QuiX Quantum, the Dutch photonic quantum computing pioneer, today announced it has secured €15 million in Series A funding to deliver the world’s first single-photon-based universal quantum computer in 2026. The round was co-led by Invest-NL and EIC Fund, with participation from existing investors, PhotonVentures, Oost NL, and FORWARD.one. The Series A was preceded by the award of the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator program, a key initiative of the European Commission supporting companies that create and disrupt markets with their transformative technologies.
Render of QuiX Quantum’s first-generation universal photonic quantum computer. Image Credit: QuiX Quantum
Since its founding in 2019, QuiX Quantum has delivered world-record-breaking quantum processors, becoming the supplier of choice across Europe. In 2022, it became the first company globally to sell both 8-qubit and 64-qubit photonic quantum computers to the German Aerospace Center (DLR QCI).
In 2024, QuiX Quantum began offering cloud access to its quantum systems, creating a platform for hybrid computing and bringing near-term quantum computing to real-world applications in industries such as infrastructure, defence, healthcare and IT.
With this funding, QuiX Quantum will deliver its first-generation universal photonic quantum computer, designed to implement a universal gate set enabling any quantum operation. This milestone introduces universality, accelerating QuiX Quantum’s toward delivering large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers. QuiX Quantum addresses the growing demand from data centers and end-users for greater computational power and access to real quantum hardware for testing algorithms and use cases. All QuiX Quantum components and system designs are optimized from the design stage for high-volume production, scalability and energy efficiency. The financing round also strengthens the European supply chain, reinforcing QuiX Quantum’s role as a leader in developing the continent’s quantum photonic ecosystem.
Our Series A funding round fuels our mission to further develop the core building blocks required for a fault-tolerant universal quantum computer” says Dr. – Ing. Stefan Hengesbach, CEO of QuiX Quantum. “With our first-generation system in 2026, we will demonstrate universality by overcoming long-standing challenges in fast feed-forward electronics and single-photon sources. The next-generation system, planned for 2027, will focus on implementing error correction, a crucial step towards fault-tolerant systems capable of transforming industries such as chemical engineering, drug development, fraud detection, and advanced manufacturing.”
QuiX Quantum’s universal photonic quantum computer leverages the principles of superposition, entanglement, and interference to process information in fundamentally different ways from classical computers. Built on silicon-nitride chips designed for high-volume manufacturing, its systems are highly scalable, operate primarily at room temperature, and are fully compatible with data center environments. These advancements promise to unlock unprecedented computational capabilities in areas such as catalyst simulations, molecular dynamics, machine learning, and data analysis.
Investor Perspectives: Reinforcing Dutch and European Leadership in Deep Tech
Liz Duijves, Invest-NL Deep Tech Funds: “QuiX Quantum is one of Europe’s most promising full-stack quantum computing companies, with a technology that can reshape critical sectors like healthcare, energy and AI. Our investment in QuiX not only catalyses breakthrough innovation in quantum technology, but also strengthens Europe’s leadership and reinforces a thriving deep tech ecosystem in the Netherlands.”
Svetoslava Georgieva, Chair of the EIC Fund Board, said: "We warmly congratulate QuiX Quantum on this important milestone. Their successful Series A round reflects not only the strength of their technology and team, but also the growing confidence in Europe’s deep tech ecosystem. The EIC Fund is proud to support QuiX Quantum as they continue to push the boundaries of quantum innovation and strengthen Europe's leadership in this strategic field."
Jordy Schaufeli, investment manager at Oost NL: “QuiX Quantum is the only company in the Netherlands developing a quantum computer based on photonic silicon nitride chips – a distinctive and promising technology. Quantum computers can solve problems far beyond today’s supercomputers, enabling breakthroughs in areas like materials science, energy, healthcare, and logistics. Together with Invest-NL, EIC, PhotonVentures, and FORWARD.one, we are proud to support QuiX Quantum and strengthens eastern Netherlands as a leading region for photonics and quantum technology.”