Bangalore: His technology company was the first to go public in the US after the horrifying terrorist strikes of September 11, and it was not easy.

However, the India-born Vinod Agarwal, the founder of LogicVision, had a reason to smile. The issue was fully subscribed and the company, a provider of embedded test for integrated circuits and systems, raised $ 45 million. That was on October 31 2001.

He was a student of BITS, Pilani, where he did his BE before moving to the US in 1973. He was a Professor for 17 years and taught in the area of semi-conductor testing.

Agarwal started his company in 1992 and today it has 120 customers worldwide, including big names such as Intel, Cisco and Texas Instruments.

In 2001, it clocked revenues of around $ 17 million. It now has 40 different patents.

Agarwal, who spoke to reporters on July 24, indicated that he has some big plans for India, which he is going to unveil by 2002.

He hinted that India could be a hub for his company and it could support activities in future activities in China, Korea and Singapore, among others, from this country.

"India has emerged as an important market for LogicVision, given projected growth rates and the increased presence of multi-national semiconductor design services corporations," Agarwal said.

NASDAQ-listed LogicVision on July 24 appointed D'gipro Design Automation and Marketing Pvt Ltd as the exclusive distributor for LogicVision products in India.

Managing Director of D'gipro S Ramachandran said sales of LogicVision products in India in the first year is likely to be $ 1 million.

PTI