Universal Quantum, a spinout from the University of Sussex, has secured over $100 million in Series A funding. The round was co-led by DCVC and the London-based fund Firgun Ventures. This investment marks the largest Series A round ever raised by a quantum computing firm headquartered in the United Kingdom.
The startup focuses on modular quantum computing architecture using trapped-ion chips. The company aims to scale its technology by tiling multiple chips together, avoiding the need for photonic interconnects or large-scale cooling equipment. The design is intended to simplify the construction of large-scale quantum machines.
The funding round attracted a diverse group of international investors, including EDBI, Artal, Integral GlobalTech, Main Sequence, Hostplus, NGS Super, IAG Capital, EdenBase, Eigenstate Holdings, SiteGround Capital, and Roblox founder Dave Baszucki. Existing investors such as Nauta Capital and The Venture Collective also participated.
Universal Quantum plans to use the capital to advance its modular design, including chiplet arrays and control systems. The company also intends to expand its operations into Singapore, the United States, Japan, and Hamburg. Lazard served as the exclusive financial adviser for the transaction.
The company holds a contract with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) valued at $77 million, which involves building single-chip and multi-chip machines with up to 100 qubits. This project is currently underway at the company's Hamburg site, following an initial commission announced in November 2022.
