Dr. Mandhatya Singh
Co-Founder
With a strong educational and professional background that combines semiconductor expertise with artificial intelligence, Dr. Mandhatya Singh is a well-known personality in the field of applied artificial intelligence. He began his academic career with a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, which provided a strong basis for his later specialty in AI. His corporate experience includes semiconductor companies like STMICROELECTRONICS, where he applied AI for pattern recognition in chip design, optimizing processes at a time when deep learning and AI were not yet mainstream. This experience honed his skills and positioned him as a forward-thinking innovator, blending engineering and AI in groundbreaking ways.
Driven by his entrepreneurial zeal, Dr. Mandhatya Singh has continually pushed the boundaries of technology and innovation. Before co-founding Travier, Dr. Mandhatya Singh transitioned from working in the semi conductor domain to focusing on document intelligence. He worked as a Consultant Data Scientist at Iris Software, where he applied sophisti-cated AI models for document data extraction and summarization.
After his stint at Iris Software, he became part of the co-founding team of Travier, a peer-to-peer courier service platform powered by AI, aiming to transform the logistics sector. Despite its novel strategy and early success, Travier faced several challenges, which eventually led Dr. Mandhatya to leave and concentrate on his PhD. He continued his education by enrolling in IIT Ropar’s competitive PhD program in the CSE department. His dissertation research focused on using AI in the semiconductor and document intelligence industries fields where he had previously gained substantial practical experience. One of his notable achievements during his PhD was the development of ‘Roshni’, an AI application designed to assist the blind and visually impaired by using AI models for object
identification on low-end smartphones. His research aimed to develop efficient AI models for resource-constrained environments, demon-strating his commit- ment to making impactful technology accessible to all.
Vanix Technologies
Dr. Mandhatya co-founded Vanix along with Dr. Ashwani Rana and Dr. Muddasani Satyanarayana, after realizing a vital need during their PhD research. The team thought of developing AI-enabled hardware domestically because importing specialist gear for their research would be expensive and time-consuming.Their emphasis on applying cutting-edge architectures, such as Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) technology, enabled them to create extremely effective and AI-accelerated controllers. Vanix gained popularity fast by supplying R&D labs and gradually moving into a variety of industries, such as battery management systems, electric vehicles, and defense.
“The idea behind Vanix was to build an AI Accelerated product company in India that would produce high end controllers that were mostly imported from China, the US, and Europe and often costly. We tried to find a solution on our own because we were unable to spend as much money on hardware as institutions else where. We constructed all the gear in our lab to be able to offer highquality, reasonably priced alternatives. During this time, we also visited IITs, NITs, R&D facilities, and businesses to win their trust by learning about their needs”, informs Dr. Mandhatya.
“We were able to develop our first lot of complex FPGA controllers for our initial clients, which was thought to be unachievable, specifically by newbies like us. We displayed our technologies at multiple defense expos and received orders between Rs.15 and Rs.35 lakhs acting as a seed fund for us. This early milestone was extremely crucial in helping us get beyond financial obstacles and get going. Then, we moved to Hyderabad to grow both our staff and our operations”, continues Dr. Mandhatya.
“When we switched from a service-based approach to a product develop-ment focus last year, it was a turning point for us. To produce end-to-end AI-accelerated solutions made exclusively in India, we decided to become an AI engineering business. We focus on FPGA based AI-enabled products which include the telematics and EV areas”, asserts Dr. Mandhatya.
Nurturing Ecosystem of IIT Ropar
Dr. Mandhatya credits IIT Ropar’s dynamic and supportive environment for his success as an entrepreneur. He was surrounded by a very innovative atmosphere and had access to vital resources such as technology business incubators and R&D houses that assist aspiring entrepreneurs. “Being chosen for the TBIF launchpad initiative, where Vanix was picked to earn a small but important grant out of numerous enterprises, was a big milestone. This funding, together with office space and networking possibilities, gave us the boost we needed”, adds Dr. Mandhatya.
The Way Ahead
“My vision for Vanix is to make our Made in India Edge AI controllers and Hardware defined Softwares global and establish it as the industry standard, much like what Japan did in the 1980s. I see across our products portfolio - such as the first EV FPGA charger ever made and supported by AMD - setting new benchmarks for creativity and dependability. I work closely with organizations such as CFIs and IITs to promote R&D excellence and develop the brightest talent in preparation for breakthroughs in the future. On a personal level, I try to be both a salesperson with strategic insight and an innovator with the technical skills of R&D. My goal is to become the leading authority on AI Accelerated hardware within the next ten or so years”, concludes Dr. Mandhatya.
Vanix Technologies
Dr. Mandhatya co-founded Vanix along with Dr. Ashwani Rana and Dr. Muddasani Satyanarayana, after realizing a vital need during their PhD research. The team thought of developing AI-enabled hardware domestically because importing specialist gear for their research would be expensive and time-consuming.Their emphasis on applying cutting-edge architectures, such as Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) technology, enabled them to create extremely effective and AI-accelerated controllers. Vanix gained popularity fast by supplying R&D labs and gradually moving into a variety of industries, such as battery management systems, electric vehicles, and defense.
Vanix is committed to creating AI enabled smart solutions by providing products that are superior in terms of performance, security, & affordability
“The idea behind Vanix was to build an AI Accelerated product company in India that would produce high end controllers that were mostly imported from China, the US, and Europe and often costly. We tried to find a solution on our own because we were unable to spend as much money on hardware as institutions else where. We constructed all the gear in our lab to be able to offer highquality, reasonably priced alternatives. During this time, we also visited IITs, NITs, R&D facilities, and businesses to win their trust by learning about their needs”, informs Dr. Mandhatya.
“We were able to develop our first lot of complex FPGA controllers for our initial clients, which was thought to be unachievable, specifically by newbies like us. We displayed our technologies at multiple defense expos and received orders between Rs.15 and Rs.35 lakhs acting as a seed fund for us. This early milestone was extremely crucial in helping us get beyond financial obstacles and get going. Then, we moved to Hyderabad to grow both our staff and our operations”, continues Dr. Mandhatya.
“When we switched from a service-based approach to a product develop-ment focus last year, it was a turning point for us. To produce end-to-end AI-accelerated solutions made exclusively in India, we decided to become an AI engineering business. We focus on FPGA based AI-enabled products which include the telematics and EV areas”, asserts Dr. Mandhatya.
Nurturing Ecosystem of IIT Ropar
Dr. Mandhatya credits IIT Ropar’s dynamic and supportive environment for his success as an entrepreneur. He was surrounded by a very innovative atmosphere and had access to vital resources such as technology business incubators and R&D houses that assist aspiring entrepreneurs. “Being chosen for the TBIF launchpad initiative, where Vanix was picked to earn a small but important grant out of numerous enterprises, was a big milestone. This funding, together with office space and networking possibilities, gave us the boost we needed”, adds Dr. Mandhatya.
The Way Ahead
“My vision for Vanix is to make our Made in India Edge AI controllers and Hardware defined Softwares global and establish it as the industry standard, much like what Japan did in the 1980s. I see across our products portfolio - such as the first EV FPGA charger ever made and supported by AMD - setting new benchmarks for creativity and dependability. I work closely with organizations such as CFIs and IITs to promote R&D excellence and develop the brightest talent in preparation for breakthroughs in the future. On a personal level, I try to be both a salesperson with strategic insight and an innovator with the technical skills of R&D. My goal is to become the leading authority on AI Accelerated hardware within the next ten or so years”, concludes Dr. Mandhatya.
