The Tech Titan’s Triumph: Qualcomm Continues Its Conquest with a Strategic Alliance, Unveiling a Cutting-Edge Design Center

In the afternoon of August 12, the Prime Minister hosted a meeting with Mr. Cristiano Amon, Chairman and CEO of Qualcomm, during his visit to Vietnam.

During the meeting, Mr. Amon commended Vietnam’s policies on promoting science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation. He also acknowledged the rapid growth of Vietnamese partners such as Viettel, VNPT, and FPT.

Mr. Amon shared Qualcomm’s collaboration plans in Vietnam, focusing on developing strategic technologies such as AI, semiconductors, IoT manufacturing, electronics, and smartphones. He believes these efforts will enhance Vietnam’s economic competitiveness. Mr. Amon envisions Vietnam becoming a leading regional hub for research and development, particularly in AI, and affirmed Qualcomm’s commitment to strengthening cooperation and supporting high-quality human resource training.

As part of his working trip to Vietnam, Qualcomm also signed a strategic collaboration agreement with Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT), aiming to establish the VNPT-Qualcomm Excellence Center.

According to the agreement, the two parties will cooperate extensively in cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), next-generation 5G/6G mobile networks, Internet of Things (IoT), AI computing devices, and advanced networking equipment. These technologies are vital to VNPT’s development strategy until 2030 and its vision for 2035.

The VNPT-Qualcomm Excellence Center (VQEC) will serve as the focal point for research and development, product development, technology transfer, high-quality human resource training, and commercialization of solutions based on Qualcomm’s technology platform.

Expected to commence operations in October 2025, VQEC will be the first center in Vietnam to adopt the Original Design co-development model, utilizing Qualcomm’s core technologies, with VNPT taking the lead.

Additionally, VQEC will become one of Qualcomm’s Authorized Design Centers, facilitating Vietnam’s telecommunications industry to further integrate into the global design and innovation value chain.

Earlier, in April 2025, Qualcomm announced the acquisition of MovianAI, an AI generative company under VinAI/Vingroup, and established an AI Research and Development Center in Hanoi, becoming the company’s third-largest AI hub globally, after the United States and India.

Qualcomm also launched the Qualcomm Vietnam Innovation Challenge (QVIC), incubating 29 technology startups, facilitating over $32 million in investment, commercializing 25 products, and filing more than 87 patents. The corporation has collaborated with Viettel and VNPT in 5G and WiFi technology development and device manufacturing.

Qualcomm is a world-leading corporation in advanced wireless technologies and 5G mobile communications, headquartered in San Diego, California, with a market capitalization of approximately $160 billion.

Over the years, the corporation has operated under a “fabless” model, investing about $70 billion in research and development. It holds over 140,000 patents and is a leader in 5G technology.

Qualcomm is also expanding into Edge AI, with applications in smartphones, automobiles, extended reality (XR) glasses, and laptops.

In Vietnam, Qualcomm has had a significant presence for over 20 years. In 2020, the company opened its first R&D center in Southeast Asia, located in Hanoi, focusing on mobile connectivity and terminal device technology.