Quantum Computing: Top 5 Deals in the US in 2023

November 21, 2023

Zapata AI

On September 6th 2023, Zapata AI revealed their plan to combine with Andretti Acquisition via a reverse merger, valued at $200 million. Following the successful completion of this merger, Zapata AI is set to be publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol ZPTA. This strategic move is aimed at fostering innovation, attracting more enterprise clients, and supporting the company’s expansion in the field of artificial intelligence.

Specialising in Industrial Generative AI, Zapata AI focuses on creating enterprise software that leverages advanced language and numerical models tailored for specific industrial applications. Their innovative solutions in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and quantum autoencoder tools provide a robust, workflow-oriented toolkit, enhancing computing capabilities. This advancement empowers clients to utilise the power of quantum computing, leading to improvements in supply chain optimisation, faster regulatory approvals, better risk management, and an elevated customer experience.

Strangeworks

On March 21st 2023, the fifth anniversary of their public debut at SXSW in 2018, Strangeworks announced the successful completion of a $24M Series A funding round. This investment was led by top-tier investors who believe in the company’s vision of transforming “what if” scenarios into reality. These investors have also observed the tangible benefits reaped by enterprise customers engaging with the Strangeworks ecosystem. The new influx of capital underscores the company’s commitment to its market strategy within the blossoming field of quantum computing, a sector anticipated to reach $125 billion by 2030.

Leveraging this investment, Strangeworks grew its team by 40% in the fourth quarter of 2022, enhancing its capability to delve into a broader array of technologies. These include quantum-inspired solutions, high-performance computing, and artificial intelligence, extending beyond the realm of quantum computing. This expansion empowers Strangeworks to deliver immediate and significant business value to enterprises, while equipping them to navigate the rapidly evolving computing landscape.

Quantum Xchange

As of March 23rd 2023, Quantum Xchange is reportedly in the process of raising $6 million through a strategic blend of equity and debt financing. 

Quantum Xchange specialises in securing data transfers for businesses and government bodies. Their Phio Trusted Xchange (TX) system upgrades existing encryption keys for quantum security, supporting both post-quantum cryptography (PQC) and Quantum Key Distribution (QKD). This system ensures robust crypto agility and quantum readiness. With Phio TX, organisations can strengthen their encryption, comply with evolving security standards, tailor protection levels to their risk profile, and smoothly transition to QKD as needed, across any distance and various transmission points.

Aliro Quantum

On July 11th 2023, the company successfully secured approximately $6 million in Series A venture funding, with Leaders Fund leading the investment round. This significant financial injection has set the company’s pre-money valuation at an impressive $24 million. Accenture Ventures also played a crucial role, contributing to this funding round, marking a key milestone in the company’s financial and strategic growth journey.

Aliro Quantum, the first pure play quantum networking company, offers AliroNet, a versatile platform designed to emulate, trial, and implement networks based on quantum entanglement. This technology facilitates a diverse range of applications, including secure communication, quantum computing clusters, and distributed quantum sensing. Originating from NarangLab at Harvard University, Aliro is composed of leading experts in both quantum and classical networking. The company is at the forefront of quantum network advancement, providing essential technologies that enable organisations globally to construct scalable, robust distributed quantum systems.

Radical Semiconductor

On February 22nd 2023, Radical Semiconductor successfully secured approximately $5.5 million in seed funding, with contributions from UDHC, Soma Capital, and MaC Venture Capital. This financial boost has established the company’s pre-money valuation at an estimated $14.5 million.

The company specialises in creating distinctive identity tags featuring fingerprint access, which are embedded directly into chips and designed to be unclonable. This integration ensures that the tags cannot be detached from the chips, providing companies with the ability to track and authenticate their chips securely. This approach not only guards against fraudulent activities but also fortifies protection against potential threats posed by future advancements in quantum computing.

Talent Insight

“The quantum computing sector in the US has witnessed significant strides in 2023, evidenced by strategic movements such as Zapata AI’s merger and Strangeworks’ funding. This progression heralds a need for diverse expertise, from quantum software developers and system architects to cybersecurity specialists focused on quantum-resistant algorithms. Additionally, we’ll likely see a rise in demand for quantum network engineers and project managers adept at steering complex quantum computing initiatives, as organisations seek to integrate these cutting-edge technologies into practical applications.”

– Tyler Huskins, Advanced Technology Executive Search Specialist

Published on 21-11-2023