Investor Profile: Quantonation - Thesis, Cheque Size & How to Apply

Quantonation was the first early-stage venture fund dedicated to deep physics and quantum technologies, and it remains one of the most specialised investors in the field. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Paris and Boston, it backs founders turning quantum science into products for computing, secure communications, sensing and drug design. For founders, its value is not generic venture advice but a team that understands how long physics takes to become a product.

Thesis and sectors

The thesis of Quantonation is that physics is the operating system for world-changing technology, and that quantum effects such as superposition and entanglement are now ready to be engineered into devices. It invests across quantum computing, quantum networks, quantum sensing and enabling technologies, including hardware, software and adjacent deep-physics applications. Its stated view is that this is not a race to build a single quantum computer, but an interlocking ecosystem of products across computing, networking and sensing.

Stage and fund size

Quantonation invests from the pre-seed and seed stage. Its first fund, Quantonation I, a 2021 vintage, raised €91 million and invested in 27 companies worldwide. Its second fund, Quantonation II, announced a first closing of €70 million in April 2024 towards a €200 million target. Founders should note that the €200 million figure was the announced target at first close, not a confirmed final close in the official release, and later third-party reports of a larger final close should be treated as reported, not confirmed, until the firm states it.

Notable portfolio and partners

The portfolio includes industry leaders named by the firm itself, including PASQAL, Nord Quantique, Multiverse, Qubit Pharmaceuticals, WeLinQ and QphoX, alongside early Quantonation II investments such as Diraq in silicon spin qubits, Pioniq in quantum materials and Steerlight in lidar. Its companies are spinouts from academic ecosystems including MIT, Ecole Polytechnique, Institut d'Optique, Oxford University and the University of Waterloo. Limited partners returning for the second fund included Bpifrance's French seed fund vehicle, the Fonds National d'Amorçage 2.

Programmes, credits and perks

Rather than a single accelerator, Quantonation works with quantum venture studios worldwide to accelerate company creation, naming QV Studio in Canada and Quantum Italia among its first studio partners. Portfolio support draws on a team combining scientific expertise, business acumen and financial experience, plus a network across Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. No public cloud-credit or perks package is advertised, so founders should value scientific diligence, ecosystem access and follow-on credibility over any assumed credits bundle.

How to apply for funding

Quantum and deep-physics founders should approach Quantonation through its official website, quantonation.com, where its contact and news pages set out its team and focus. A strong approach explains the genuine quantum effect being exploited, the performance advantage over classical alternatives, the path to an enterprise-grade product, and the scientific team behind it. Early-stage teams, including university spinouts, are squarely in scope.