Who is Building the Future of Quantum Chips?
The race to build practical quantum computers is accelerating, driven by advancements in hardware and significant investment. At the heart of this revolution are the companies developing the quantum chips themselves — the delicate core processors that perform quantum computations. These chips come in various forms, utilizing different fundamental physical principles to create and control qubits. This article explores some of the key players and their approaches in this dynamic and competitive landscape.
Developing a functional quantum chip presents immense technical challenges, from maintaining the fragile quantum states of qubits (coherence) to scaling up the number of qubits while minimizing errors (error correction). Companies are pursuing diverse technological paths, each with its own set of advantages and hurdles. Understanding these different approaches is crucial to appreciating the state of the art in quantum hardware development. For a broader look at the players, see also: Quantum Chip Race: Who's Leading? Companies & Tech.
Superconducting Qubit Technology
Superconducting qubits are one of the most mature and widely explored architectures for quantum computing. They rely on superconducting circuits cooled to temperatures near absolute zero. Major players in this space include established tech giants and specialized startups.
IBM
IBM has been a long-standing leader in superconducting quantum computing. Their efforts are focused on both scaling up qubit count and improving performance. Key chip developments include Condor, designed to scale up to 1,121 qubits, and Heron, a 156-qubit processor specifically focused on improving performance characteristics and achieving lower error rates. These developments are part of IBM's broader roadmap towards building fault-tolerant quantum systems.
Google is another prominent player in the superconducting qubit arena. In December 2024, Google announced Willow, its latest quantum computing chip. Following its predecessor Sycamore, Willow was described by Google as "a major breakthrough in quantum error correction." Hartmut Neven, founder of Google Quantum AI, made notable claims regarding Willow's performance, suggesting it provided "credence to the notion that quantum computation occurs in many parallel universes."
Fujitsu and RIKEN
Collaborations between industry and research institutions are also driving progress. In April 2025, Fujitsu and the Japanese research institution RIKEN announced a significant achievement: the development of a 256-qubit superconducting quantum computer. This system, located at the RIKEN RQC-FUJITSU Collaboration Center, represents a substantial increase from their previous 64-qubit iteration in 2023, demonstrating rapid progress in scaling superconducting systems in Japan.
Rigetti Computing
Founded in 2013, Rigetti Computing is a quantum company focused on superconducting technology and is publicly listed on the stock market. Rigetti develops a range of superconducting processors, including Ankaa-3 and the upcoming 336-qubit Lyra system. Having raised substantial VC capital before going public, the company continues to seek partnerships to accelerate development. In February 2025, Rigetti signed a strategic partnership with Taiwan-based Quanta Computer, involving a significant investment from Quanta and a joint commitment of over $100 million each over five years to advance superconducting quantum computing.
IQM
IQM is a Finnish startup building superconducting quantum computers. A spinout from Aalto University and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, IQM has secured significant funding from both government agencies and private investors. In 2022, IQM raised a €128 million Series A2 round, adding to previous funding, including a venture loan from the European Investment Bank and participation from the EIC Fund.
QuantWare
QuantWare is a Dutch startup specializing in superconducting quantum processing units (QPUs). Spun out of TU Delft and QuTech, QuantWare focuses on scaling bottlenecks with its proprietary 3D chip architecture, VIO. In February 2025, they began accepting preorders for Contralto-A, their first QPU designed for quantum error correction. Following a seed round, QuantWare announced a €20 million Series A in March 2025, including equity from a previously secured EIC commitment.
SEEQC
U.S. startup SEEQC (Scalable, Energy Efficient Quantum Computing) is a spinout of Hypres, a chip company with roots in IBM's superconducting electronics division. SEEQC focuses on developing digital quantum computing solutions. In 2023, they partnered with Nvidia to build an "all-digital, ultra-low-latency chip-to-chip link between quantum computers and GPUs." SEEQC raised a $30 million funding round in January 2025, co-led by Booz Allen Ventures and NordicNinja, with participation from backers like Merck's M Ventures. SEEQC is also involved in the U.K.-supported QuPharma project, exploring quantum computing for drug discovery with partners like BASF and Merck.
Trapped-Ion Technology
Trapped-ion quantum computers use electromagnetic fields to suspend and control individual ions, which serve as qubits. This approach is known for achieving high gate fidelities.
IonQ
IonQ is a publicly listed U.S. company developing trapped-ion quantum computers, including the IonQ Forte. After going public via a SPAC in late 2021, IonQ expanded its capabilities by acquiring Canadian networking specialist Entangled Networks. IonQ is a significant player offering access to its systems via cloud platforms like Amazon Braket.
Quantinuum
Quantinuum was formed in 2021 through the merger of Cambridge Quantum and Honeywell Quantum Solutions. Their flagship products are the H-Series of trapped-ion quantum computers. Quantinuum has made notable progress in error correction, announcing a breakthrough in this area together with Microsoft in April 2024. They are a key provider of trapped-ion systems for researchers and developers.
Oxford Ionics
Oxford Ionics is a British startup that originated from Oxford University, specializing in trapped-ion quantum computing. The company secured significant funding, including a £30 million Series A and an additional £2 million from the UK’s National Security Strategic Investment Fund (NSSIF) in 2023. Oxford Ionics was also selected for DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) alongside Quantinuum, highlighting its position in advancing trapped-ion capabilities.
Neutral Atom Technology
Neutral atom quantum computers use arrays of individual neutral atoms manipulated by lasers. This approach is promising for scaling to larger numbers of qubits.
Atom Computing
Atom Computing is a U.S. company building quantum computers based on arrays of optically trapped neutral atoms. They are working towards commercialization, as evidenced by the announcement at the Microsoft Ignite 2024 conference of plans to launch a commercial quantum computer in 2025 in collaboration with Microsoft.
Infleqtion
Founded in 2007 as ColdQuanta and later rebranded as Infleqtion, this U.S.-based company also develops quantum computers utilizing neutral atom technology. Their long history in cold atom physics provides a strong foundation for their quantum computing efforts.
Pasqal
Pasqal is a French startup pursuing a full-stack approach to quantum computing using neutral atoms. Emerging from the Institut d’Optique, its co-founders include Alain Aspect, a 2022 Nobel laureate in physics. Pasqal raised a substantial €100 million Series B funding round in February 2023, led by Singapore’s Temasek, with participation from a mix of existing and new investors, including the European Innovation Council (EIC) Fund and Bpifrance.
QuEra
Boston-based QuEra is another company betting on neutral atoms, viewing it as a promising path towards large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers. Their product line includes Aquila, a 256-qubit analog neutral-atom quantum computer launched in 2022, which is accessible via Amazon Braket. QuEra received significant backing in February 2025, raising a $230 million debt round led by Google, with a convertible note also supported by SoftBank, Valor, and existing investors.
Photonic Technology
Photonic quantum computers encode qubits in properties of light (photons). This approach leverages existing silicon fabrication techniques and can potentially operate at room temperature.
Akhetonics
Akhetonics is a German photonics startup taking a unique approach by working on an all-optical, general-purpose quantum chip. This is a contrarian strategy compared to many photonics companies focusing on narrower applications. Their bold vision and first-principles approach attracted significant early investment, leading to a €6 million seed funding round led by Matterwave Ventures in November 2024.
PsiQuantum
PsiQuantum is a prominent quantum computing startup utilizing photonics technology. Their ambitious goal is to build "a 1 million-quantum-bit machine." In February 2025, PsiQuantum announced Omega, a quantum photonic chipset manufactured at GlobalFoundries in New York, demonstrating progress towards their large-scale integration goals. PsiQuantum secured a substantial $450 million Series D investment in 2021 and is reportedly seeking further significant funding. Founded by Australian academics, it also has support from the Australian and Queensland governments.
Quandela
Quandela is a French startup founded in 2017, also focused on developing photonic quantum computers. They have successfully raised significant capital to advance their technology, including a €50 million Series B round in November 2023. Quandela has also received support from the French government through the France 2030 Plan, indicating national interest in their approach.
Xanadu
Xanadu is a Canadian startup pursuing a photonic approach to quantum computing. Founded in 2016, Xanadu has raised considerable funding, totaling approximately $275 million to date, including a $100 million Series C in November 2022 at a $1 billion valuation. In January 2025, Xanadu introduced Aurora, a 12-qubit system that incorporates 35 photonic chips, showcasing their progress in integrating photonic components for quantum computation.
Other Approaches and Notable Entrants
Beyond the main categories, companies are exploring alternative qubit modalities and entering the quantum chip space through various avenues.
EeroQ
Illinois-based EeroQ is a startup exploring a less common path, betting on helium for its quantum chip design. The company secured a $7.25 million seed funding round in 2022 and has received regional public support. Demonstrating commitment to its location, EeroQ made a $1.1 million commitment in September 2024 towards expanding its headquarters in Chicago’s Humboldt Park.
D-Wave
D-Wave is a veteran in the quantum computing field, founded in 1999 as a spin-off from the University of British Columbia. Now a public company listed on the NYSE, D-Wave primarily focuses on quantum annealing, a process designed to solve optimization problems. Their latest flagship system, the Advantage2 prototype, utilizes quantum annealing to find low-energy configurations, which correspond to solutions for complex problems. While not a universal gate-based computer, D-Wave's chips represent a distinct approach to quantum computation.
Amazon
Amazon officially entered the quantum chip development race in early 2025 through its cloud computing arm, AWS. AWS introduced Ocelot, a quantum chip developed in partnership with the California Institute of Technology. This move signifies a deeper hardware commitment from Amazon, which had previously launched Braket, a quantum computing service providing access to systems from partners like D-Wave, IonQ, and Rigetti, among others. Ocelot represents Amazon's first proprietary quantum chip effort.
Microsoft
Microsoft is also actively developing quantum hardware. In February 2025, Microsoft introduced Majorana, a quantum chip based on a topological core architecture. Topological qubits are theorized to be more resistant to environmental noise, offering potential advantages for fault tolerance. This development aligns with Microsoft's previously stated long-term goal of building a quantum supercomputer within a decade.
Intel
Intel, a giant in classical chip manufacturing, is also exploring quantum computing, focusing on silicon spin qubits. In June 2023, Intel unveiled Tunnel Falls, a 12-qubit research chip based on this technology. While a next-generation chip based on Tunnel Falls was anticipated in 2024, it had not been announced as of early 2025, indicating the challenges inherent in developing this technology.
SpinQ
SpinQ is a Chinese startup founded in 2018 that develops quantum computers. SpinQ notably claims to have developed portable quantum computers, some of which reportedly utilize nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology, offering a different approach to qubit implementation compared to the leading modalities.
Diverse Approaches and Future Outlook
The landscape of quantum chip development is characterized by a diversity of technological approaches. Superconducting circuits, trapped ions, neutral atoms, and photonics represent the leading modalities, each with its own strengths and weaknesses regarding qubit quality, connectivity, and scalability. Companies like IBM, Google, IonQ, Quantinuum, Atom Computing, Pasqal, PsiQuantum, and Xanadu are pushing the boundaries within these established paths, announcing new chips, increasing qubit counts, and improving performance metrics like error rates.
Recent developments, particularly in late 2024 and early 2025, highlight the rapid pace of innovation and commercialization efforts. Significant funding rounds (Alice & Bob, PsiQuantum, QuEra, QuantWare, Rigetti, SEEQC), new chip announcements (Amazon's Ocelot, Google's Willow, Microsoft's Majorana, Fujitsu/RIKEN's 256-qubit system, Xanadu's Aurora, QuantWare's Contralto-A), and strategic partnerships (Microsoft/Atom Computing, Rigetti/Quanta Computer, SEEQC/Nvidia) underscore the intense competition and collaboration driving the field forward. Companies like Akhetonics and EeroQ represent the continued exploration of less conventional, potentially disruptive approaches.
While significant challenges remain, particularly in achieving fault tolerance and scaling to the millions of qubits required for many transformative applications, the progress demonstrated by these companies shows a clear trajectory towards more powerful and accessible quantum computing hardware. The variety of technologies being pursued suggests that the dominant architecture for large-scale quantum computers is still an open question, making the quantum chip race one of the most exciting and important technological competitions of our time.