Qualcomm has acquired the generation AI arm of Vinai, a Vietnamese AI startup supported by local conglomerate Vingroup with a quiet push into the Vietnamese tech scene. The agreement includes Movianai, another entity that housed Vinai’s generation AI work. Neither company revealed the prices.
Vinai was founded in 2019 by Dr. Hung Bui, a former research scientist at Deepmind. The company is best known for building AI-powered automotive capabilities, including cabin monitoring, driver attention detection, and smart parking tools. However, we also invested heavily in generator AI, computer vision, and large-scale language models. That’s part of what Qualcomm is currently bringing in within the company.
This acquisition is not about products, it is about talent. The Generator AI team led by BUI will join Qualcomm, including Bui itself. Qualcomm says new recruits will contribute to AI work across smartphones, laptops and vehicles.
“This acquisition underscores our commitment to dedicating the resources we need to R&D. This will be the driving force behind the next wave of AI innovation.” “By introducing large-caliber talent from Vinai, we are strengthening our ability to deliver cutting-edge AI solutions that benefit a wide range of industries and consumers.”
Bui states, “Our team’s expertise in generating AI and machine learning will help accelerate the development of innovative solutions that can change our lives and jobs.”
Vinai had around 200 employees as of last year, with offices in Hanoi, the US and Australia. It will continue to operate independently on automotive and core research products, but generative AI work will move to Qualcomm.
This is Qualcomm’s second AI acquisition this year. In March, I purchased Edge Impulse, a US-based AI and IoT company. Both deals point to Qualcomm’s strategy of doubling “edge AI,” namely AI running locally on devices without relying on the cloud. CEO Cristiano Amon has recently called Edge Ai the company’s future “Tailwind.”
The acquisition of Vinai is not large by Silicon Valley standards, but it is worth noting. It shows Qualcomm is quietly building a serious AI bench. This time, by taking advantage of Vietnam’s growing pool of technical talent.
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