Quantum computing is inching closer to becoming a real tool for solving problems that traditional computers just can’t crack. Its potential stretches from breakthroughs in medicine to protecting cybersecurity.
But there’s a catch. Building systems that can handle large-scale computation means we have to nail down how to reliably host qubits—the backbone of quantum machines.
Industry giants like Google and Microsoft are in the mix, but so are scrappy startups. The big names usually lead with high qubit counts, while smaller teams get creative with new chip designs and error correction ideas.
Everyone’s aiming for scalable, reliable hardware, and the pace of change is wild. The landscape keeps shifting as these companies try to out-innovate each other.
Key Takeaways
- Quantum computing is picking up speed in all sorts of fields.
- Big corporations and startups alike are making hardware breakthroughs.
- Building scalable and reliable qubit chips is still a major hurdle.
Akhetonics
Akhetonics, a German startup, is shaking things up in quantum technology with its all-optical, general-purpose chip. Instead of zeroing in on niche applications, they’re betting on a broader approach.
Investors have noticed. In late 2024, Akhetonics raised €6 million in seed funding from Matterwave Ventures, which says a lot about the faith in their vision.
Alice & Bob
Alice & Bob isn’t just building chips—they’re putting together an entire quantum computing system. Their secret sauce? Cat qubits, a type of superconducting qubit that’s supposed to make error correction way easier.
In early 2025, they landed $104 million in Series B funding to chase their dream of a fault-tolerant quantum computer. That’s a serious vote of confidence in their place in the quantum race.
Amazon
Amazon Web Services (AWS) jumped deeper into quantum computing in 2025, rolling out its first quantum chip—Ocelot. They built it with the California Institute of Technology, which is a pretty big deal.
AWS also runs Braket, a service for exploring quantum tech that teams up with D-Wave, IonQ, and Rigetti. They’re clearly in it for the long haul.
Atom Computing
Atom Computing is a U.S.-based tech company working with arrays of optically trapped neutral atoms. They’ve teamed up with Microsoft to try to launch a commercial quantum computer by 2025.
D-Wave
D-Wave is all about quantum computing using quantum annealing to solve optimization problems. Their Advantage2 prototype keeps refining that approach.
Founded in 1999 as a University of British Columbia spinoff, D-Wave is now a public company based in Canada and trades on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). They’re focused on making quantum solutions that actually matter in the real world.
EeroQ
EeroQ, a Chicago startup, is working on helium-based quantum chip technology. They raised $7.25 million in seed funding in 2022.
By September 2024, EeroQ committed $1.1 million to expand their headquarters in Humboldt Park. They’re clearly aiming to make a mark in the quantum world.
Fujitsu and RIKEN
Fujitsu and RIKEN have pushed quantum computing forward by building a 256-qubit superconducting quantum computer. That’s a big leap from their earlier 64-qubit version back in 2023.
In December 2024, Google rolled out Willow, their latest quantum chip. Willow outperformed Sycamore, especially in quantum error correction.
The Google Quantum AI team says Willow’s abilities back up theories about quantum computing’s multi-level operations. It’s another step toward practical, scalable quantum tech.
IBM
IBM’s making moves with Condor, a superconducting chip that scales up to 1,121 qubits. They also have the Heron processor, which packs 156 qubits and focuses on fewer errors and better performance.
Infleqtion
Infleqtion has been around since 2007, working on quantum computing systems using neutral atom technology. They’re pushing the envelope in this area, though the field is still wide open.
Intel
Intel is in the race with silicon spin qubits. They launched Tunnel Falls, a 12-qubit research chip, in mid-2023.
They announced plans for a next-gen chip for 2024, but so far, there’s no word on when it’ll actually arrive.
IonQ
IonQ is all about trapped-ion quantum computing and developed the IonQ Forte system. They went public in 2021 via a SPAC and later snapped up Entangled Networks.
IQM
IQM specializes in superconducting quantum computers. The company spun out of research at Aalto University and VTT in Finland and has made some impressive progress.
They started with funding from Business Finland, then the EIC Accelerator program. In 2022, IQM pulled in €128 million in Series A2 funding led by World Fund, adding to €39 million from Series A in 2020.
The European Investment Bank chipped in €35 million as a loan, and the EIC Fund also backed them. IQM keeps building its capabilities through global partnerships and steady investment.
Microsoft
Microsoft introduced the Majorana chip in early 2025, building on a fresh approach with topological architecture. The company says it’s aiming to create a quantum supercomputer within the next decade.
Oxford Ionics
Oxford Ionics is a UK-based company working on trapped-ion quantum computing. Spun out from Oxford University, this startup has carved out a serious spot in the quantum world.
By 2023, Oxford Ionics landed a £30 million Series A and £2 million from the UK National Security Strategic Investment Fund. It’s also part of DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, which keeps it at the forefront of quantum innovation.
Pasqal
Pasqal, founded in 2019 in France, focuses on quantum computing using neutral atom technology. The company came out of the Institut d’Optique and counts Nobel Prize winner Alain Aspect as a co-founder.
In 2023, Pasqal secured €100 million in Series B funding led by Temasek, with support from Quantonation, Daphni, the Defense Innovation Fund, and Eni Next. New investors like the European Innovation Council Fund, Wa’ed Ventures, and Bpifrance also joined in to push Pasqal’s progress.
PsiQuantum
PsiQuantum pushes quantum computing forward with photonics-based tech, aiming for a machine that handles 1 million quantum bits. Its Omega chipset, developed in 2025, gets manufactured at GlobalFoundries in New York.
The company picked up $450 million in Series D funding in 2021, led by BlackRock, and is planning a $750 million raise that would put its value at $6 billion. Founded by Australian academics, PsiQuantum also gets support from the Australian and Queensland governments.
Qilimanjaro
Qilimanjaro, a Barcelona-based startup, specializes in analog quantum app-specific integrated circuits (QASICs). The team takes a full-stack approach, blending hardware, software, and applications.
In 2024, Qilimanjaro won the Four Years From Now competition at Mobile World Congress. Later, it secured €1.5 million in funding from Catalonia to keep the momentum going.
Quandela
Quandela, founded in 2017, is all about photonic quantum computing. In November 2023, it raised €50 million in Series B funding, getting a boost from the France 2030 Plan to drive its tech forward.
Quantinuum
Quantinuum formed in 2021 when Cambridge Quantum merged with Honeywell Quantum Solutions. The company’s H-Series of trapped-ion quantum computers really stand out for their advanced features.
In April 2024, Quantinuum and Microsoft hit a big milestone together in error correction. That’s a pretty major step for both teams.
QuantWare
QuantWare, a Dutch startup born in 2020, develops advanced quantum processor tech. It spun out from TU Delft and QuTech, focusing on scalable quantum computing solutions.
The company introduced its VIO 3D chip architecture to tackle scaling issues in quantum processing units (QPUs). By early 2025, QuantWare started taking preorders for Contralto-A, its first QPU aimed at quantum error correction.
QuantWare has attracted significant investment: €6 million in seed funding in 2023 and €20 million in Series A by March 2025. Of that, €5 million is equity from a €7.5 million European Innovation Council package.
QuEra
QuEra, based in Boston, focuses on quantum computing solutions using neutral atoms. Its main product, Aquila, is a 256-qubit analog quantum computer launched in 2022 and available via Amazon Braket.
In February 2025, QuEra raised $230 million with Google leading, joined by SoftBank, Valor, and others. Their neutral-atom approach is getting attention for its potential to build large, fault-tolerant quantum systems.
Rigetti Computing
Rigetti Computing, founded in 2013 by Chad Rigetti, builds quantum systems with superconducting technology. Its offerings include the Ankaa-3 platform and the upcoming 336-qubit Lyra system.
Rigetti went public after raising nearly $200 million in venture capital and merging with a SPAC in 2021. In early 2025, it teamed up with Taiwan’s Quanta Computer, which invested $35 million and committed over $100 million for the next five years to push superconducting quantum computing forward.
SEEQC
SEEQC is a U.S. company focusing on scalable and energy-efficient quantum computing. The startup spun out from Hypres, which was founded by ex-IBM superconducting electronics experts.
In 2023, SEEQC and Nvidia worked together to build a low-latency, all-digital link between quantum processors and GPUs. By January 2025, SEEQC raised $30 million led by Booz Allen Ventures and NordicNinja, with extra support from M Ventures, Merck’s venture arm.
The company also leads the QuPharma project to speed up drug discovery with quantum tech. Partners like BASF and Merck are on board, showing how SEEQC is pushing innovation in pharmaceuticals.
SpinQ
SpinQ, founded in 2018, builds quantum computers with a focus on portability. The company uses nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology in its systems.
Xanadu
Xanadu, a Canadian company started in 2016, advances quantum computing with photonics. In January 2025, Xanadu launched Aurora, a 12-qubit system with 35 photonic chips inside.
The company has raised about $275 million, including $100 million in a 2022 Series C round. With a valuation hitting $1 billion, Xanadu is making real progress in quantum technology.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are leading the development of quantum chips?
Some of the biggest names in quantum chip development are Google, IBM, and Microsoft, all of which pour huge resources into research. Startups like Akhetonics and other photonics-focused companies are also making waves in this fast-changing space.
What are the newest breakthroughs in quantum chip technology?
Recent breakthroughs focus on better qubit stability, new error correction methods, and scaling up quantum systems. Work on photonics-based chips looks promising for improving computational accuracy, and companies are testing new designs to fit quantum chips into larger systems.
How does the market landscape compare across companies?
Big organizations like Google and Microsoft have an edge thanks to their resources and reach. Still, smaller startups are catching up fast by focusing on niche areas, like new materials or optimizing quantum architectures.
Which materials are crucial for creating quantum chips?
Superconductors, semiconductors, and photonic components are the main materials. Superconductors are popular for building qubits, while photonics is gaining ground for systems that need fewer errors, as seen in recent reports.
What startups are making an impact in quantum chip development?
Startups like Akhetonics are making a mark by tackling tough technical problems. Others are teaming up with research institutions to speed up their progress.
How do funding levels differ among major tech firms?
Tech giants pour billions into quantum research every year. They want to stay ahead and keep their edge in innovation.
Startups, on the other hand, get much smaller investments. They usually rely on venture capital and government grants to keep their quantum projects moving.
