Qualcomm is collaborating with domestic AI startups to expand the industrial AI and robotics ecosystem. The company aims to broaden its on-device AI technology, which has primarily focused on smartphones, to include robotics and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) in industrial settings.
On October 21, Qualcomm announced its participation in the ‘Industrial AI Expo 2026,’ where domestic startups and partners will showcase industrial AI technologies developed using Qualcomm’s platform.
Six startups participating in the Qualcomm AI Innovator Program (QAIPI) include Energize, WithRobot, UnderMealy, Cleeka, Plaid Labs, and Sagak. Industry and embedded IoT partners such as IC Bank, Sapphire Stream Technology Korea, Access Lab, MathWorks, and Osco will also present their technologies.
QAIPI is a program designed to support startups in the Asia-Pacific region in developing and commercializing on-device AI solutions using Qualcomm’s platform. It provides not only technical training and mentoring but also hardware development platforms and commercialization support.
This year, QAIPI is selecting up to 15 startups from South Korea, Japan, and Singapore to support the development of on-device AI based on DragonWing and Snapdragon technologies. This initiative reflects Qualcomm’s strategy to expand its developer base beyond mobile applications to the industrial edge AI ecosystem.
Robotics technology will also be on display. Demonstrations will include the Rainbow Robotics quadruped robot equipped with Qualcomm’s DragonWing IQ-9075 and SL’s AMR utilizing Arduino Ventuno Q. The IQ-9075 is designed to enable AI processing directly on robots and industrial IoT devices.
Qualcomm is leveraging high-performance, low-power computing and on-device AI technology to expand its business scope into factories, logistics, and robotics. By processing AI computations on-site rather than sending data to the cloud, the company aims to reduce response times and enhance usability in environments with unstable network connections.
Kim Sang-pyo, President of Qualcomm Korea, stated, “As AI spreads across various industries, the ability to apply and commercialize technology in real-world environments is becoming increasingly important. We will continue to collaborate to help domestic innovative companies secure new growth opportunities in the global market.”
Qualcomm plans to hold the ‘QAIPI-APAC 2026 Demo Day’ on December 2 in Tokyo, where it will showcase the technologies and business achievements of startups from South Korea and the broader Asia-Pacific region.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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