Qualcomm Incorporated has announced plans to invest up to $150 million in India’s growing technology and artificial intelligence startup ecosystem, reinforcing a relationship it has cultivated in the country for nearly two decades. The investment will be channelled through Qualcomm Ventures, the company’s venture capital arm, and will support startups across different stages of growth.
The capital will be directed toward companies working in areas such as AI for automotive applications, the Internet of Things, robotics, and mobile technologies. The announcement was made alongside CEO Cristiano Amon’s participation in the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, underlining the strategic importance of India in Qualcomm’s global AI roadmap.
“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, delivering richer and more meaningful experiences. This shift will reshape entire industries, and India’s startup ecosystem has a critical role to play as edge AI drives innovation across sectors.”
“India has become one of the world’s vibrant centers 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. “This additional investment expands our support for founders building the next generation of transformative technologies. We look forward to helping these companies scale and contributing to India’s continued progress.”
Qualcomm has been active in India since 2007 and has backed more than 40 companies in the country. Its investment portfolio includes Reliance Jio, digital mapping firm MapmyIndia, drone technology company ideaForge, e-delivery platform Shadowfax, connectivity solutions provider Cavli Wireless, AI-powered contract management platform SpotDraft, and digital payments firm ToneTag.
Through Qualcomm Ventures India, the company not only provides capital but also extends access to its technology capabilities and global industry network. The new fund aligns with Qualcomm’s core strengths in artificial intelligence, high-performance and low-power computing, and connectivity technologies.
The move signals a deliberate strategy to secure long-term positioning in the fast-expanding edge AI segment. Edge AI refers to embedding intelligence directly into devices and systems rather than relying solely on centralized cloud computing. India’s edge AI hardware market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of approximately 21.93% through 2035, presenting a significant opportunity for chipmakers and ecosystem players alike.
The announcement comes at a time when Qualcomm’s stock is trading around $142.63, with a market capitalization of $152.19 billion. The company’s price-to-earnings ratio stands at approximately 29, above its three-year average of around 20.79, reflecting expectations of future growth. Analyst targets for the stock range from $132 to $270. However, the stock has experienced volatility and has underperformed the broader US semiconductor industry over the past year. Meanwhile, its core handset segment has reported quarterly revenues at a ten-quarter low, adding urgency to diversification efforts.
Qualcomm’s India-focused investment also unfolds against an increasingly competitive AI landscape. Global technology leaders are ramping up commitments in the country. Nvidia is collaborating with Indian venture capital firms and supporting the government’s $1 billion IndiaAI Mission to expand compute capacity and develop sovereign AI models. Microsoft has pledged $17.5 billion toward AI initiatives in India, while Google is investing $15 billion to establish its largest AI hub outside the United States. Intel is also engaging Indian startups through dedicated programs and AI chip investments spanning data centres to edge devices.
India’s broader AI strategy, driven by the IndiaAI Mission, aims to democratize access to advanced technologies and stimulate innovation across sectors. With state governments formulating AI policies and digital adoption accelerating, the country’s digital economy is projected to reach $400 billion by 2030. The edge AI market alone is forecast to touch $7.55 billion by 2033, propelled by IoT expansion, 5G rollouts, and industrial automation.
By committing fresh capital to Indian startups, Qualcomm is positioning itself at the heart of this transformation. The investment reflects a strategic effort to embed its chip architectures and AI capabilities into the next generation of devices and systems that will define India’s digital future.
