Exclusive: Qualcomm Ventures Boss Heads to Microsoft

January 25, 2016, 6:04 PM UTC
Satya Nadella Launches Microsoft Build Conference
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - APRIL 29: A Microsoft logo is seen during the 2015 Microsoft Build Conference on April 29, 2015 at Moscone Center in San Francisco, California. Thousands are expected to attend the annual developer conference which runs through May 1. (Photo by Stephen Lam/Getty Images)
Photograph by Stephen Lam—Getty Images

Nagraj Kashyap has agreed to join the venture capital arm of Microsoft, after spending the last 12 years leading Qualcomm Ventures.

Fortune had reported last Friday that Kashyap was leaving Qualcomm (QCOM), but only knew that his next role would be “with another corporate investment arm.” A source tipped us off earlier this morning that he was headed to Microsoft Ventures (MSFT) , and Kashyap confirmed via text message.

Microsoft Ventures is known not only for investing in early-stage technology companies, but also for its global accelerator programs. This makes a good fit with Kashyap, who helped create a robotics accelerator at Qualcomm and launched a global business plan competition called the QPrize.

While with Qualcomm Ventures, Kashyap’s investments included Brain Corp., Sotera Wireless, Magic Leap, Airvana, Avaak, Bitfone (acquired by HP), Clicker (acquired by CBS), Gaikai (acquired by Sony) and Novarra (acquired by Nokia).

Additional reporting by Stacey Higginbotham.

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