Big tech companies are actively pursuing advancements in quantum chips, with Amazon Web Services unveiling Ocelot, Microsoft launching Majorana, and Google introducing Willow. While these developments are notable, many quantum startups are concentrating on practical improvements and are making significant strides in the field.
One such startup is QuantWare, founded in 2020 in the Netherlands, which claims to supply hardware that powers quantum computers across 20 countries. The company’s main focus is vertical integration and optimization (VIO), which addresses scaling challenges in quantum processing units (QPUs). In the realm of quantum computing, achieving more qubits—the quantum counterpart of classical bits—is a common goal. However, integrating a higher number of qubits on a single chip is often more effective and less prone to errors compared to connecting several smaller systems. According to CEO Matthijs Rijlaarsdam, QuantWare’s innovative 3D chip architecture, VIO, is “the missing link in scaling up QPUs.” A spinout from TU Delft and its research institute QuTech, QuantWare recently secured a €20 million Series A funding round (approximately $19.27 million). This includes a €5 million equity portion from a previous €7.5 million investment from the European Innovation Council, following a €6 million seed round (with the remainder being a grant). This new funding round was co-led by the Invest-NL Deep Tech Fund and the regional economic development agency InnovationQuarter, reinforcing QuantWare’s status as a leader in the Netherlands’ expanding quantum ecosystem.
The fresh capital will be utilized to expand QuantWare’s team and technology. Recently, the startup announced it would begin accepting preorders for its first QPU aimed at quantum error correction, named Contralto-A. While Google’s Willow processor has highlighted the significance of quantum error correction, QuantWare is taking a roadmap-driven approach, emphasizing upgradability to larger VIO-powered QPUs. Contralto-A is notable for being “almost twice as large as competing solutions currently available.”
While big tech companies compete to develop the largest QPUs with the most qubits, startups like QuantWare are also focused on making quantum hardware commercially viable. For these startups, the race extends beyond mere qubit count to include accessibility and revenue generation. QuantWare is pursuing two main avenues: producing its own QPUs and providing access to its technology through Foundry and Packaging Services. The new funding will support both the advancement of VIO and the expansion of its chip fabrication facilities. Among its users are several well-funded quantum startups, including Alice & Bob, which recently raised $104 million. Additionally, Quantum Machines, which raised $170 million last month, and SEEQC, which announced $30 million in funding in January, are collaborating with QuantWare on technology development.
It remains uncertain which companies, if any, will develop a quantum architecture capable of achieving one million qubits. Microsoft is also in this race and has suggested that its Majorana announcement brings this possibility closer “within years, not decades.” As Rijlaarsdam explained to TechCrunch, the stakes are high for quantum computing to solve significant industrial-scale challenges. “There is a substantial and valuable class of problems that even a gigawatt AI cluster cannot tackle—but quantum computers can,” he stated. “This is why we are building these systems. Examples include calculations on quantum systems for creating better materials, discovering new catalysts for breaking down microplastics, or enhancing the sustainability of fertilizers.”
For QuantWare, which champions quantum open architecture, the focus is not solely on who will create these million-qubit systems; with VIO, the company is committed to accelerating the realization of this vision.
