Intel Capital, the corporate venturing arm of US-based computing company Intel, launched a $100m investment fund today that will seek to accelerate innovation in internet and computing technologies in China.
Intel Capital China Smart Device Innovation Fund will invest in China-based startups developing technology based around technologies for smart devices, such as tablets, smartphones, PCs, 2-in-1s, wearables and the ‘Internet of Things’.
The fund will be the third Intel has formed to invest in China and is intended to complement Intel Capital China Technology Fund II, which has a broader investment range spanning data centre and cloud infrastructure technology, big data and analytics, software and services, manufacturing, and Intel’s research unit, Intel Labs.
“Innovation in smart devices and the Internet of Things is heralding the evolution of a new ecosystem for computing technologies,” said Intel Capital president Arvind Sodhani. “We are investing to accelerate this exciting new ecosystem, extending from new smart devices and sensors to networks to base stations to servers to big data analytics.”
Intel Capital estimates it has invested more than $670m in more than 110 Chinese companies since it became active in the country in 1998. It announced the fund at the same time as it launched the Intel Smart Device Innovation Center, situated in Shenzhen, which will aim to accelerate the delivery of Intel technology-based devices, firstly to the Chinese market and then internationally.