Indkal Technologies Signs pact with Acer To Manufacture Smartphones

Indkal Technologies, a startup in consumer electronics, announced that it has forayed into a trademark licensing agreement to design, produce, and distribute smartphones for Acer Inc., a major hardware manufacturer in Taiwan.

The Bengaluru-based company will unveil a variety of smartphone models under the Acer brand in mid-2024. It will also be in charge of the smartphones' offline and online distribution. Indkal hopes to begin with a production capacity of one million smartphones annually before expanding further. Soon, it will also apply for production-linked incentive (PLI) benefits.

“We are excited that Indkal Technologies will further (our) mission in India by providing a wide range of smartphones under the Acer brand that expands end-user choices and enrich their experience in the Indian market," said Jade Zhou, vice president of global strategic alliances at Acer Inc. Indkal owns the Acer trademark license in TV, smartphones, and large appliances exclusively in India.

“At present, our primary focus is on building and scaling our existing brand and product portfolio. However, we are certainly open to exploring opportunities to expand into other product categories and to diversify our offerings with multiple brands in the future,” Indkal’s chief executive Anand Dubey told ET.

A funding round led by Aries Opportunities Fund, based in Mauritius, brought in $36 million for the business in June. For global brands like Acer and Black & Decker, the company currently designs, manufactures, sells, and provides service for washing machines, refrigerators, and air conditioners.