Xiaomi may integrate OS with mobile technology services startups

NEW DELHI: Xiaomi is in talks with startups that are working in the mobile technology space offering services and application that the Chinese handset maker could integrate with its own MIUI platform, the operating system that it uses on its phones, and offer it to end consumers.

“We are exploring and are looking at a few of startups in the mobility space. We have done one investment [Hungama] so far,” Manu Jain, Xiaomi’s India head, told ET. “We are definitely looking at investing in new startup later this year.”

The Chinese technology company had made its first investment in India, leading a $25-million (Rs 170 crore) funding round into Hungama Digital Media Entertainment in April last year. Hungama is an aggregator and publisher of entertainment content on the Internet.

Globally, Xiaomi invests anything from $100,000 to millions of dollars on funding innovative firms. In China, the company has investments in software, content and hardware companies.

In India, the company is just looking at investing in startups working in the software and content space.