The “harvest now, decrypt later” tactic poses a threat, as malicious actors can steal encrypted data. Once quantum computers mature, they will be able to break the encryption protecting today’s sensitive information. In response to this, LuxQuanta has developed NOVA LQ®, an innovative quantum-safe encryption system based on Continuous-Variable Quantum Key Distribution (CV-QKD) technology.
Today, the startup closed an €8 million Series A funding round led by Big Sur Ventures, with support from A&G and participation from GMV, Wayra, EIC Fund, Corning, and GTD.
With the new funds, LuxQuanta will accelerate production, deepen its R&D in integrated photonics, and scale its international commercial operations.
Founded in 2021 as a spin-off from ICFO, LuxQuanta’s mission is to democratise quantum security by making it accessible and scalable worldwide. Co-founders Dr. Sebastian Etcheverry and Dr. Saeed Ghasemi, with their deep expertise in quantum photonics, leveraged their knowledge to develop a robust, validated security protocol resistant to collective attacks under finite-size conditions.
NOVA LQ® is designed as a compact, 2U rack unit, compatible with dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM), and interoperable with leading Key Management Systems (KMS) and encryptors. The technology’s plug-and-play nature allows easy integration alongside classical data on existing optical fibre infrastructure, removing the need for dedicated dark fibres, vastly reducing operational and deployment costs.
The system supports point-to-point and point-to-multi-point configurations with multi-receiver scalability, supporting high secret key rates of over 100 kbps at 4 dB loss and operational distances up to 100 km (20 dB loss), making it suitable for telecoms, governments, data centres, and critical infrastructure globally.
Unlike traditional quantum encryption methods offered by competitors such as ID Quantique and Quantum Xchange, which are costly and complex, NOVA LQ® integrates seamlessly into existing fibre optic networks, offering a scalable, cost-efficient solution that reduces deployment costs by half.
Looking ahead, LuxQuanta plans to broaden its global reach, enter new markets, and continue advancing its core technologies to ensure the resilience and security of communication networks as quantum computing threatens classical cryptographic methods.
