifically leveraging field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). These devices outperform traditional systems by optimising computational processes, offering efficiency for industries reliant on robotics, autonomous vehicles, and drones.

“Our products are designed for low-power, high-performance applications, making them ideal for the growing demand in edge computing,” says Vastarpara.

Vicharak’s flagship product, the Axon single-board computer (SBC), aims to compete with global leaders like Raspberry Pi, marking a significant milestone for an Indian company in the deeptech hardware space.

“We’re proud to be among the first Indian companies to produce a single-board computer on par with international brands,” he says.

Vaaman, another innovation, is an advanced edge computing board created by Vicharak. It combines a powerful six-core processor and special FPGA technology to handle tasks quickly and efficiently. This makes it ideal for applications like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and processing data in real-time.

A shift from software to hardware

Vastarpara’s early professional years were marked by a curiosity for hardware systems, leading him to establish a consultancy that bridged software and hardware solutions. This initiative quickly grew into a team of over 30 engineers, delivering over 150 projects worldwide. Despite his success, Vastarpara sought deeper innovation, ultimately pivoting to launch Vicharak. 

“Our goal was to develop faster, more efficient computing systems that pushed the boundaries of existing technology,” he says.

The product

The versatility of Vicharak’s technology has positioned it as a critical player in several emerging industries. Its edge computing solutions cater to sectors such as manufacturing, robotics, and transportation that need high-speed, low-latency computing. 

By processing data directly on devices rather than relying on remote servers, Vicharak’s innovations enhance the efficiency and functionality of autonomous systems, says Vastarpara.

Vicharak’s Vaaman Single Board Computer (SBC) is a compact and energy-efficient computing solution for various applications. The SBC comes with an RK3399 processor, which provides high performance with low power consumption, while the Trion T120 FPGA processor allows for customisable hardware acceleration.

Its Axon Board Computer, powered by Rockchip RK3588, is designed to cater to a diverse audience, including software developers, researchers, hardware designers, AI and machine learning enthusiasts, multimedia professionals, IoT implementers, and more.

Chhavi is one of the world’s smallest fingerprint sensors that can be used to secure personal devices like smartphones and laptops.

“We are committed to fostering the next generation of hardware engineers, because we are able to recognise India’s untapped potential, and therefore recruit young, talented graduates, providing them with training and opportunities to work on transformative projects,” says Vastarpara. 

“The younger generation has immense potential, and with the right platform, they can achieve incredible things,” he adds. 

Vicharak’s forward-thinking approach also addresses the growing need for computational power, particularly in light of the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). By leveraging reconfigurable computing and parallel processing—which is its USP—Vicharak aims to overcome the limitations of traditional computing architectures, such as the ‘Von Neumann Bottleneck’, which separates memory and CPU. 

The company’s innovative hardware solutions are poised to revolutionise computing, making systems faster, more efficient, and adaptable to the needs of modern software.

Challenges and competition

While Vicharak’s niche in deeptech hardware development offers unique opportunities, it also presents challenges. With competitors like Nvidia Jetson and Raspberry Pi, the startup operates in a field that demands unparalleled expertise across multiple engineering disciplines—from compiler design to embedded systems. 

“Hardware startups in India face significant obstacles, including limited infrastructure, a lack of skilled talent, and minimal funding opportunities,” says Vastarpara. 

Despite these hurdles, Vicharak’s 55-member team is focused on research and development, ensuring the company stays ahead in these times of innovation.

Funding and the road ahead

Currently, Vicharak is gearing up for international expansion, aiming to position itself as a global brand in hardware technology. 

The startup has so far raised Rs 2.5 crore at a Rs 100 crore valuation.

Vastarpara estimates market numbers to hit around $290 billion worldwide by 2030. “Our target market is robotics, autonomous cars, drones, and industrial machine vision industry. Our remarkable reconfigurable edge computer will be the brain of it,” says Vastarpara.

The company plans to launch several new products over the next two to three years and is actively seeking funding to scale its operations. 

“By 2025, we envision a global presence, showcasing our innovations at international exhibitions and collaborating with industry leaders,” says Vastarpara.

Vicharak was part of YourStory’s Tech30 cohort of the most promising startups of 2024.

Launched in 2014, PhotoSparks is a weekly feature from YourStory, with photographs that celebrate the spirit of creativity and innovation. In the earlier 830 posts, we featured an art festival, cartoon gallery. world music festival, telecom expo, millets fair, climate change expo, wildlife conference, startup festival, Diwali rangoli, and jazz festival.

Bengaluru’s Museum of Art and Photography (MAP) wrapped up its 2024 calendar of activities with the weekend festival, Art is Life: New Beginnings. See our coverage of two years of exhibitions at MAP here.

The museum and its galleries now constitute an established hub of creativity for the bustling city, with engaging experiences across music, photography, sculpture, paintings, textiles, ceramics, and other visual arts. Community and educational activities include storytelling, workshops, expert talks, and curated walkthroughs.

“Bengaluru has embraced MAP in ways I could never have imagined. We’ve learned so much along the way as we work to take the institution to the next level,” said MAP founder Abhishek Poddar, in a conversation with actor and Rangashankara founder Arundhati Nag.

Unveiled to the public on February 18, 2023, MAP aims to ignite creativity and connect people through innovative experiences and meaningful dialogue. The focus is not just on tradition and heritage, but on contemporary forms of engagement such as digital platforms.

In this photo essay, we feature some highlights from the 2024 festival as well as crafts and artworks from the exhibitions The Forgotten Souvenir (mica paintings by Indian artists during colonial times), Visible/Invisible (representation of women in art) and Chay Reds, Ferrous Black (stories of Indian trade textiles in Sri Lanka).

There were workshops on traditional block printing (by Tharangini Studio), crochet (by Crafty), and film poster design (by Anand Tharaney). Digital tools helped create new experiences for visualising MAP’s textile collection by projection onto a giant mirrored surface.

The early days of music technology were captured in a vinyl listening session by Arumugam Murugan, transporting audiences to a different era. Other sessions addressed AI and art (by Tara Kelton) and immersive sound (Farah Mulla and Fidrat Yildiz).

There was a screening of the award-winning film Madhyantara, and a discussion with filmmaker Dinesh Shenoy. Some of Bengaluru’s oldest photo studios shared anecdotes and images capturing the transformation of the city.

A particularly engaging panel addressed the various microcultures in Bengaluru with diverse hobbyist groups. Speakers from the Bangalore Astronomy Club, Playful Pursuits, Bang Birds, and Karnataka Quiz Association shared highlights and tips from their journeys in community building and knowledge exchange.

MAP has forged a range of art connections with like-minded museums around the world. The festival featured two screenings of Museums Without Borders, a digital collaboration with the National Museum of Asian Art and the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Karnataka’s rich cultural heritage was showcased through folk performances of Yakshagana, Somana Kunita, and Kamsale. The festival’s climax was a concert by award-winning multi-lingual singer Rekha Bharadwaj, who drew a packed house despite the heavy rains outside.

One of the endearing aspects of the festival was the animating presence of sign language interpreters from ASLI (Association of Sign Language Interpreters). They even interpreted music performances in sign language, drawing wide appreciation from the entire audience and highlighting the importance of hearing, which most people take so much for granted.

“This year, we focused on creating spaces for connection, dialogue, and joy. The overwhelming response has reaffirmed our belief that art truly belongs to everyone,” Poddar signs off.

Now, what have you done today to pause in your busy schedule and harness your creative side for a better world?

(All photographs were taken by Madanmohan Rao on location at MAP.)

Launched in 2014, PhotoSparks is a weekly feature from YourStory, with photographs that celebrate the spirit of creativity and innovation. In the earlier 830 posts, we featured an art festival, cartoon gallery. world music festival, telecom expo, millets fair, climate change expo, wildlife conference, startup festival, Diwali rangoli, and jazz festival.

The India Art Festival (IAF) wrapped up its fourth Bengaluru edition this month at the Palace Grounds. See our coverage of the previous two editions of IAF Bengaluru here.

Founded in 2011 as a business platform for the arts community, IAF’s four-city tour now includes Mumbai and Bengaluru in late 2024, with Mumbai and Hyderabad in early 2025. The art fairs in each city offer opportunities for emerging artists as well as galleries.

“Footfalls at our fourth Bengaluru edition were around 16,000. The artists and galleries reported good sales as well. The overall feedback for our curated show has been very encouraging,” IAF founder and managing director Rajendra Patil tells YourStory.

One of the highlights this year was a special showcase titled Shaping Horizons: Karnataka’s Iconic Innovators. Curated by Prof. KS Appajaiah, it featured the works of 30 distinguished artists such as SG Vasudev, Gurudas Shenoy, MS Murthy, Sudha Manohar, Hemavathi Umamaheswar, and others.

There were also live painting sessions by renowned artists P Gnana, Manjegowda, and Eby Joseph. The music showcase featured performances by Subramanya Hegade (sitar), Prasanna Ballal (mandolin), Shrinidhi Katti (flute), and Sandeep M (tabla).

Exhibiting galleries based in Bengaluru were Space Edge, Sara Arakkal Galerie, Shiny Colours Art Gallery, ReIGNITE EdTech, Akanksha Art Gallery, iArt Gallery, ASR Art Studio, and Gallery Charvi.

“Art teaches you to slow down and appreciate the little joys of life. It tells you that despite everything going wrong, there is still hope,” explains Bengaluru-based artist Susan Mary Halfhide, who is also a designer and hospitality professional.

She had painted more than a hundred pet portraits before she started exploring subjects closer to her heart. She began exhibiting at IAF only recently, in Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

“My work was recently shortlisted and displayed at the second IWS Olympiart this December in Delhi,” she proudly says. Her artworks are usually priced from Rs 30,000 to Rs 1.5 lakh.

Artist Isha Valentine explains that art is driven by experiences that compel artists to create. “It doesn’t necessarily need to invoke a positive emotion but a compelling one,” she says.

As a professional artist, she has created over a hundred artworks, mostly themed on nature. With a background in literature and design, she has exhibited at the past three editions of IAF Bengaluru.

“I also exhibited in group shows in Mumbai and Pune, and internationally in Melbourne and Venice,” Valentine adds. Her artworks are priced from Rs 5,000 to Rs 3.5 lakh.

For Ria Aboobakar, an artist and HR expert, art is a way of expression and connection with the world. “Art is about capturing emotions, telling stories, and exploring the beauty and complexity of life,” she says.

“My journey has been a continuous learning experience. I’ve created more than 200 artworks over the last 30 years, and have had solo exhibitions at Sublime Galleria, World Art Dubai, and IAF,” she proudly adds. Her artworks typically range in price from Rs 20,000 up to Rs 2 lakh.

Coimbatore-based artist Sathya Gowthaman is deeply influenced by the carvings in Tamil Nadu’s Dravidian temples, especially Chola bronzes. She has exhibited at art fairs in India, Dubai and Singapore, with artworks priced from Rs 12,500 to Rs 3 lakh.

“Art helps in educating people about their past, reflecting on traditions, and uniting cultures. It helps artists as well as viewers relax and get over their stress. Art can also be used as a vehicle for social change,” she explains.

For Hyderabad-based artist Annarapu Narender, art is the creative expression of emotions and capturing of mood nuances. It is a reflection of the soul and a powerful tool to evoke and connect feelings.

“Art plays a critical role in society, especially in today’s uncertain and conflict-ridden world. It serves as a medium for dialogue, a source of solace, and a bridge between diverse cultures,” he affirms.

“Art inspires empathy, challenges perspectives, and reminds us of our shared humanity,” Narender signs off.

Now what have you done today to pause in your busy schedule and harness your creative side for a better world?

(All photographs were taken by Madanmohan Rao on location at IAF Bengaluru.)