Qualcomm

Qualcomm Incorporated is an American multinational semiconductor and telecommunications equipment company that designs and markets wireless telecommunications products and services. Founded in 1985 by Irwin Jacobs and Andrew Viterbi, Qualcomm pioneered the commercialization of the cdmaOne (IS-95) standard for wireless cellular communications, following up with CDMA2000, an early standard for third-generation (3G) mobile.

Industry

Telecommunications equipment, Semiconductors

Company Size

With a workforce exceeding 50,000 employees, the company boasts a vast talent pool.

Product, Services and Operations

Qualcomm primarily operates in the mobile chip market, where it is the world's leading supplier of chips that power smartphones. It also licenses several patented technologies that drive the majority of the company's profits. The company's products are used in mobile devices, network infrastructure, broadband gateway equipment, consumer electronic devices, and other applications.

Funding Details

Qualcomm is a publicly traded company with a market capitalization of over $80 billion as of 2021.

Acquisitions

Notable acquisitions include Flarion Technologies (2006), Atheros (2011), CSR (2015), and NXP Semiconductors (2016, deal later terminated).

Awards and Achievements

Qualcomm has received numerous awards and recognitions, including being named to Fortune's list of the "World's Most Admired Companies" multiple times. In 2013, the company was also named by MIT Technology Review as one of the 50 smartest companies.