By Alistair Barr And Daisuke Wakabayashi
The creator of Android, the world's largest mobile operating
system, is returning to his roots in hardware.
Andy Rubin, who nurtured Android at Google Inc. from 2005 to
2013, is launching Playground Global LLC to provide support and
advice to tech startups making devices for consumers or
companies.
Mr. Rubin said Playground had raised $48 million from investors
including Google, Hewlett-Packard Co., electronics manufacturer Hon
Hai Precision Industry Co., and other tech companies. Playground
won't invest in startups, but will take equity stakes in return for
its support.
Playground also plans to help entrepreneurs with distribution,
manufacturing, financing and ways to integrate their devices with
remote computing resources known as the cloud.
This approach is common in Silicon Valley and is known as an
incubator or accelerator. Mr. Rubin described Playground as a
"studio," where inventors, tinkerers and entrepreneurs can focus on
building new gadgets and not worry about other aspects of running a
business.
"Our aim is to free the creators to create," he said in an
interview. "By bringing these partners to the table we can remove
many of the roadblocks of bringing a great idea to market."
Write to Alistair Barr at alistair.barr@wsj.com and Daisuke
Wakabayashi at daisuke.wakabayashi@wsj.com
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