Huawei Secretly Funds Major U.S. College Research Competition

Despite being blacklisted, Huawei is the covert sponsor of a significant research contest involving top U.S. universities.

Huawei has been the sole funder of a million-dollar research competition administered by the Optica Foundation since 2022.
The competition has awarded millions and attracted hundreds of proposals globally, including from U.S. universities that prohibit working with Huawei.
Participants, including university officials and judges, were unaware of Huawei's involvement due to confidentiality agreements.
The funding, while legal, has raised concerns over transparency and potential national security implications.
Optica Foundation's practice of donor anonymity is not unusual, but the secrecy surrounding Huawei's role has sparked controversy.