Prime Highlight :
- Equal1 Ltd. raised $60 million to accelerate the deployment of its silicon-based quantum processors across Europe.
- The funding marks a shift from research to commercial use, aiming to make quantum computing more practical and scalable.
Key Facts :
- Equal1’s Bell-1 QPU uses “silicon spin” qubits and standard semiconductor techniques, avoiding complex fabrication and extreme cooling.
- Investors in the round include Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, Atlantic Bridge, Matterwave Ventures, and the European Innovation Council Fund.
Background :
Irish quantum computing startup Equal1 Ltd. has raised $60 million in a fresh funding round led by the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, marking a major step toward commercial deployment of its technology. The Dublin-based company said the investment will support the rollout of its quantum processors across Europe and speed up development toward large-scale quantum systems.
Founded as a spinout from University College Dublin, Equal1 is best known for building Ireland’s first domestic quantum processing unit (QPU), called Bell-1. The company launched Bell-1 last year, intending to make quantum computing more practical and easier to deploy.
Unlike many quantum systems developed by large technology companies, Equal1’s approach avoids highly complex fabrication and extreme cooling methods. Instead, the startup builds its QPUs using standard silicon and manufacturing techniques already common in the semiconductor industry. This allows its processors to fit into existing data centre server racks alongside classical computers.
Equal1’s technology is based on “silicon spin” qubits, which use the quantum properties of electrons held inside tiny semiconductor structures known as quantum dots. The spin of each electron represents quantum information, while electric fields and microwave signals control and manipulate the qubits.
Because the technology relies on mature silicon processes and existing cryogenic cooling systems, Equal1 says its QPUs are more stable, easier to scale and cheaper to produce than many competing designs. The company believes this approach could eventually support thousands, or even millions, of qubits on a single chip, a key requirement to achieve true quantum advantage over classical computers.
Other investors in the round include Atlantic Bridge, Matterwave Ventures, Enterprise Ireland, Elkstone, TNO Ventures, and the European Innovation Council Fund.
The new funds will allow Equal1 to deploy Bell-1 systems in high-performance computing centres, including the European Space Agency’s Phi-Lab in Italy. Chief executive Jason Lynch said the funding marks a shift from research to real-world use, adding that silicon-based quantum processors can turn quantum computing into deployable infrastructure rather than custom-built hardware.
