Qualcomm Launches Comprehensive Robotics Investment Initiative in Japan, Anchored by New Qualcomm Japan Robotics Center

Highlights:

• Qualcomm joins forces with Japan's leading robotics, industrial automation, research, and technology organizations to build an open physical AI ecosystem, backed by a long-term investment initiative.
• The new Qualcomm Japan Robotics Center serves as a flagship hub for applied R&D, ecosystem collaboration, workforce enablement, and robotics innovation.
• The initiative combines four strategic pillars spanning innovation, ecosystem development, commercialization, and deployment to help accelerate the development, deployment, and global scaling of next-generation robotics solutions.

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. today announced its intent to establish a new long-term investment initiative designed to accelerate innovation across Japan's robotics ecosystem. The initiative reinforces Qualcomm Technologies' commitment to help accelerate Japan's leadership in robotics, physical AI, and industrial automation. The initiative is also aligned with Japan’s policy priorities to address labor shortages, strengthen industrial competitiveness, and accelerate the adoption of AI and robotics across key industries. As a cornerstone of this effort, Qualcomm Technologies aims to establish the Qualcomm Japan Robotics Center, a new hub for collaborative research, development, and ecosystem engagement.

Through this initiative, Qualcomm Technologies aims to work alongside industry, academia, and startups to help position Japan at the forefront of the intelligent robotics era. Organizations supporting this initiative include AI Robot Association, AMATAMA Co., APTO Inc., FANUC CORPORATION, Fixstars Corporation, Fujitsu Limited, KAWADA TECHNOLOGIES, INC., Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., KDDI Corporation, MinebeaMistumi Inc., NEC Corporation, NTT DOCOMO, INC., Panasonic Industry Co., Ltd., Preferred Networks Inc., Robotics Inc., Sony Corporation, TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION, and other leading organizations, while academic institutions such as THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO’s Fukui Lab will help support research, talent development, and next-generation robotics innovation. Read supporting executive quotes here.

"Japan has long been a global leader in robotics and industrial innovation," said Nakul Duggal, EVP and Group GM, Automotive, Industrial and Embedded IoT, and Robotics, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "Through this investment initiative and the establishment of the Qualcomm Japan Robotics Center, we are intending to create a foundation for deeper collaboration across industry, academia, and startups. Together, we aim to help accelerate the development, deployment, and global scale-up of next-generation Physical AI and intelligent robotics solutions."

"Qualcomm Technologies has a long-standing commitment to collaboration with Japan's industrial community," said Yasumasa Nakayama, Vice President and President, Qualcomm Japan. "Through the Qualcomm Japan Robotics Center, we look forward to deepening that collaboration, accelerating system-level innovation with our Japanese partners, and sharing the results of that work with the world." 

Qualcomm Technologies' investment framework is designed to support the entire robotics innovation lifecycle, from early-stage technology development through commercial deployment and global expansion. The investment initiative is built on four strategic pillars:

• The Qualcomm Japan Robotics Center is intended to be a cornerstone of Qualcomm Technologies’ broader long-term investment in Japan's robotics ecosystem, aimed at advancing innovation, strengthening industrial competitiveness, and accelerating the development and deployment of next-generation physical AI and robotics solutions.
• The ecosystem scaling program is designed to accelerate ecosystem growth by providing startups, developers, researchers, and industry leaders with access to Qualcomm Technologies’ products, technical expertise, enablement resources, and collaborative innovation opportunities.
• The global go-to-market accelerator is designed to help Japanese robotics innovators scale beyond domestic markets by connecting them with global customers, partners, and deployment opportunities.
• This lighthouse initiative is designed to support the deployment of flagship physical AI initiatives that demonstrate the transformative potential of next-generation robotics and intelligent automation across Japan.

About Qualcomm
Qualcomm is a global computing leader at the center of the AI era, enabling intelligence to scale from the most personal devices to large‑scale infrastructure. Building on more than four decades of innovation, we develop platforms and solutions that bring together advanced AI, high‑performance, low power computing and industry‑leading connectivity—powering products and services used around the world.  At Qualcomm, we are engineering human progress.

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