UNISOC
UNISOC is a China-based fabless semiconductor company designing mobile SoCs and 5G chipsets for budget smartphones (Xiaomi/Redmi, HMD, Itel, Nubia), industrial IoT (V527 RedCap), and automotive smart-cockpit applications, with cumulative funding of roughly US$2.1 billion.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersShanghai, China
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What UNISOC does
UNISOC is a China-based fabless semiconductor company founded in 2001 that designs mobile system-on-chips (SoCs) and 5G connectivity solutions for smartphones, industrial IoT, and automotive electronics. Its core product portfolio includes the T7250 (entry-level 4G), T8200 (mid-range 5G with on-device AI), and T8300 (budget 5G with AnTuTu scores above 720,000 and 28% improved energy efficiency) mobile SoCs, plus the V527 5G RedCap chipset launched in 2026 for industrial IoT applications. The company supplies chipsets as an OEM/embedded partner to smartphone brands including Xiaomi/Redmi, HMD, Itel, and Nubia (a ZTE sub-brand), targeting price-sensitive mass-market consumers in India, China, Japan, and other emerging markets with 4G and 5G devices priced in the sub-$150 range.
UNISOC generates revenue primarily through B2B hardware sales of chipsets and SoCs to OEMs, with quote-based pricing negotiated directly with manufacturers and no publicly disclosed pricing. Its go-to-market is entirely OEM-embedded: chipsets are integrated into end-customer devices rather than sold under the UNISOC brand. The company has expanded beyond smartphones into two new verticals: industrial IoT, where the V527 chipset targets the projected 80 million unit / US$690 million 5G RedCap module market by 2029, and automotive electronics, where a May 2023 strategic partnership with BAIC Group and Tsinghua Unigroup covers smart cockpits, autonomous driving, and vehicle-cloud ecosystems.
The business is privately held, headquartered in Beijing (with significant Shanghai operations), employs 5,001-10,000 people, and has raised approximately US$2.1 billion+ in cumulative funding across multiple rounds, with the largest 2024 tranches (~US$1 billion combined) led by state-aligned Chinese financial institutions including BOCOM International, CITIC Securities, Guotai Junan, ICBC International, Hony Capital, and PICC Capital. UNISOC's founder Ping Wu serves as Chairman, President, and CEO. The company is positioned within Tsinghua Unigroup's domestic semiconductor strategy and has historically pursued technology acquisitions (Quorum Systems in 2007, Telegent Systems in 2011) to consolidate IP.
UNISOC firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- UNISOC
- Legal name
- UNISOC
- Website
- https://unisoc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- UNISOC is a China-based fabless semiconductor company designing mobile SoCs and 5G chipsets for budget smartphones (Xiaomi/Redmi, HMD, Itel, Nubia), industrial IoT (V527 RedCap), and automotive smart-cockpit applications, with cumulative funding of roughly US$2.1 billion.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
UNISOC industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mobile Semiconductors
- NAICS
- Semiconductor and Related Device Manufacturing (334413)
- SIC
- Semiconductors & Related Devices (3674)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mobile & Wireless Connectivity SoCs (Modem/Wi‑Fi/Bluetooth/GNSS) (HDAHABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- System-on-Chip (SoC) Platforms (Mobile/Consumer/Embedded) (HDAHAJAC), Mobile Chipsets & Modems (Smartphone SoCs, Baseband) (CRACALAC)
Keywords
Where UNISOC is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Shanghai
- HQ country
- China
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
UNISOC business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Semiconductor/Chipset Sales: UNISOC generates revenue through the sale of semiconductor chipsets and SoCs to smartphone manufacturers and IoT device makers. The company develops and sells mobile processors and 5G connectivity solutions as hardware products.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels1 record
UNISOC product offering
Product offeringCore offering
UNISOC designs and sells mobile System-on-Chip (SoC) processors and 5G connectivity chipsets for smartphones and industrial IoT devices. Its portfolio includes 4G/LTE chipsets (T7250) and 5G chipsets (T8200, T8300) powering budget to mid-range smartphones for OEMs such as Xiaomi, HMD, Itel, and Nubia, plus the V527 5G RedCap chipset targeting industrial IoT and automotive smart-cockpit applications.
Product overview
UNISOC is a China-based semiconductor company specializing in mobile processors, 5G chipsets, and AI semiconductors. The product portfolio includes mobile SoCs (T8200, T7250, T8300) powering budget to mid-range smartphones from brands like Xiaomi, HMD, Itel, and Nubia, as well as the V527 5G RedCap chipset targeting industrial IoT applications. UNISOC is recognized among the top 10 AI chip companies globally. The company also participates in strategic partnerships for automotive smart cockpit solutions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- V527 5G RedCap Chipset A 5G RedCap chipset designed for industrial IoT applications, supporting global spectrum bands, high-speed data transfer, and featuring security and energy-efficiency improvements tailored for industrial environments. Sold to industrial IoT device manufacturers.
- UNISOC T8200 Processor An octa-core mobile SoC powering 5G smartphones with AI capabilities, energy efficiency for entry-level devices, and support for high-refresh-rate displays. Sold to smartphone OEMs.
- UNISOC T7250 Chipset An octa-core entry-level 4G LTE mobile chipset designed for budget smartphones, featuring support for 120Hz displays and dual cameras. Sold to smartphone OEMs such as Xiaomi (Redmi) and Itel.
- UNISOC T8300 SoC A 5G mobile SoC powering mid-range smartphones with AI features, 120Hz displays, large batteries (e.g., 6300mAh), 32MP AI dual-camera systems, and Google Gemini AI assistant integration. Sold to smartphone OEMs including Xiaomi.
Quantifiable outcome
- T8300 AnTuTu score exceeding 720,000 with 28% energy efficiency improvement
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use UNISOC
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
UNISOC technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
UNISOC partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- BAIC GroupcoreBAIC Group and Tsinghua Unigroup (parent of UNISOC) signed a strategic partnership agreement in Munich on May 18, 2023, to collaborate across five key areas: automotive-grade chips, smart cockpits, autonomous driving, industrial investment, and vehicle-cloud ecosystems. A smart cockpit all-in-one project was signed between BAIC Research General Institute, UNISOC, and Unisplendour Smart Travel, along with an investment framework between BAIC Industrial Investment and Unisplendour OT to support Beijing's bid to build a world-class innovation hub for smart vehicles and semiconductors.
- Tsinghua UnigroupcoreUNISOC is a subsidiary of Tsinghua Unigroup, which forms the core of China's semiconductor industry strategy. Tsinghua Unigroup coordinates semiconductor development including memory, CPUs, and communication chips through subsidiaries including UNISOC.
- BAIC Industrial InvestmentminorBAIC Industrial Investment signed an investment framework with Unisplendour OT as part of the broader BAIC-Tsinghua Unigroup partnership, supporting Beijing's bid to build a world-class innovation hub for smart vehicles and semiconductors.
- Unisplendour Smart TravelcoreUnisplendour Smart Travel collaborated with BAIC Research General Institute and UNISOC on a smart cockpit all-in-one project as part of the strategic partnership to develop automotive-grade chips and smart vehicle technologies.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
UNISOC competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- MediaTek: Taiwan-based fabless designer of mobile SoCs and 5G modems, directly competing with UNISOC in the budget and mid-range smartphone chipset segment via Helio and Dimensity lines. Most directly comparable on business model, customer base, and product category.
- HiSilicon (Huawei): Huawei's internal fabless chip design arm producing Kirin mobile SoCs and Balong modems. Most direct Chinese-domestic peer to UNISOC, competing in mobile and adjacent connectivity silicon with similar domestic supply chain advantages.
- UNISOC's Spreadtrum brand legacy: Spreadtrum was merged into UNISOC but historically was its direct predecessor in the Chinese feature phone and budget smartphone chipset market, sharing the same customer base and product positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Qualcomm: Dominant US-based fabless designer of premium and mid-range mobile SoCs (Snapdragon) and 5G modems. Competes with UNISOC across the full mobile chipset stack and is also listed alongside UNISOC in the top 10 global AI chip companies.
- Samsung LSI: Samsung's system LSI business designs Exynos mobile SoCs and 5G modems. Operates as a broader incumbent in the same mobile SoC category as UNISOC, with vertically integrated foundry and modem IP.
Emerging players
- Allwinner Technology: China-based fabless designer of application processors for IoT, smart home, and entry-level tablets. Comparable to UNISOC in fabless Chinese SoC positioning but focused on non-mobile IoT applications rather than cellular-connected devices.
- Rockchip (Fuzhou Rockchip): Chinese fabless designer of SoCs for tablets, AIoT, and edge computing applications. Comparable as a domestic Chinese fabless peer competing in adjacent SoC markets with similar cost-driven go-to-market.
- Sequans Communications: France-based fabless designer specializing in 5G/4G cellular IoT chipsets including RedCap solutions. Directly comparable to UNISOC's V527 RedCap push into industrial IoT connectivity.
- Nordic Semiconductor: Norway-based fabless designer of low-power wireless SoCs for IoT applications. Comparable to UNISOC in IoT-focused SoC design targeting industrial and consumer connected device use cases.
- JLQ Technology: China-based joint venture between Leadcore and Qualcomm focused on mid-range mobile SoCs. Emerging domestic Chinese competitor in the same budget-to-mid-range mobile chipset segment as UNISOC.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
UNISOC social profiles
Digital presenceUNISOC financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
UNISOC leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
UNISOC funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds7 records
Investors20 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
UNISOC M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about UNISOC
What does UNISOC do?
UNISOC designs and sells mobile System-on-Chip (SoC) processors and 5G connectivity chipsets for smartphones and industrial IoT devices. Its portfolio includes 4G/LTE chipsets (T7250) and 5G chipsets (T8200, T8300) powering budget to mid-range smartphones for OEMs such as Xiaomi, HMD, Itel, and Nubia, plus the V527 5G RedCap chipset targeting industrial IoT and automotive smart-cockpit applications.
Is UNISOC a public or private company?
UNISOC is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was UNISOC founded?
UNISOC was founded in 2001. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is UNISOC based?
UNISOC is headquartered in Shanghai, China, in the Asia region.
How does UNISOC make money?
One revenue line is on record: semiconductor/Chipset Sales.
Who are UNISOC's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are MediaTek, HiSilicon (Huawei) and UNISOC's Spreadtrum brand legacy. Broad incumbents are Qualcomm and Samsung LSI. Emerging players are Allwinner Technology, Rockchip (Fuzhou Rockchip), Sequans Communications, Nordic Semiconductor and JLQ Technology.
Does UNISOC have an API?
No public API is recorded for UNISOC.
What industry is UNISOC in?
UNISOC's product category is Mobile Semiconductors. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAHABAA, Mobile & Wireless Connectivity SoCs (Modem/Wi‑Fi/Bluetooth/GNSS), with a secondary code of HDAHAJAC, System-on-Chip (SoC) Platforms (Mobile/Consumer/Embedded). Its NAICS code is 334413 and its SIC code is 3674.