ANRI is a Japanese venture capital firm that mainly invests in seed and early-stage startups.

ANRI

Global Brain Corporation is a venture capital firm that invests in companies from seed or early to pre-IPO startups.  Global Brain has invested in 300+ startups from seed/early to pre-IPO startups and achieved 25 IPOs and 61 M&As as a result of providing hands-on support services and resources to its portfolio startups. Global Brain has managed a pure investment fund as well as multiple corporate venture capital funds partnered together with tier 1 public companies of telecom, real estate development, financial service, beverages, agriculture food, logistics, and electronic devices.

Global Brain Corporation

Shinsei Corporate Investment supports the creation and development of the business.

Shinsei Corporate Investment

JIC-VGI helps promote innovation and improve its international competitiveness through growth-investments in startup companies. The firm accelerating innovation and helping to solve industrial and social issues by supporting and seeking innovative technologies and new businesses. JIC Venture Growth Investments was established in July 2020 and is based in Tokyo, Japan.

JIC Venture Growth Investments

Mitsubishi UFJ Capital is a venture capital firm focusing on life science, ICT, and high technology investments.

Mitsubishi UFJ Capital

Fujitsu is an information and communication technology (ICT) company, offering a full range of technology products, solutions, and services.

Fujitsu

Japan Science and Technology Agency is an integrated organization of science and technology that implements science and technology policy in Japan.  It handles many projects, including the government’s Science and Technology Basic Plan and knowledge creation. The European Sustainability School ESSSR is the owner of Japan Science and Technology Agency.  Japan Science and Technology Agency undertakes its task in a comprehensive manner. It also works to provide a sound infrastructure of science and technology information and raise awareness and understanding of science and technology-related issues in Japan.  Japan Science and Technology Agency is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.

Japan Science and Technology Agency

HPC Systems manufactures computers. They provide cluster computers and personal cluster systems. They also manufacture and sell embedded computers for the industrial machinery development and manufacturing sectors. They provide consulting services for scientific and engineering calculations.

HPC SYSTEMS Japan

Zeon corporation produces synthetic rubber and also produces synthetic latex, paper processing and fibers. They produce a number of other related chemicals, including C5 petroleum resins and thermoplastic elastomers.

ZEON

SPARX Asset Management engages in investment management, advisory, and first and second-class financial instruments business. It was founded with the aim of becoming ''the most trusted and respected investment company in the world''. The firm was established in 2006 and is based in Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan.

SPARX Asset Management

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation manufactures and sells electric and electronic equipment used in energy and electric systems, industrial automation, information and communication systems, electronic devices, and home appliances. It serves customers in Japan and internationally.

Mitsubishi Electric

Kyocera Corporation, the parent and global headquarters of the Kyocera Group, was founded in 1959 as a producer of fine ceramics. By combining these engineered materials with metals and plastics, and integrating them with other technologies, Kyocera has become a supplier of electronic components and devices, solar power generating systems, telecommunications equipment, laser printers, copiers, semiconductor packages, cutting tools and industrial ceramics. During the year ended March 31, 2009, the company's net sales totaled 1.13 trillion yen (approximately USD11.5 billion). The company is ranked #418 on Forbes magazine's 2009 ''Global 2000'' listing of the world's largest publicly traded corporations.

Kyocera

KDDI Open Innovation Fund is a corporate venture capital fund that will support promising startup companies. Total size of the fund is JPY10 billion. This is the first corporate venture capital fund established by KDDI.   The fund will be managed by Global Brain Corporation (Head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO, Yasuhiko Yurimoto), which has a strong track record in the venture capital business.   By combining KDDI’s know-how and assets with Global Brain’s investment and management support capabilities, we will work together to accelerate cooperative activities with promising startup companies. Through this fund, as well as ''KDDI ∞ Labo,'' a startup incubation program currently inviting a second round of applications, we will continue to support the growth of the next startup companies.

KDDI Open Innovation Fund

Osaka University Venture Capital is a venture capital firm that focuses on early-stage ventures in the fields of life innovation, green innovation, and platform technology. The firm was founded in 2014 and based in Osaka, Japan.

Osaka University Venture Capital

Fujitsu Ventures is a investment arm of Fujitsu that invests in tech startups to drive innovation and accelerate digital transformation.

Fujitsu Ventures

QunaSys

Quantum physics is a relatively new field built since the beginning of the 20th century, but we have used MRI (nuclear magnetic resonance equipment) and lasers used for close examinations in hospitals, and semiconductors mounted on computers. Supports the technology that supports the daily life of people.QunaSys was established to bring out the quantum physics that has been active behind the scenes to the front stage, and to make use of quantum properties to realize technologies that could not be achieved with existing technologies.

Japanese quantum software startup QunaSys develops quantum algorithms and applications with a focus on quantum chemistry, quantum machine learning and optimization, and error correction. The company collaborates with industry and academic partners such as Honeywell to research and develop industry-specific software applications.

Quantum information processing is slowly becoming a reality, ushering in a new technological era.

Quantum Computing

QunaSys raises USD 11.2 million Series B2; partners with Hon Hai Research Institute; launches SDK platfrom.. QunaSys.. product 

Fujitsu is joined by QunaSys Inc. and others to develop a quantum computer that enables researchers to execute quantum algorithms

Full-stack companies offering hardware and software quantum computing solutions.


Japanese quantum software startup QunaSys develops quantum algorithms and applications with a focus on quantum chemistry, quantum machine learning and optimization, and error correction. The company collaborates with industry and academic partners such as Honeywell to research and develop industry-specific software applications.Its offerings include 1) Qamuy, a quantum chemistry calculation cloud service launched in October 2021, which has performed over 3.3 million jobs as of March 2022; and 2) joint research services with users to explore quantum computing in various applications like photochemistry and periodic system calculation. The company also established the Quantum Practical Application Research Consortium (QPARC) in 2020, which aims to uplift the practical skills and knowledge of the community with regard to quantum technology and applications. The consortium has joined hands with over 50 companies, as of March 2022. It also explored various quantum applications including new energy analysis, molecular structure optimization, and sustainable material manufacturing.Key customers and partnershipsThe company’s partnerships include those with <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/6301">Toyota Motor </a>(October 2021) to develop electric vehicle (EV) batteries using quantum technology, US-based quantum hardware company <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/7246">PsiQuantum </a>(December 2021) to jointly research quantum-based industrial chemistry and material science solutions, and <a href="https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/31/fujitsu_claims_worlds_fastest_36/">Fujitsu </a>(March 2022) to develop quantum simulation solutions. It also partnered with European consortiums, such as <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/qunasys-joins-the-pistoia-alliance-301338497.html">Pistoia Alliance </a>(June 2021) for quantum-assisted pharma applications and the <a href="https://qt.eu/about-quantum-flagship/events/quantum-computing-for-chemistry-training/">Quantum Flagship Program </a>(2022) to provide quantum-related training for chemistry applications.Funding and financialsIn its last <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/qunasys-raises-10m-in-its-series-b-funding-led-by-vgi-to-expand-overseas-markets-further-as-a-japan-based-quantum-computer-software-startup-301509556.html">Series B </a>funding round (March 2022) led by JIC Venture Growth Investments, QunaSys raised USD 10 million, bringing the company’s total funds raised to USD 12.8 million. The proceeds were earmarked for developing its quantum chemical software and expanding the company’s presence in Europe via collaborations.

The UK-based Quantum Motion Technologies is engaged in developing quantum computer architectures based on silicon technology, which are compatible with standard silicon processing (CMOS process). The company believes this approach will enable it to create scalable quantum computers with thousands to millions of qubits. The company is working on a technology platform that is not just a qubit, but a scalable array of qubits based on the ubiquitous silicon technology already used in smartphones and computers.Quantum Motion’s goal is to fast-track the development of true fault-tolerant quantum computers and reach a million qubits and beyond by leveraging existing knowledge in device fabrication within the trillion-dollar silicon industry.Key customers and partnershipsIn February 2024, Quantum Motion entered into a project with the <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/26533">National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) </a>to build the UK’s first silicon-based quantum processor test bed in its Oxfordshire site. In November 2023, Quantum Motion partnered with the University of Pennsylvania to further develop its silicon quantum computer chip technology.Funding and financialsThe company raised GBP 42 million (USD 50.5 million) in a <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/16504">Series B </a>funding round in February 2023 led by Bosch Ventures (RBVC). The proceeds were allocated for the development of the company’s quantum processors based on silicon technology.

Quantum Motion Technologies

SeeQC is a quantum hardware startup spun out from Hypres, a leading developer of superconductor integrated circuits. SeeQC was developing a digital system-on-a-chip design that integrates classical and quantum circuits into a hybrid system in order to overcome quantum computers’ current challenges. This also reduces noise and interference, maintaining high-fidelity quantum operations at scale. The company owns and operates superconducting flux quantum (SFQ) processors, a chip fabrication facility that enables the creation of multi-chip quantum computing systems and provides foundry services for superconducting devices. It also has facilities in London, UK, and Naples, Italy.Through the hybrid approach, SeeQC believes it can reduce the cost of quantum computers by 1/400th, provide greater control, and reduce energy requirements significantly.Key customers and partnershipsIn September 2023, the company entered into a collaboration with NVIDIA to develop the first all-digital chip-to-chip link between quantum computers and graphics processing units (GPU). SeeQC has also partnered with multinational chemical company <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/16298">BASF </a>in February 2023 to explore quantum computing in simulating chemical reactions.&nbsp;&nbsp;

SeeQC

<div>
 
 IonQ develops general-purpose quantum computers using trapped-ion technology. Although the company calls itself a full-stack player, its focus has been on developing hardware. In December 2020, it revealed its quantum roadmap that introduced its new metric, &ldquo;algorithmic qubits (AQ),&rdquo; which represents the largest number of qubits that can be deployed while maintaining high performance and considering error correction. Its latest system IonQ Aria achieved 20 AQ, as of May 2023. In terms of physical qubits, IonQ&rsquo;s latest hardware had 32 qubits, which were expected to hold 22 AQs. In 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/23125">
 October 2023
 </a>
 , the company achieved 29 algorithmic qubits (AQ) using barium qubits for the first time.
 
 
 Founded in 2015, IonQ&rsquo;s main competitive advantage stems from its approach to designing qubits that allow computers to be operated at room temperature with lower error rates.&nbsp;
 
 
 IonQ unveiled the industry&rsquo;s first glass-based trapped ion computing chip called the Reconfigurable Multicore Quantum Architecture (RMQA) technology, in August 2021, which the company believes will significantly expand the longevity of qubits and enable at least triple-digit scalability.&nbsp;
 
 
 In 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/31824">
 July 2024
 </a>
 , the company unveiled an accelerated roadmap with expanded 2025 technical milestones, focused on improving native two-qubit gate performance to over 99.9% (three 9s) in 2025, with further gains expected in 2026 from the transition to barium qubits.
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 IonQ has entered several strategic partnership including with&nbsp;
 
 
 1) 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/25925">
 Rescale
 </a>
 (January 2024) to combine their cloud computing and quantum computing capabilities
 
 
 2) 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/22265">
 Air Force Research Lab
 </a>
 (September 2023) to deploy two barium-based trapped ion quantum computing systems for quantum networking research and application development in a deal valued at USD 25.5 million
 
 
 3) 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/21158">
 BearingPoint
 </a>
 (August 2023) to offer its quantum systems and related professional services to the European market
 
 
 4) SoftBank Investment Advisers (June 2021) to provide support in deploying the company&rsquo;s quantum systems globally
 
 
 5) Accenture (September 2021) to accelerate the industrial application of IonQ&rsquo;s quantum systems
 
 
 The company offers access to its quantum computer via all major quantum cloud computing platforms including Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Google Cloud Marketplace (GCM). It is also integrated with major software development kits (SDK) including IBM Qiskit and Google Cirq. In May 2023, IonQ began offering its IonQ Aria system on Amazon Braket.
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 The company went public on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the ticker &ldquo;IONQ,&rdquo; in October 2021 via a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) merger. The IPO raised more than USD 650 million and made IonQ the first publicly traded pure-play quantum computing company.&nbsp;It earned a revenue of USD 22 million for the year ended December 31, 2023.
 
 
 The company secured Samsung&rsquo;s first-ever quantum computing investment (co-led by a UAE wealth fund) of USD 55 million in 2019. IonQ believes it can tap into Samsung&rsquo;s expertise in miniaturization to shrink quantum computing components.
 
</div>

IonQ

<div>
 
 Rigetti is an end-to-end provider of general-purpose quantum computers. The company&rsquo;s approach to developing computers is based on superconducting qubit technology, similar to Google and IBM. Since 2017, the company has operated a cloud-based quantum platform that allows developers to either create applications or use Rigetti&rsquo;s virtual machine.&nbsp;
 
 
 Rigetti is well-positioned to compete with incumbents as well as startups because of its advancements in hardware, which is currently used by 14 other companies (mostly other quantum software startups). Rigetti introduced the world&rsquo;s first multi-chip quantum processor, in June 2021, that physically connects multiple chips with their own qubits in a single functional processor, which is expected to improve scalability. It also launched its first commercially available 80-qubit quantum system in February 2022, which exceeds the qubit count of any other startup, but is lower than that of IBM.&nbsp;
 
 
 In June 2022, the company expanded its geographical presence with the launch of its 32-qubit, cloud-based 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/11308">
 Aspen system in the UK
 </a>
 market. It also strengthened its position in the software segment via the acquisition of QxBranch (a Washington-based quantum computing software company) in 2019. In December 2023, the company launched its first 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/24731">
 Quantum Processing Unit (QPU)
 </a>
 , Novera, which is based on its fourth-gen Ankaa-class architecture. The price of the QPU starts from USD 900,000.
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 In July 2021, the company partnered with Astex Pharmaceuticals to apply quantum technology to drug discovery. This partnership was a stepping stone for Rigetti to commercially apply quantum computing to the pharmaceutical industry. Additionally, as part of an InnovateUK grant, the company partnered with 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/11334">
 Riverlane
 </a>
 in June 2022 to explore and develop error correction solutions. In October 2023, the company was awarded with a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/22419">
 (DARPA) 
 </a>
 contract as part of the Imagining Practical Applications for a Quantum Tomorrow (IMPAQT) program to advance quantum algorithms for solving combinatorial optimization problems. In January 2024, the company collaborated with 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/25242">
 Moody&rsquo;s Analytics
 </a>
 to enhance machine-learning methods for the financial sector using quantum computing abilities. In February 2024, Rigetti Computing and Riverlane joined a project led by the 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/27062">
 Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
 </a>
 , a part of the US Department of Energy (DOE), to explore the possibility of integrating a quantum computer and high-performance computing (HPC) systems.
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 Rigetti 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/8880">
 went public
 </a>
 on Nasdaq under the ticker &ldquo;RGTI,&rdquo; in March 2022 via a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) merger. The IPO raised USD 261.8 million and made Rigetti the second publicly traded pure-play quantum computing company, following IonQ. 
 
</div>

Rigetti Computing

PsiQuantum develops general-purpose quantum computers based on the silicon photonic approach, a relatively new method that is capable of using the existing silicon supply chain of conventional electronics. This will help the company keep production costs low and provide scalability. Its semiconductor roadmap involves interconnecting multiple quantum processor chips with optical fibers and high-performance optical switches to enable teleportation and entanglement of single-photon operations between chips.PsiQuantum's technology uses individual photons, particles of light, as qubits. This approach offers several advantages, including the ability to operate at higher temperatures compared to other qubit technologies, compatibility with fiber-optic networks, and resistance to electromagnetic interference. Additionally, photons can maintain quantum states for relatively long periods, allowing more quantum operations and increased computational power.The company aims to build a fault-tolerant quantum computer with one million physical qubits by the end of 2027, enabling error correction and addressing complex problems across various industries.In <a href="https://www.psiquantum.com/news-import/psiquantum-opens-uk-based-research-facility-to-develop-next-generation-high-power-cryogenic-systems-for-large-scale-quantum-computing">March 2023</a>, PsiQuantum opened an advanced R&amp;D facility at the Daresbury Laboratory in the UK, backed by GBP 9 million from the UK Government's Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology. This facility provides access to one of Europe's largest liquid-helium cryogenic plants, essential for testing PsiQuantum's approach to storing quantum chips at extremely low temperatures.Key customers and partnershipsWorking toward its goal, in May 2021, PsiQuantum entered a partnership with global chip manufacturer <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/2245">GlobalFoundries</a> (GF) to build an integrated, silicon photonics-based quantum system called the “Q1 system” by manufacturing quantum chips in GF’s semiconductor foundry. This partnership also received US federal funding of <a href="https://www.schumer.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/schumer-announces-25-million-for-globalfoundries-and-psiquantum-to-develop-the-next-generation-of-quantum-computers-at-rome-air-force-research-lab-and-malta-campus-fed-funding-will-strengthen-national-security-supercharge-us-technological-competitiveness_ensure-upstate-new-york-continues-to-lead-quantum-technology">USD 25 million</a> in April 2022.&nbsp;In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/13868">October 2022</a>, the company secured a USD 22.5 million contract from the US Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) to co-design advanced quantum photonic chips that will be manufactured by GF. The company partnered with Japanese quantum software company <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/7246">QunaSys</a> in December 2021 to research quantum-based industrial chemistry and material science solutions and partnered with the UK-based Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/22518">Hartree Centre</a> in October 2023 to develop Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computing (FTQC) applications in the UK. In January 2024, PsiQuantum and <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/25972">Mitsubishi UFJ </a>Financial Group (MUFG) entered PsiQuantum's Qlimate initiative project with Mitsubishi Chemical to research energy-efficient materials to promote a low-carbon economy.In May 2023, PsiQuantum received a USD 25 million grant from the US Department of Defense, through the Air Force Research Laboratory, for tooling and further development of its photonic quantum computer.Funding and financialsIn <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/29499">April 2024</a>, the company secured AUD 940 million (USD 620 million) from the Australian Commonwealth and Queensland Governments to establish the first utility-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer in Australia. Notably, PsiQuantum is one of the highest privately funded startup in the industry.

PsiQuantum

Hardware manufacturers for quantum computers or quantum-adjacent products.

Developers of quantum algorithms and software programs for specific industries such as pharmaceuticals or finance.

Companies developing quantum computing hardware using either gate-based or annealing technology.

Developers of quantum system software such as firmware, operating systems, compilers, qubit control software, etc.

Companies offering access to quantum hardware through either their own hardware or through a third party via the cloud.

Startups in this space offer solutions for building enterprise-specific applications and automations

PROMINENT_CATEGORY

<div>
 QunaSys, a quantum computing software developer, has secured JPY 1.7 billion (USD 11.2 million) in a Series B2 funding round. The round was led by SPARX Asset Management's Mirai Creation Fund III and featured participation from investors such as Fujitsu Ventures, Mitsubishi Electric, and KDDI. Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation has also committed a JPY 500 million (USD 3.3 million) line for the company.
 The newly acquired funds will be used to catalyze business expansion both domestically and abroad, foster inquiry into new application areas, develop practical solutions, and establish foundational technologies for quantum computing.
 QunaSys has also entered into a partnership with Taiwan's Hon Hai Research Institute. The collaboration aims to incorporate Fermionic Encoding methods into QunaSys's QURI Parts toolkit to enhance quantum simulations and facilitate more accurate modeling of complex systems.
 In tandem with these developments, QunaSys has launched QURI SDK, a software development kit (SDK) designed to provide researchers of varying expertise levels with access to fault-tolerant quantum computing (FTQC) research.
 
</div>

QunaSys

About EDGE

Contact Us

Resources

Area of Focus

Technology Research Made Effortless