- Headquarters
- Shenzhen, China · East Asia
- Value chain
- Hardware & devices(Products); also Software & platforms
- What that means
- Makes physical products under its own name: computers, robots, vehicles, aircraft, drones, satellites, batteries, solar modules, reactors and medical devices.
- Founded
- 1987
- Staff
- 208,000 (2024)
- Ownership
- Private
- Website
- hisilicon.com
- Relevance
- Very high at its strongest, in Advanced Wireless Communication
Shenzhen, ChinaIn 17 capabilities
Each capability the company is listed in, most relevant first: how experts in the field see its global relevance there, why it is listed and the source.
- Advanced Wireless CommunicationVery high
Connectivity, Cyber & Trust Technologies · Manufacture · listed #1 of 50
World's largest RAN vendor and the top holder of 5G standard-essential patents, leading 3GPP contributions and 5G-Advanced/6G research.
Relevance: Largest RAN vendor and top 5G SEP holder
Connectivity, Cyber & Trust Technologies · Manufacture · listed #1 of 50
World's largest optical transport vendor (OptiX OSN/OTN, 800G/1.2T coherent) and the top international patent applicant in this capability (2,503 filings).
Relevance: Largest optical transport vendor and top patent filer
Quantum Technologies · Design · listed #4 of 50
Ranks among the top international patent applicants in quantum communication (CV-QKD and QKD network integration), with work done in Shenzhen and at its Düsseldorf research centre.
Relevance: Top patent applicant and major QKD network integrator
Connectivity, Cyber & Trust Technologies · Research · listed #4 of 50
Top international patent applicant in this field (sidelink, relay, self-organising and non-terrestrial network standards) and supplier of emergency and satellite-messaging capable network equipment and handsets.
Relevance: Top patent applicant in sidelink, relay and NTN
Robotics & Autonomous Systems · Design · listed #7 of 50
Its Qiankun ADS intelligent-driving system is fitted to a large and growing number of Chinese vehicles, including the HIMA brands.
Relevance: Qiankun ADS widely fitted in Chinese vehicles
Semiconductors & Advanced Computing · Design · listed #8 of 50
China's leading AI accelerator designer (Ascend 910 series, CloudMatrix 384 supernode) and Kunpeng server CPUs, at the centre of China's domestic AI compute build-out.
Relevance: China's leading AI accelerator and cluster builder
Energy Technologies · Manufacture · listed #12 of 50
World's largest PV inverter supplier by shipments, through its Digital Power unit making string inverters and grid-forming smart PV systems.
Relevance: World's largest PV inverter supplier.
Connectivity, Cyber & Trust Technologies · Research · listed #6 of 50
Top international patent applicant in this capability, covering authentication, trusted execution, network security and identity in telecom and device systems, plus its Huawei Cloud blockchain service.
Relevance: Patent leader with mainly domestic market reach
- Precision Timing & Atomic ClocksModerate
Sensing, Timing & Navigation · Integration · listed #7 of 50
The largest international patent applicant in this field, mostly on clock synchronisation (IEEE 1588 PTP, SyncE) for telecom and 5G networks that distribute national time.
Relevance: Leading patent holder in network time synchronisation for telecom
- Human-Machine InterfacesModerate
Robotics & Autonomous Systems · Design · listed #9 of 50
It is a top-ten patent applicant in this capability and makes the Vision Glass and Vision headsets along with HarmonyOS spatial interaction.
Relevance: Top patent applicant with Vision Glass, mainly China
- Applied AI & Advanced AnalyticsModerate
Artificial Intelligence · Software & services · listed #10 of 50
Deploys its Pangu models and Huawei Cloud ModelArts in industry and government across China and emerging markets, and is the second-largest AI patent applicant in this capability.
Relevance: Pangu and ModelArts significant in China, limited abroad.
- Semiconductor Design & EDAModerate
Semiconductors & Advanced Computing · Design · listed #11 of 50
HiSilicon is Huawei's chip-design arm and China's most advanced designer, covering Kirin phone SoCs and Ascend AI accelerators, built under US export controls.
Relevance: China's most advanced designer, constrained by export controls
- Post-Quantum CryptographyModerate
Quantum Technologies · Integration · listed #13 of 50
Huawei does PQC research, has integrated post-quantum algorithms into its network and telecom equipment, and is China's largest PQC patent applicant in ICT.
Relevance: PQC research and telecom integration
Artificial Intelligence · Equipment & materials · listed #17 of 50
Supplies the Ascend AI accelerators and MindSpore framework that underpin China's domestic training compute, and builds the Pangu models; second-largest international ML patent applicant.
Relevance: Ascend and MindSpore key for China; limited outside it.
- AI Safety, Security & EvaluationModerate
Artificial Intelligence · Research · listed #17 of 50
China's leading international patent filer in AI robustness and security; it publishes AI security white papers and builds model-security features into its Ascend/ModelArts stack.
Relevance: Leading Chinese filer on AI robustness; limited global uptake.
Connectivity, Cyber & Trust Technologies · Manufacture · listed #21 of 50
Top international patent applicant in this capability; it supplies HiSecEngine firewalls and network security gateways and embeds security in telecom equipment.
Relevance: Patent leader, mainly Chinese market share
- Radar & Radiofrequency SensingModerate
Sensing, Timing & Navigation · Research · listed #25 of 50
Third-largest international radar patent applicant, developing 4D imaging automotive radar and integrated sensing-and-communication (ISAC) for 5G-Advanced/6G.
Relevance: Major radar patent applicant in automotive and comms