Qualcomm Ventures Invests in 5G Startups

Qualcomm Ventures, the investment division of Qualcomm, today revealed four new strategic investments in companies focused on 5G technologies. These include Celona, a specialist in private mobile networks; Cellwize, a platform for automating mobile network operations; Azion, an edge computing platform; and Pensando, an edge computing platform integrating its software with specialized hardware.

The primary intention behind these investments is to accelerate the adoption of 5G applications within businesses and, consequently, for individual consumers by supporting companies that are developing the essential infrastructure required to enable these advancements.

“We make investments worldwide within the wireless mobile landscape, aiming to broaden our customer and partner network – and we are particularly enthusiastic about the potential of 5G,” stated Quinn Li, a Senior Vice President at Qualcomm and the global leader of Qualcomm Ventures. “Our 5G investment strategy centers around three key areas: exploring new applications, facilitating network modernization, and implementing 5G technology within enterprise environments.”

To date, Qualcomm Ventures has allocated over $170 million to the 5G ecosystem, encompassing these latest investments. However, the specific investment amounts for each of the four new startups were not disclosed.

These companies collectively address the core areas of interest for Qualcomm Ventures, as Li explained. For instance, Celona is dedicated to simplifying the deployment of private cellular infrastructure for businesses, making it comparable in ease to deploying Wi-Fi networks.

“They have developed a platform featuring a cloud-based controller that utilizes available spectrum – specifically CBRS – to bring cellular technology, whether LTE or 5G, into business settings,” Li elaborated. “Potential applications include manufacturing facilities, educational institutions, hospitals, and university campuses.”

Cellwize, on the other hand, focuses on automating wireless networks to enhance their adaptability and manageability, leveraging machine learning to optimize network performance based on collected data. A central premise of this investment strategy, Li noted, is the increasing trend towards software-defined wireless technology, and Cellwize aligns perfectly with this evolution. The primary target customers for Cellwize are not individual businesses, but rather wireless and mobile service providers.

Edge computing, a key focus for Azion and Pensando, is currently a rapidly growing field, and 5G offers distinct advantages in this area, making it a logical area of emphasis for Qualcomm Ventures’ recent investments.

“Looking ahead, we anticipate a significant shift of computing resources from the cloud to the network edge, enabling data processing closer to the source and facilitating faster, more efficient performance for applications requiring low latency,” Li commented.

Since its inception in 2000, Qualcomm Ventures has deployed $1.5 billion across 360 investments. The firm’s portfolio includes several highly successful companies, including well-known unicorns such as Zoom, Cloudflare, Xiaomi, Cruise Automation, and Fitbit.