Chipmaker Qualcomm announced a new investment in wafer-based, miniature optical module production for mobile phone cameras and laser projection firm, Anteryon. The investment is part of Qualcomm’s European investment fund and Qualcomm subsidiary, Qualcomm Ventures Europe is leading the round of fund investment in Anteryon.

Other investors include BNP Paribas Private Equity and Biggell Finance which are participating in the role of existing shareholders. Belgium-based Quest for Growth will be the new investor in the firm.

The funds raised will be used for further development of WaferOptics® optical module production technology and also to expand Anteryon’s Asia production facility.

However the precise value of investment was not disclosed by the parties involved.

Anteryon claims global leadership position in the domain of developing wafer-optics technology. Its expertise spans from VGA to 5 mega pixel and the company has manufacturing facilities in Eindhoven and China.

“We are very excited about the quality and commitment of our new investor, Qualcomm. The magnitude of opportunities opened up by the WaferOptics production technology is immense, and Qualcomm's experience and knowledge in the wireless industry will be a contributing factor in our future success," said Gert Jan Bloks, CEO of Anteryon. "This new investment will enable us to boost our worldwide manufacturing facilities, including extension of the facilities in Eindhoven and the set up of a new state of the art production facility in the Far East. In order to meet the high-volume market demand, we will also investigate additional ways of scaling our business, such as partnering with other players in the supply chain and/or licensing our technology."

"Anteryon has a unique position in this promising market for WaferOptics, both in terms of product design and manufacturing capabilities. We believe that Anteryon has what it takes to lead and accelerate this market to dramatically improve miniaturization and cost reduction of camera modules, enabling a new generation of camera phones and handheld devices," said Frederic Rombaut, managing director of Qualcomm Ventures Europe.