Planqc raises millions

The start-up for quantum computers was able to secure funding just a few months after its founding. Behind it is a Max Planck Institute.

German quantum computing startup Planqc secured €4.6 million in a first round of funding. The round is led by UVC Partners and Speedinvest, with Ann-Kristin Achleitner and entrepreneur Markus Wagner having previously provided seed funding. With the financing round, the start-up is sending a clear signal against the prejudice that there is rarely any money for important research in Germany. The Handelsblatt first reported on the financing.

The start-up is a spin-off of the Munich Max Planck Institute founded by Alexander Glätzle, Sebastian Blatt, Johannes Zeiher and Lukas Reichsöllner. It is also the first spin-off in the so-called "Munich Quantum Valley." This is a network of research institutions, companies and universities that aims to promote the founding of start-ups and bring together research and entrepreneurship. Since the beginning of the year, 380 million euros have been available from various state and federal funding pots.

The founders see a great opportunity in their research and quantum computers in general: "As soon as our quantum computers show a quantum advantage for an industry-relevant problem, they will unleash their enormous social and economic potential," says Alexander Glätzle.

Hopes in the young start-up are also high because companies such as politicians want to bring the topic of quantum computers forward. With this technology of the future, both scientists and companies hope that computers will be able to solve certain tasks much faster than with a conventional computer. Complex and lengthy calculations for the development of medicines could presumably be accelerated in this way. Google and other major tech companies are also researching this, but so far there has been no breakthrough. The problem: quantum bits can change their state and even assume two different states simultaneously. It is physically and technically extremely difficult to keep the so-called quantum bits stable. But scientists must manage to do so in order for quantum computers to work.