Quantum computing startup in Canberra Quantum brilliancehas raised $18 million (A$26 million) as it seeks to expand internationally.

The raise was supported by Breakthrough Victoria, which raised $8 million, as well as CSIRO VC fund Main Sequence, Investible, Ultratech Capital, MA Financial, Jelix Ventures, Rampersand and CM Equity.

The capital is intended to expand international operations, provide hardware and software products to customers, improve manufacturing and manufacturing techniques, improve the performance of the startup’s room-temperature quantum computers, and further develop software and application offerings.

Quantum Brilliance is the world’s leading developer of miniaturized room-temperature quantum computing products and solutions. The quantum computers use synthetic diamonds to operate in any room-temperature environment, from data centers to mobile devices to autonomous vehicles to spacecraft.

Unlike competitors, the solutions Quantum Brilliance has developed do not require cryogenic systems, vacuum systems and precision laser arrays. The result means the technology consumes significantly less power and can be deployed onsite or at the edge.

The company is also working to further miniaturize its technology, eventually down to the size of semiconductor chips that can be used on any device and where existing computers are used.

Quantum Brilliance previously raised A$13 million in seed funding in August 2021. The company’s cap table also includes QxBranch founders, CP Ventures, R3I Ventures and Ultratech Capital Partners.

Although the quantum startup was founded in 2019 by scientists at the Australian National University, it has built a significant presence in Victoria and gained the backing of the state government’s investment arm Breakthrough Victoria

Quantum Brilliance has the Diamond Quantum Materials Research Center in Victoria, Australia, in April 2022, with leading quantum diamond institutions La Trobe University and RMIT University to improve the computational power of diamond-based quantum computers with techniques that can be ported to high-volume production systems.

The company plans to expand the hub and continue to work with its research partners to offer industry PhD positions in Victoria.

Breakthrough Victoria CEO Grant Dooley said it was the fund’s second investment in the sector and the first in an Australian company.

“By investing in companies like Quantum Brilliance and Infleqtion, we are building the framework for Victoria to become a global player in the revolution of quantum technologies,” he said.

“Quantum Brilliance’s vision of mass-producing small form factor quantum computers at room temperature aligns closely with our mandate to fund ideas and technology in Victoria that will help solve globally important problems, and we see them as a true innovator in quantum computing -industry. ”

Co-founder and CTO Andrew Horsley said Victoria is a critical launchpad for Australia in quantum technologies and a natural partner for Quantum Brilliance.

“Our technology follows the successful path of classic computers, where integrated semiconductor chips enabled the leap from large fragile mainframes to laptops and smartphones. Our small form factor, room temperature, and low power devices are on the same path,” he said.

“We are proud of our achievement in bringing quantum computing from the lab to the data center and is recognized by the investment community.”

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