Qualcomm Incorporated is an American multinational corporation headquartered in San Diego, California, that creates semiconductors, software, and services related to wireless technology. It was founded in July 1985 by Irwin Jacobs and six other former Linkabit employees. The company's early research into code-division multiple access (CDMA) wireless cell phone technology was funded by selling a two-way mobile digital satellite communications system known as Omnitracs. Qualcomm owns patents critical to the 5G, 4G, CDMA2000, TD-SCDMA, and WCDMA mobile communications standards.
Cristiano R. Amon is the current President and Chief Executive Officer (since June 2021), and Mark D. McLaughlin is the Chair of the Board of Directors. Qualcomm's business operates through three segments: Qualcomm CDMA Technologies (QCT), which develops and supplies integrated circuits and system software; Qualcomm Technology Licensing (QTL), which grants licenses and provides rights to use the firm's intellectual property portfolio; and Qualcomm Strategic Initiatives (QSI), which focuses on new opportunities for its technologies. Recent news includes a technical assistance and development agreement with FPT to accelerate AI-driven automotive solutions. In April 2025, Qualcomm acquired Movian AI, the generative artificial intelligence unit of Vietnamese research company VinAI. Qualcomm's market capitalization is approximately €124.02 billion as of February 2026.