MediaTek Buys Into NetQin to Venture Into Mobile Software Biz

Taipei, Dec. 10, 2010 (CENS)--MediaTek Inc. announced on Dec. 8 that its subsidiary, Gaintech, has invested US$2.2 million in Beijing-based NetQin Mobile Inc. through a holding company to get involved in handset software business, becoming NetQin's another Taiwanese partner along with handset maker HTC Corp.

The chip design house said Gaintech plows the capital into NetQin through venture capital fund CMC Capital Investments and Cayman Is.-registered NetQin.

MediaTek noted that NetQin has paid-in capital of RMB 108 million (US$16 million at US$1:RMB6.6) and mainly engages in the development, design and manufacturing of computer and handset software as well as development and design computers and handsets.

NetQin's software products range from antivirus programs for mobile phones, control and management software for onboard communications, and handset management software. NetQin also develops security software for cloud computing systems and its products have reached 60 million customers worldwide.

HTC, currently Taiwan's No.1 smartphone maker, has put around US$ 2.5 million into NetQin in the software developer's latest capital-increment project.