Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei is marking its tenth year anniversary in the U.S. today by opening a new R&D headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif.
The 200,000 square-foot facility is said to include multiple state-of-the-art research labs and is set to create new jobs in the region.
Huawei’s North America president, Charles Ding, said the firm was committed to working on more “customer-centric innovation” that would create “new growth opportunities for the company.”
The firm first planted its flag in American soil back in 2001, by establishing offices in Plano, Texas, growing from that initial seed into an operation that now boasts some 1,100 employees in 12 branch offices and seven R&D centers.
Indeed, Huawei claims that last year alone it procured $6.1 billion from U.S.-based companies and invested $103 million locally in research and development.
“Huawei has a legacy as a technology innovator and global leader with facilities around the world,” said Mayor Jamie Matthews of Santa Clara. “Since establishing offices in the heart of Silicon Valley in 2002, Huawei has been a job creator and active participant in the community, and this new facility represents the continued investment and commitment to cultivating local talent and contributing to the economy in this critical region.”
Liz Kerton, president of Silicon Valley’s Telecom Council said that while excited about Huawei’s plans in the area, she was hardly surprised.
“Silicon Valley continues to be a magnet for telecommunications innovation and wireless technology,” she told RCR. “With so many potential partners just a short drive away, it’s a natural choice, and there is a lot of local talent with experience in cellular networks, platforms, and applications. The startups that surround us here are unequalled, and the region offers a deep, deep pool of resources, with offices from over 20 global telcos, the big mobile OS makers, database vendors, IP networking powerhouses, server hardware, and silicon expertise.”
In addition to opening up its new R&D center, Huawei also announced a partnership with America’s Promise Alliance, a leading organization focused on community and nonpartisan advocacy.
As part of the partnership, Huawei said it would donate $100,000 to ten charities across the U.S. for educational programs to better prepare children for school, work and life.
