Zurich, Switzerland, October 21, 2025 — Chipmind, a European startup developing AI agents for semiconductor engineering, has emerged from stealth with $2.5 million in pre-seed funding. The company’s flagship product, Chipmind Agents, is designed to automate and optimize chip design and verification, helping engineers reduce time spent on repetitive, low-level tasks by up to 40%.
Chipmind’s AI agents integrate directly into existing engineering workflows, adapting autonomously to each company’s proprietary data and tools. Unlike generic AI systems, the agents are built to understand the full hierarchy of chip design, including unique design constraints and tool environments. The system allows engineers to delegate multi-step tasks while maintaining full oversight, effectively shortening the path from specification to manufacturing.
Co-founder and CEO Harald Kröll said the company’s approach recognizes the deep customization and data protection needs of the semiconductor industry. “Each company’s chip design is a unique ecosystem,” he said. “Our design-aware agents understand the entire context rather than just interfacing with tools. That depth of awareness directly translates into higher productivity and faster results.”
Chipmind’s underlying platform enables AI automation within legacy electronic design automation (EDA) systems, many of which were not built to interact with AI. Instead of replacing these established tools, the company’s technology adapts them for AI-driven design processes, preparing semiconductor firms for future development needs.
The startup was founded by Kröll and CTO Sandro Belfanti, who met while completing their PhDs at ETH Zurich. The pair have over two decades of combined experience in chip design and AI, having contributed to the development of more than 20 chips, from mobile modems to system-on-chip solutions. “Chip development involves countless precise but repetitive tasks,” said Belfanti. “Our goal was to create AI agents that could handle those processes automatically so engineers can focus on solving complex problems and innovating.”
Chipmind’s launch comes as the semiconductor industry faces growing challenges. The demand for more powerful chips is rising rapidly, while design complexity has reached levels that traditional methods struggle to manage. At the same time, a new generation of engineers is increasingly comfortable working with AI tools, setting the stage for broader adoption of intelligent, collaborative design solutions.
The company’s $2.5 million pre-seed round was led by Founderful, with participation from angel investors in the semiconductor sector. “In a crowded AI market, Chipmind offers a practical solution to a deeply technical problem,” said Edouard Treccani, Principal at Founderful. “The founders’ close engagement with industry needs and strong early feedback give us confidence in their direction.”
