University of Twente Quix Quantum secures €15M to advance photonic quantum computer

QuiX Quantum, a spin-off from the University of Twente (UT), has raised €15 million to further advance its photonic quantum technology. The company is deeply rooted in UT research and maintains strong ties with the university.

This investment marks an important milestone in the realisation of the world’s first universal photonic quantum computer. This type of computer can perform complex calculations much faster and more energy-efficiently than traditional systems, accelerating breakthroughs in major societal transitions, such as in healthcare and the energy sector.

Origins at MESA+

QuiX Quantum originated within UT’s MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, on the initiative of researcher Jelmer Renema, who is also one of the company’s co-founders. Together with Hans van den Vlekkert (Lionix), he laid the foundation for a company that builds quantum computers using light particles (photons) instead of electrons. This technology offers a promising path towards powerful, scalable and stable quantum systems.

Strong ties with UT

The connection with UT research remains strong. In addition to Renema, several UT professors have contributed to the further development of the technology, including Pepijn Pinkse and Klaus Boller. New UT-based expertise continues to be incorporated into the spin-off, keeping the collaboration active and growing.

The funding round was led by Invest-NL and the EIC Fund, with participation from existing investors PhotonVentures, FORWARD.one and Oost NL. The investment reflects how the Dutch and European funding ecosystem works together — from early regional backing by Oost NL, through national support from Invest-NL, to a European scale-up with help from the EIC Fund.

This article was first published on 10 July by University of Twente