Qualcomm Launches $10K Grants for AI Startups in Asia

Startups across Asia Pacific just got a major boost in their race to build the next generation of smart technology.

Qualcomm Technologies launched its 2026 AI Program for Innovators, offering entrepreneurs in Japan, Singapore, and South Korea everything they need to turn edge AI concepts into commercial products. Edge AI means processing happens on the device itself rather than in distant cloud servers, making technology faster, more private, and more efficient.

The program hands selected startups up to $10,000 in development grants and another $5,000 for patent filings. More importantly, they get access to Qualcomm's Dragonwing and Snapdragon platforms, the same technology powering millions of smartphones and smart devices worldwide.

Startups can apply until April 30, 2026, if they're working on AI solutions in healthcare, smart cities, education, consumer devices, or industrial applications. Qualcomm is looking for ideas that demonstrate innovation, technical feasibility, potential societal impact, and commercial relevance.

Those who make the cut enter a mentorship phase with one-on-one guidance from Qualcomm engineers and access to the new Arduino UNO Q development board. This open-source tool, created after Qualcomm acquired Arduino, lets developers build AI applications with real-time control and lightweight processing power.

The program includes practical perks beyond money and hardware. Shortlisted teams get invitations to major industry events like the Smart City Summit & Expo in Taiwan this March, where they can meet investors, partners, and potential customers from around the world.

Last year's participants already showcased their innovations at Singapore's SWITCH conference and a Demo Day in Seoul, connecting with industry leaders who could help scale their products globally. The 2026 cohort will get similar opportunities at a Demo Day in late 2026.

The Ripple Effect

This program represents more than corporate generosity. By focusing on edge AI, Qualcomm is helping build solutions that work better in the real world, with lower power consumption, faster response times, and stronger privacy protections than cloud-dependent alternatives.

The tools Qualcomm provides, including the AI Hub with pre-optimized models and Edge Impulse platform for building tinyML applications, dramatically reduce development time. Startups can focus on solving problems rather than reinventing technical foundations.

O.H. Kwon, Qualcomm's President for Asia Pacific, sees the program as crucial for the region's economic growth, noting that edge AI is creating new opportunities for innovation and productivity across diverse industries.

For entrepreneurs with big ideas but limited resources, programs like this can mean the difference between a sketch on paper and a product that improves lives.