Ever thought of powering up the latest gaming console or an AI-driven data centre, only to find it stutters, simply because its tiny chip components, called chiplets, are not communicating flawlessly? This is a real risk in the high-stakes world of tech, where every millisecond counts. By 2035, this chiplet market is projected to reach a $411 billion high, driven by AI and high-performance computing demands, ensuring seamless interconnects like UCIe (Universal Chiplet Interconnect Express) is very important. This is to avoid power inefficiencies and performance dips, which can raise energy consumption by up to 25% in hyperscale data centers.
With the tech industry at a crossroads, the demand for powerful and energy-efficient processors has soared. AI chatbots or next-gen gaming rigs, the traditional single-chip design is hitting its limits. Chiplets, the small interconnected processor units, promise scalability and performance, but they bring along challenges for manufacturers. The industry struggles with GHz-frequency interference, massive design complexities, and the Herculean task of making sure these tiny components sync perfectly across diverse applications. Power consumption is another beast; inefficient designs drain batteries and hike costs. Meanwhile, global supply chains face delays, and retailers struggle with inconsistent product quality, impacting everything from smartphone launches to data centre uptime.
Competitors are racing to lead this market, but a big problem awaits them! If chiplets aren’t tested well enough, they can fail when people use them. The stakes are so high that these failures hurt customer trust and can damage a company’s reputation. A 2024 industry report estimated a $50 billion loss from chip failures worldwide. Amid this disarray, innovative verification methods are the lifeline, which can be saviours, promising to fill the gap between cutting-edge design and reliable, commercial deployment on a global scale.
Vikas Jodigatte Nagaraj is a verification expert whose innovative work at a leading tech firm has made a significant impact. His core competence lies in how he figures out if chips sets would support proper communication into things like clock jitter, noise tolerance and functional verification. Because of his expertise, many gamers and AI researchers around the world now have smoother, faster experiences. e. From gamers in Tokyo to AI researchers in Silicon Valley, his work has benefited millions, setting an example that behind every seamless tech experience is a talent like Vikas.
With over 24 years in hardware design verification, Vikas has a Master’s in Systems Engineering and has expertise in languages like SystemVerilog and Python. He is a veteran who has seen the industry evolve from basic test cases to today’s multi-chiplet marvels. At a leading tech firm, where he works on the Graphics team, tackling chips like a cutting-edge gaming processor and AI boards, Vikas faced the daunting challenge of verifying high-speed interconnects linking multiple chiplets in a single-chiplet environment. This was not just about his employer’s success, but about solving a global dilemma.
The problem with GHz frequencies was that even a tiny misalignment between chiplets would crash a gaming session or derail an AI model. Vikas, drawing on his experience and leading teams at other top firms, came up with an ingenious solution. Developing a methodology to simulate and verify these interconnects, he considered the task as if they were one cohesive unit, using advanced UVM (Universal Verification Methodology) frameworks. This approach allowed him to test the chips under real-world conditions and assess rapid data transfers and power spikes, without building multiple physical prototypes. His process included crafting reusable test agents and constrained random environments, verifying that every edge case was covered.
Vikas has a holistic view of the approach which allows him to spot power problems and manufacturing defects easily. He has improved the testing process to make chips use less energy, a big priority in today’s eco-friendly market. He also worked closely with teams that created automated test patterns and ran chip tests, making sure his improvements would still work with both new and older chip designs. This flexibility meant his work could scale globally, from one firm’s labs to partner factories worldwide. His Engineer of the Month award in 2023 was a recognition of a solution that turned a local challenge into a universal win. Vikas’s passion shines through when he talks about it, “I wanted to build something that doesn’t just work for one chip, but for the whole industry.”
Vikas’s methodology leverages SystemVerilog to create a virtual environment where chiplets’ high-speed interconnects, running at billions of cycles per second, are stress-tested. He uses this special computer language to build a virtual testing ground for chiplets. This testing ground checks how well the chiplets communicate at super-fast speeds, making sure no information gets lost or delayed. This new method lets engineers test chiplets much faster, about 30% faster! Because of this speed boost, companies can release new products quickly, which is great for getting products on shelves in time for the holidays.
The global impact of Vikas Jodigatte Nagaraj’s innovations, AI boards, which power advanced chatbots and meta-intelligence systems, now achieve 99.9% reliability. This high level of stability allows data centres around the world to run smoothly without major interruptions. In the gaming world, Vikas has helped global tech partners grow their market share by 15% in 2024, with his cutting-edge processor designs that improved their performance. His power-optimised chip designs are also helping companies save money, cutting energy costs by 20%. This is especially important for retailers and manufacturers who are trying to meet strict sustainability goals.
Major factories in Taiwan and South Korea, two of the biggest chip-making hubs, have adopted his backwards-compatible verification flows. This has helped them cut production delays by several weeks and save millions of dollars in rework costs.
The retail industry benefits too. His introduction to better chip stability, and fewer gaming consoles and PCS being returned by customers. This builds stronger trust with consumers and improves brand loyalty across the globe. On a larger scale, Vikas’s work is challenging the traditional reliance on expensive physical testing. His innovative verification strategies are pushing other companies to rethink how they assure chip quality. His methods have been adopted by startups in India and Europe and referenced in IEEE research papers, helping to set new standards worldwide. Environmentally, Vikas’ energy-efficient designs help meet the goals of the Paris Agreement by cutting the tech industry’s carbon footprint by about 5% each year. This is a big win for the planet and gives eco-friendly brands a stronger competitive advantage.
Vikas Jodigatte Nagaraj’s exceptional work in multi-chiplet verification is bringing a worldwide change in chip design. By tackling industry-wide challenges like frequency interference and power inefficiency, he has paved the way for reliable AI, gaming, and retail tech worldwide. His award-winning solution, now influencing factories and startups alike, sets a new benchmark for the future of chip design. As the world races toward smarter and greener technology, here stands Vikas, an innovator who demonstrates that one engineer’s vision can reshape industries, support millions, and drive commercial success on a global scale with one groundbreaking design after another.
