Qualcomm to invest $150 million in startups in India

US-based Qualcomm said it intends to invest up to $150 million in startups across all stages to support India’s rapidly expanding technology and AI startup ecosystem.

The investments will be deployed through Qualcomm Ventures and the investments will have a particular focus on AI for automotive, IoT, robotics, and mobile use cases.

According to the company, the investment underscores its long‑standing commitment to India’s technology landscape. The announcement comes at a time when India is hosting the AI summit.


“Through our new Strategic AI Venture Fund, Qualcomm is investing in companies that are advancing the next chapter of AI in India,” said Cristiano Amon, president and CEO, Qualcomm Incorporated. “AI is entering a new phase where intelligence is built directly into devices and systems people depend on every day, from smartphones and PCs to cars, industrial machines, robots, and more,” he added.

The company sees a unique opportunity in India with the growth of the country's startup landscape and the rapid advancement of AI.

Qualcomm said it will support startups that are poised to shape the next wave of innovation through technologies that will have a real‑world impact across industries.

“India has become one of the world’s vibrant centres of innovation, and we’re proud to deepen our long-standing commitment to its startup ecosystem,” said Quinn Li, Senior Vice President, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., and global head of Qualcomm Ventures.

Qualcomm has been investing in India’s startup community since 2007, and has backed more than 40 companies. Current and previous portfolio companies include Jio, India’s largest telecom network provider; MapMyIndia, a provider of digital maps and navigation solutions; ideaForge, a pioneer in drone technologies; Shadowfax, an e‑delivery service platform; Cavli Wireless, an enabler of connected intelligence across industries; SpotDraft, an AI‑powered contract lifecycle management platform; and Tonetag, a company modernizing AI‑enabled digital payments.