Nvidia makes quantum debut: $600M round sends Quantinuum soaring to $10B

Nvidia makes quantum debut: $600M round sends Quantinuum soaring to $10B

Nvidia has made its first investment in quantum computing company Quantinuum, valuing the Honeywell-controlled firm at $10 billion.

The investment comes as part of a $600 million fundraising round, which also saw participation from Honeywell, JPMorgan Chase, Mitsui, Amgen, and other new investors.

The move highlights how the race to develop commercially viable quantum computers is accelerating, with Nvidia strengthening its role in quantum research alongside its dominance in AI and data centre technology.

Quantinuum, which was formed in 2021, now operates across the US, the UK, Germany, and Japan with over 500 employees.

Nvidia enters quantum investment with $600 million round

The funding round, confirmed on Thursday, added Nvidia’s venture arm to Quantinuum’s list of backers. The round also included QED Investors, Mesh, Korea Investment Partners, and Honeywell, which remains the largest shareholder with a 54% stake.

The new round follows a $300 million raise in January 2024 led by JPMorgan, when Quantinuum was valued at $5 billion.

Quantinuum had disclosed in a filing last week that 35 investors participated in the fundraising. With this latest round, its valuation has now doubled to $10 billion.

The statement did not specify how much Nvidia invested but underlined that the capital was part of the company’s wider push into AI and computing technologies.

Honeywell prepares for potential IPO in 2027

Honeywell announced earlier this year that it would split into three separate companies focused on aerospace, automation, and advanced materials. Quantinuum has been earmarked for a possible spin-off and initial public offering by 2027.

Honeywell’s participation in the new round ensures that it maintains a strategic position in the quantum business while preparing it for future independence.

Chief Executive Officer Vimal Kapur previously said the fundraising would provide Quantinuum with enough capital to meet its long-term objectives and allow the company to build momentum toward an IPO.

Honeywell has framed its investment as part of a strategy to ensure Quantinuum’s leadership in quantum computing research and commercial applications.

Nvidia expands software and chip integration for quantum research

Nvidia has been preparing its own quantum strategy this year. In June, Chief Executive Jensen Huang reset expectations for quantum computing, saying the technology had reached an inflection point and would become practical sooner than predicted.

According to Bloomberg, Nvidia now provides software to enable its chips to work with quantum devices and is positioning its Grace Blackwell 200 chip to accelerate quantum algorithms.

Quantinuum is already a partner in Nvidia’s Accelerated Quantum Research Center in Boston, which was designed to develop applications in areas such as machine learning, cybersecurity, finance, chemistry, and drug discovery.

Huang noted that Nvidia’s quantum algorithm stack will be fully available and integrated with its chips, enabling large-scale simulation and testing.

Quantinuum scales research and commercial use cases

Founded in 2021 through the merger of Cambridge Quantum and Honeywell Quantum Solutions, Quantinuum has grown into one of the largest firms in the sector.

It develops hardware and software for quantum computers, which operate differently from traditional systems by calculating in parallel rather than sequentially.

The company’s technology is being applied to fields ranging from chemical simulations to financial modelling, and from cybersecurity to machine learning.

CEO Rajeeb Hazra is leading its efforts to position quantum as a practical tool for solving problems that are currently beyond the reach of classical computers.

Quantinuum’s rapid valuation growth, doubling within a year, reflects both increased investor confidence and the rising urgency of preparing for a future in which quantum computing could reshape industries worldwide.

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