Sony Makes First Investment in Quantum Computing

Sony Innovation Fund has invested in the U.K. quantum computing scale-up Quantum Motion. It joins existing backers Bosch Ventures and Porsche Automobil Holding, in a recently announced $52 million funding round, the largest funding round to date for a U.K. quantum startup.

Quantum Motion has raised more than $77 million in equity and grant funding to date.

Quantum Motion is developing scalable quantum processors using existing silicon chip manufacturing technology. The company said Sony Innovation Fund would contribute technical expertise and industry insights on complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) semiconductor design and manufacturing and offer access to the Japanese and wider international market. CMOS is the semiconductor technology used in most of today's chips.

“We are actively exploring investments in technologies that will be transformational, with wide-ranging applications,” said Sony Ventures Corporation EU managing director Antonio Avitabile.

“Quantum computing has the potential to have that impact, and we want to work with the companies that are best positioned to bring it to commercial scale. As our first investment in the quantum technologies space, Quantum Motion is already demonstrating tremendous advancement and leadership, and we are excited to help fuel their next stage of growth.”

“We’re delighted to have Sony Innovation Fund on board as an investor and to have access to its global network of resources, technical expertise, and industry insights. Alongside our existing investors, their support is going to help us scale the development of silicon-based quantum computers,” Quantum Motion CEO James Palles-Dimmock added.

The U.K. government recently launched a $1.2 billion national semiconductor strategy and singled out semiconductor technology for room-temperature quantum computing as a target of its investment.

This article first appeared on IoT World Today's sister site, Enter Quantum.