PixSense on Tuesday said Qualcomm Ventures has placed a strategic investment in the startup.
The investment arm of Qualcomm, a maker of cell phone chips, pumped about $1.6 million into the mobile photo and video startup. In December, PixSense picked up a $5.4 million investment from ATA Ventures and Innovacom (see PixSense Captures $5.4 Million). “This is a very clear path for us to go to many of the CDMA carriers,” PixSense CEO Faraz Hoodbhoy said. “It adds enormous strategic depth in our ability for us to target those carriers.”
Santa Clara, California-based PixSense, founded in 2005, develops mobile software for people to keep media galleries of photos and videos that can be sent via cell phone to a personal sharing web site at PixSense or other phones. People can sign up for the free service at PixSense’s web site to install the mobile phone application and get started.
Qualcomm said PixSense’s photo- and video-sharing services will help mobile operators drive revenue from camera phones.
PixSense is a so-called white label service that carriers can use to offer photo and video sharing. Its revenue model varies depending on carrier and market. “If they’re making money we’re making money,” Mr. Hoodbhoy said.