Quantum computer startup Quantum Brilliance lands $26 million raise

Canberra quantum computing startup Quantum Brilliance, has raised US$18 million (A$26m) as it looks to expand internationally.

The raise was backed by Breakthrough Victoria, which chipped in $8 million, as well as CSIRO VC fund Main Sequence, Investible, Ultratech Capital, MA Financial, Jelix Ventures, Rampersand and CM Equity.

The capital is to expand international operations, deliver hardware and software products to customers, and improve manufacturing and fabrication techniques, as well as enhance the performance of the startup’s room-temperature quantum computers and further develop software and application offerings.

Quantum Brilliance is the world’s leading developer of room-temperature miniaturised quantum computing products and solutions. Its quantum computers use synthetic diamonds to operate at room temperature in any environment, from data centres to mobile devices to autonomous vehicles to spacecraft.

Unlike competitors, the solutions Quantum Brilliance has developed don’t require cryogenics, vacuum systems and precision laser arrays. The result means the technology consumes significantly less power and can be deployed onsite or at the edge.

The company is also working to further miniaturise its technology, eventually to the size of semiconductor chips that can be used on any device and where existing computers are used.

Quantum Brilliance previously raised A$13 million in seed funding in August 2021. The company’s cap table also includes QxBranch founders, CP Ventures, R3I Ventures, and Ultratech Capital Partners.

While Founded by scientists at Australian National University in 2019, the quantum startup has established a major presence in Victoria, attracting the backing of the state government’s investment arm Breakthrough Victoria

Quantum Brilliance established the Research Hub for Diamond Quantum Materials in Victoria, Australia, in April 2022, with leading quantum diamond institutions La Trobe University and RMIT University to enhance the computational power of diamond-based quantum computers with techniques that can transition to manufacturing systems in large volumes.

The company plans to expand the hub and continue to work with its research partners to offer industry PhD positions in Victoria .

Breakthrough Victoria CEO Grant Dooley said that it was the fund’s second investment into the sector and its first in an Australian business.

“By investing in companies like Quantum Brilliance and Infleqtion, we are building the framework for Victoria to be a global player in the revolution of quantum technologies,” he said.

“Quantum Brilliance’s vision of mass producible, room temperature, small form factor quantum computers aligns closely with our mandate to fund ideas and technology in Victoria that will help solve globally significant problems, and we see them as a true innovator in the quantum computing industry.”

Cofounder and CTO Andrew Horsley said Victoria is a crucial launch pad for Australia in quantum technologies and a natural partner for Quantum Brilliance.

“Our technology is following the successful path of classical computers, where integrated semiconductor chips allowed the jump from large fragile mainframes to laptops and smartphones. Our small form factor, room temperature, low power devices are forging the same path,” he said.

“We are proud of our achievement in taking quantum computing from the lab to the data centre has been recognised by the investment community.”