For years, the promise of quantum computing has been held back by production. Traditional quantum systems require specialised fabrication, exotic cooling methods, and teams of physicists to maintain them. Quantum computing company Equal1 takes a different path, building quantum processors using the same manufacturing methods as everyday computer chips.
Today, Equal1 has raised $60 million to scale up production of its silicon-based quantum processors, marking a major step toward making quantum systems as accessible and reliable as today’s standard computing infrastructure.
The round was led by the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) and joined by Atlantic Bridge, the European Innovation Council Fund, Matterwave Ventures, Enterprise Ireland, Elkstone, and TNO Ventures.
This latest investment brings Equal1’s total funding to more than $85 million.
Integrating quantum computing into the existing computing ecosystem
Equal1 was founded by Dirk Leipold and Mike Asker to make quantum computing practical, affordable, and scalable using silicon technology.
Jason Lynch, CEO of Equal1, says, “As AI pushes classical computing into power and cost limits, quantum is the way forward, but only if it can be manufactured and deployed like the rest of the stack. By building quantum processors on standard silicon, we’re turning quantum from bespoke hardware into deployable infrastructure – positioning Equal1 as the quantum standard for HPC.”
The company’s first product, the Bell·1 Quantum Server, is a rack-mounted unit designed to operate in standard HPC environments without requiring complex cryogenic setups. Installation is simple: roll it in, plug it in, and start computing. Equal1 has already secured flagship customers, including the European Space Agency (ESA), where it will install the Bell·1 at the Space High Performance Compute Centre in Italy.
At the core of Equal1’s approach is its UnityQ processor, a hybrid quantum-classical silicon-on-chip (QSoC) design that integrates all quantum components on a single chip. It’s built using CMOS-compatible manufacturing, enabling easy scaling without requiring dedicated quantum fabrication facilities.
The company’s strategy differs from that of other leading players, such as IBM Quantum, Rigetti, and IonQ, which use superconducting or trapped-ion technologies.
What’s next?
The new funding will enable Equal1 to move beyond research and into large-scale deployment.
The company plans to expand Bell·1 installations at high-performance computing centres worldwide, integrate quantum hardware into real-world workloads, and advance its roadmap toward systems with millions of on-chip qubits.
