Qualcomm Ventures backs Indian AI with $150 Million Fund for Affordable On‑Device Solutions

In an interview with Moneycontrol, Qualcomm Ventures announced a fresh $150 million commitment to Indian deep‑tech firms, emphasising on‑device AI that can be deployed at population scale and at low cost. 

Fund Focus on Affordable On‑Device AI 

The new capital will support startups developing AI that runs locally on phones, tablets, cars, or IoT gadgets. Local processing reduces reliance on cloud services, lowers data costs, and improves privacy.  

By keeping compute on the device, the expense per user drops, enabling wider adoption across India’s 1,40,00,00,000 residents. 

Background of Qualcomm’s India Presence 

Qualcomm Ventures has operated in India for more than 18 years. Over the past 25 years the firm has invested in over 300 companies worldwide, with roughly 150 active at any time.  

In India, the first investment was MapmyIndia, which later achieved an IPO exit. The portfolio now includes firms such as IdeaForge and Cavli Wireless, both involved in advanced connectivity and edge computing. 

Read More: Government Directs Platforms to Mark AI-Generated Content and Use Tools to Prevent Violations! 

Investment Criteria and Deployment Speed 

Selection remains founder‑centric, focusing on vision, execution and technical merit. Cheque sizes are flexible, reflecting the capital intensity of AI chips and semiconductor design.  

The firm expects the $150 million to be deployed faster than previous cycles, with three initial investments already announced. 

Strategic Relevance for India 

India’s multilingual market and large user base create unique AI use cases, from regional language processing to personalised services.  

The emphasis on‑device solutions aligns with the country’s history of leapfrogging technology, moving from feature phones directly to smartphones and from limited banking infrastructure to digital payments. 

Conclusion 

Qualcomm Ventures’ $150 million fund targets affordable, on‑device AI to serve India’s vast population. The approach leverages the firm’s long‑standing presence in the market and aims to accelerate deep‑tech growth without relying on expensive cloud‑centric models. 

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