Qualcomm opens Hanoi R&D Centre to expand semiconductor, AI operations in VN

HÀ NỘI — US chipmaker Qualcomm on Tuesday opened a new research and development centre in Hà Nội, marking a new milestone in its long-term commitment to Việt Nam’s growing technology ecosystem.The new facility builds on Qualcomm’s 2025 launch of an artificial intelligence R&D centre in Việt Nam and will operate as a broader innovation hub focused initially on artificial intelligence and system-on-chip (SoC) development, the company said.Qualcomm said the centre is expected to expand into other strategic sectors, including automotive technologies and the Internet of Things (IoT).The company said the centre would strengthen its global R&D network by tapping Việt Nam's growing engineering talent pool and deepening collaboration with local partners and academic institutions.Vietnamese engineers at the centre will contribute to the design and development of Qualcomm’s current and future technologies in coordination with global engineering teams, the company added.“In the progress of building the semiconductor ecosystem in Việt Nam, we highly value the role and companionship of the world’s leading technology corporations, notably Qualcomm,” Vice Minister of Science and Technology Bùi Hoàng Phương said at the event.Phương said Qualcomm had made “practical contributions” to Việt Nam through cooperation in areas including 5G and AI development, namely strategic cooperation in 5G and AI with the Vietnamese tech ecosystem, from startups to leading companies.“The official opening of our Hà Nội R&D Centre reflects our long-term investment in Việt Nam and our confidence in the country’s growing role in the global technology landscape,” Baaziz Achour, executive vice president and chief technology officer at Qualcomm Technologies, said.Qualcomm said its investments align with Việt Nam’s ambitions in digital transformation, AI adoption and advanced connectivity, particularly in sectors such as smart cities, transportation, healthcare and industrial automation.The company also said it plans to continue collaborating with Vietnamese universities, startups and small businesses through research programmes and talent development initiatives, including its AI Residency programme. — VNS