Quantum computing startup QuEra raises $230M in funding from Google Quantum AI and SoftBank

QuEra Computing, a Boston-based startup focused on neutral-atom quantum computing, announced Tuesday that it raised over $230 million in its latest funding round. The round attracted big-name investors, including Google’s Quantum AI division and SoftBank Vision Fund.

While the company hasn’t shared its valuation, the investment underscores the growing attention on neutral-atom quantum technology. This approach uses lasers to control small, uncharged atoms like rubidium or strontium, making it easier to scale systems and reduce errors compared to other quantum technologies.

Of the $230 million raised, $60 million will be released soon once QuEra meets a specific funding condition that’s currently underway. The funds will support the development of fault-tolerant quantum computing—systems capable of performing reliable computations even when errors occur.

Reuters also reported that “$60 million out of the $230 million will be received in the near future upon satisfying a prerequisite funding condition, currently in progress.”

QuEra’s announcement follows another big move in the quantum space. In December, SandboxAQ, a startup spun off from Alphabet, secured $300 million in funding, reaching a $5.6 billion valuation. These investments signal a strong push to bring quantum computing from research labs to real-world applications.

The funding news also comes just two months after Google introduced Willow, a breakthrough quantum chip capable of solving a problem that would take 10 septillion years (10^25 years) in under five minutes.

In recent years, tech giants including Google, Microsoft, and IBM have been heavily investing in quantum computing, betting on its potential to deliver faster computing speeds than today’s most advanced systems. Just last week, the company hinted that commercial quantum applications could hit the market within five years.

Quantum computers differ from traditional ones by using qubits, which can represent both 0s and 1s simultaneously, unlike the standard binary bits. Experts believe quantum systems could eventually solve complex mathematical problems far quicker than today’s most powerful supercomputers.

Founded in 2018 by Mikhail Lukin, Vladan Vuletić, Markus Greiner, Dirk Englund, Nathan Gemelke, and John Pena, QuEra builds quantum computers using neutral atoms—a technology rooted in research from Harvard University and MIT. The groundwork for this technology began in 2015, with early experiments in controlling neutral atoms at both institutions. This research led to the creation of a 51-qubit machine, which later evolved into a more advanced 256-qubit system.