Tokyo, Japan and Paris, France July 26, 2024 – Toshiba Corporation (Toshiba) has announced that it will make a corporate venture capital investment in Quantonation II, a fund operated by Quantonation Ventures (Quantonation), a leading quantum technology investment fund based in Europe and the US. Toshiba has committed to invest in Quantonation II, with the aim of accelerating research and development of quantum technology and advancing the practical application of quantum-based services through collaboration with Quantonation and the companies in its portfolio.

Established in 2018, Quantonation is one of the world’s largest venture capital funds specializing in quantum technology. It invests globally and has already launched its first fund, Quantonation I, with investments totaling €91 million across 27 startup companies, including global leader in neutral atoms computing, Pasqal and Computer Aided Drug Discovery company, Qubit Pharmaceuticals.

Toshiba has pioneered research in quantum technology for over 20 years, and its innovations include Quantum Key Distribution (QKD)^*1 for quantum-secure communications networks. Toshiba’s Corporate Research & Development Center in Japan with its company’s Cambridge Research Laboratory and the Quantum Technology Centre in the United Kingdom conducts groundbreaking research and development in the quantum sphere. The collaboration with Quantonation will complement this work and is expected to yield significant advancements in research and development and facilitate knowledge exchange between leading quantum hubs. 

With its investment in a strategic partnership with Quantonation, the company aims to leverage Quantonation’s robust portfolio of pioneering quantum startups to bolster the global quantum ecosystem, accelerate the development and commercialization of quantum technologies and products, and spur the advance toward the quantum internet. The collaboration will support companies in Quantonation’s portfolio to not only access additional funding, but also to collaborate directly with Toshiba to leverage its industry-leading quantum knowledge. 

Taro Shimada, CEO of Toshiba Corporation, commented: “Toshiba is thrilled to join forces with Quantonation in this groundbreaking endeavor. Our investment is a testament to our dedication to leading the quantum revolution and supporting the growth of innovative technologies that will define the future. By bridging the European and Asia Pacific quantum ecosystems, we are poised to create a powerful, interconnected network that will drive technological advancements and economic growth on a global scale.”

Christophe Jurczak, Managing Partner of Quantonation, stated: “We are delighted to welcome Toshiba as a strategic investor in Quantonation. Toshiba’s expertise and leadership in technology, combined with our focus on nurturing high-potential quantum startups, will undoubtedly create a dynamic and collaborative environment. This partnership will accelerate the development of cutting-edge quantum solutions and foster a stronger, more cohesive quantum community spanning Europe and the Asia Pacific region.”

Quantonation and Toshiba believe this partnership will benefit Toshiba as well as Quantonation’s current and future portfolio companies in respect of technology development, market access and business development, especially in Japan, a significant market for Quantonation and its portfolio companies. 

Together, Toshiba and Quantonation are set to pave the way for a new era of quantum innovation that will bring transformative solutions to the market and enhance global competitiveness.

*1 Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is a technology used to deliver encryption keys for protecting critical confidential data. In QKD, encryption keys are transmitted using photons (particles of light) over optical fibers. The unique property of quantum mechanics ensures that eavesdropping attempts can be reliably detected.

About Toshiba Corporation:

Toshiba Corporation leads a global group of companies that combines knowledge and capabilities from almost 150 years of experience in a wide range of businesses—from energy and social infrastructure to electronic devices—with world-class capabilities in information processing, digital and AI technologies. These distinctive strengths support Toshiba in building infrastructure that everyone can enjoy, and a connected data society, and in achieving the Company’s ultimate goal, a future that realizes carbon neutrality and a circular economy. Guided by the Basic Commitment of the Toshiba Group, “Committed to People, Committed to the Future,” Toshiba contributes to society’s positive development with services and solutions that lead to a better world. The Group and its 105,000 employees worldwide secured annual sales of 3.3 trillion yen in fiscal year 2023. 

For more information, visit https://www.global.toshiba/ww/top.html or follow Toshiba Corporation on LinkedIn.

About Quantonation:

Quantonation is the first early-stage VC fund dedicated to deep physics and quantum technologies. Field such as high-performance computation, secure communications, drug design or ultra-precise sensing are now driven by innovation based on these disruptive technologies. Quantonation aims at supporting their transition into commercially available products. Quantonation is headquartered in Paris, France, and in Boston, USA, with investments in Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific. More on www.quantonation.com or LinkedIn.

Toshiba Contact: Tatsuro Oishi, Media Relations Office, Toshiba Corporation – media.relations@toshiba.co.jp – +81-3-3457-2100

Quantonation contact:  Eléonore de Rose, Director of communications and PR –eleonore@quantonation.com – +33 6 62 64 40 53

For more information, please visit Toshiba’s website and Quantonation’s website