Quantum is quickly becoming one of the most interesting emerging industries among tech startups, but most of the early-stage entrepreneurs in the space that we speak to aren't yet aware of all the industry resources that are available to help them.
With applications for the Quantum & Photonics Founder Institute program now open, we're excited to release this Quantum Startup Resource List, which is currently in Draft v1 below! It was developed by the Quantum Founder Institute accelerator and local leaders:
This is just a draft, and while we spent many hours on this research, more input is needed. Please leave your comments on this collaborative Google document to help us complete the list. There are definitely omissions on this current version.
Are you looking to build a startup in Quantum or Photonics tech? Then apply to the Quantum & Photonics Founder Institute today!
Startup Stages
There is no one right way to build a technology company, but for the sake of simplicity we have outlined a basic, common, sequential framework.
1. Idea Stage
This is where new entrepreneurs get inspired, learn best practices, develop skills, validate ideas, and begin to build their team and product.
A. Inspire
- Quantum Startup Media: Centralized local information, listings, and news. (i.e. startup blogs/ publications/ lists/ FB groups/ newsletters)
- Inside Quantum Technology News
- Optica
- Optics.org
- Quantum Computing Report
- Sifted - Quantum
- Startup Digest Quantum & Photonics Tech
- TechCrunch - Quantum Computing
- McKinsey Quantum Computing
- The Quantum Insider
- The Quantum Leap
- UK Tech Investment News - Quantum Computing
- Science Daily Quantum Physics News
- Science News Quantum Physics
- Physics News
- Inspirational Quantum Startup Events: Open, inclusive startup events that often focus on ideation. (i.e. Startup Weekend, idea fairs, and inspirational meetups)
- Commercialising Quantum Conference
- France Quantum Conference
- Google Quantum Summer Symposium 2022
- IBM Quantum Educator Summit
- IEEE Quantum Week
- IQT Quantum Cybersecurity Conference
- LASER World of PHOTONICS
- Q2B22 Tokyo
- Q2B22 US (link not available yet)
- Quant Insights Conference
- Quantum.Tech Boston
- Quantum.Tech London
- Quantum Business Europe
- Quantum Latino
- Quantum World Congress
- SC22
- SPIE Photonics West
B. Educate
- Best Practices: Beginner knowledge-sharing tech events. (i.e. beginner events that serve to educate more than inspire).
- Federation of Quantum Computing Meetups
- Middle East & South Asia Quantum Technology Meetup Group
- Quantum Alliance
- Quantum Amsterdam
- Quantum Computing Australia
- Quantum Computing Sydney
- Quantum Curious
- Quantum For Business
- Quantum London
- South Florida Quantum Computing Meetup
- SoCal Quantum Computing Discussion
- Startup Founder 101
- Startup Grind Quantum
- Qureca
- Q-Ctrl Black Opal
- Training & Feedback: Skill & Idea development events and startup bootcamps for entrepeneurs. (Includes comprehensive training programs, like Founder Institute, General Assembly, Lean Startup Machine, code camps, etc)
- AI, Blockchain, RPA & QC Meetup - New York
- Association Quantum
- Bay Area Quantum Computing Meetup
- Creative Destruction Lab Quantum Stream
- Dodd-Walls Centre
- EPIC Centre for Quantum Computing
- Founder Institute
- Global Quantum Computing & Entrepreneurship Program
- IBM Quantum and Wits: Quantum Computing Talks
- Integrated Quantum Science and Technology
- London Quantum Computing Meetup
- MIT Quantum Computing
- New York Quantum Computing Meetup
- Photonics21
- QC-Bootcamp
- Qiskit Global Summer School 2022: Quantum Simulations
- Quantum BC
- Quantum Computing and Data Science
- Quantum Computing Switzerland
- Qubit
- Southern California Quantum Computing Meetup Group
- Spain Quantum Computing
- Stanford Quantum
- Swiss Quantum Academy
- University of Maryland Science Academy Foundations of Quantum Computing Bootcamp
- Washington Quantum Computing Meetup
- Womanium
- Women in Deep Tech
- Women in Quantum Computing and Applications
- Xanadu Residency Program
C. Validate
- Team Formation: Events for Finding Co-founders in Quantum. (i.e. tech networking events or other resources that facilitate early-stage recruitment and cofounder matching)
- Build First Product: Hackathons & product events in Quantum.
- |Cambridge> Quantum Computing Meetup
- BIG Quantum Hackathon
- Chicago Quantum Exchange
- IBM Quantum Spring Challenge
- iQuHACK
- QEC Hackathon
- Qiskit Hackathon at World of QUANTUM
- QPARC Challenge Hackathon
- Quantum Barcelona
- Quantum Computing Germany
- Quantum Entrepreneurship Laboratory
- Quantum Network Explorer
- Quantum Technologies Innovation Centre
- Quantum Technology Club
- Stevens Quantum Space
- Womanium Hackathon
- Unitary Fund
2. Launch Stage
In this stage, entrepreneurs establish and formalize the company, develop the product, get feedback from customers, and prepare for the next step.
A. Start
- Establish: Quantum law firms & banks for startups
- Altacit Global
- ALTIUS
- Barclays
- Bereskin & Parr LLP
- CMS
- Dentons
- Deutsche Bank
- First Republic Bank
- Foley Hoag LLP
- Gerben Law Firm
- Goodwin Procter
- Harter Secrest & Emery LLP
- Henry Patent Law Firm
- Jones Day
- K&L Gates
- Mathys & Squire LLP
- Mercury
- Mewburn Ellis
- Orrick
- PNC
- Potter Clarkson
- Rabobank
- Silicon Valley Bank
- Stacks Law Firm
- Taylor Wessing
- Wells Fargo
- White & Case
- Quantum Workspaces: Co-working and flexible workspaces for startups in Quantum.
B. Develop
- Formalize: Quantum accounting, development and HR tools for early-stage startups.
- Quantum Incubators: Groups that prepare companies for seed investment and provide advanced mentorship. (i.e. advanced knowledge sharing, later stage events and resources)
C. Launch
- Quantum Seed Accelerators: Seed funding mentor programs (Techstars-style programs that provide funding)
- Pitch & Demo Events: Tech events that showcase Quantum startups for investment.
3. Growth Stage
Here, a startup proves their utility, receives recognition, and scales up. This usually requires funding, angels, VCs, and ways to connect them to startups.
A. Recognition
- Quantum Investor Networking: Events and groups that connect professional investors with founders.
- Major Media: Mainstream local business press that often showcase local startups.
B. Funding
- Quantum Angel Investors: Seed-stage investors and micro-vcs.
- Quantum Venture Capitalists: Series A and beyond
- Alumni Ventures
- BDC Capital Deep Tech Venture Fund
- Cambridge Innovation Capital
- Cottonwood Technology Fund
- Deepbridge Capital
- Entanglement Capital
- Freigeist Capital
- Future Energy Ventures
- Hamamatsu Corporate Venture Capital
- HTGF
- INDACO VENTURE PARTNERS
- Lakestar
- Parkway VC
- Quantonation
- Quantum Valley Investments
- Quantum Ventures
- Qubits Ventures
- Real Ventures
- SIT Capital
- UAVenture Capital
- UVC Partners
- Verve Ventures
- VIGO Ventures
C. Growth
- Infrastructure: Office space, HR, local business insurance. (i.e. office space/ HR/ insurance providers for capital-rich companies to grow and scale)
- Expansion: Quantum Growth accelerators and consultants. (i.e. programs and business consultants for capital-rich companies to grow and scale)
- Accenture
- Aspen Quantum Consulting
- Atos
- BearingPoint
- Berkeley Photonics Consulting
- Booz Allen Hamilton
- Boston Consulting Group
- Cambridge Consultants
- Capgemini
- Deloitte
- Ernst & Young
- Funck Optics Consulting
- H-bar
- KPMG
- L.E.K. Consulting
- McKinsey & Company
- Microwave Photonics Consultancy
- PA Consulting
- Protiviti
- PwC
- Quantum Phi
- Quantum South
- Quantum Technology Consulting
- Sia Partners
- Tata Consultancy Services
4. Quantum Startup Success Stories
Successful homegrown companies that have raised significant institutional funding, employ a large workforce, or have achieved liquidity.
- 1QBit
- Aegiq
- Agnostiq
- Atom Computing
- Cambridge Quantum
- ColdQuanta
- D-Wave Systems
- evolutionQ
- Hamamatsu Photonics
- ID Quantique
- IonQ
- M Squared
- Multiverse Computing
- Nord Quantique
- NU QUANTUM
- ORCA Computing
- Pasqal
- Pixel Photonics
- PsiQuantum
- Q-CTRL
- QC Ware
- Qnami
- Quandela
- Quantum Computing Inc.
- Quantum Machines
- Qubit Pharmaceuticals
- QuEra Computing
- QuiX Quantum
- Rigetti Computing
- Riverlane
- Strangeworks
- Universal Quantum
- Xanadu
- Zapata Computing
Supporters
To facilitate the steps, every ecosystem needs strong supporters.
1. Quantum Startup Leaders
Successful local founders who lead the ecosystem & frequently mentor newbies.
- Anke Lohmann
- Franck Franchin
- Ish Dhand
- Joe Spencer
- Johannes Verst
- Jose Pozo
- Karan Pinto
- Kate Waimey Timmerman
- Luke Robinson
- Mike Lightman
- Mirella Koleva
- Naeimeh Behbood
- Nuno Edgar Nunes Fernandes
- Paul Terry
- Preeti Chalsani
- Stephen Fleming
- Ton van 't Noordende
- Valerian Giesz
2. Quantum Government Startup Resources
Public organizations that facilitate local economic development
- Australia National Quantum Strategy
- Canada Global Innovation Clusters
- Munich Quantum Valley
- National Photonics Initiative
- National Quantum Initiative
- QED-C
- Quantum Flagship
- Québec Quantique
- UK National Quantum Technologies Programme
3. Talent
Major local business or tech universities and employers that attract and retain local talent.
- Local Quantum Tech Universities (universities with prominent technical or business programs)
- Auburn University
- Boston University
- Caltech
- Columbia University
- Duke University
- ETH Zurich
- Harvard University
- Indian Institute of Science
- Louisiana State University
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- National University of Singapore
- Princeton University
- Purdue University
- Stanford University
- University of Calgary
- University of California Berkeley
- University of California Irvine
- University of California Los Angeles
- University of Innsbruck
- University of Maryland
- University of Oxford
- University of Portsmouth
- University of Science and Technology of China
- University of Stuttgart
- University of Sydney
- University of Texas at Austin
- University of Washington
- University of Waterloo
- Yale University
- Quantum Tech Employers
Learn more about the Startup Ecosystem Canvas here, and leave us your thoughts on the Quantum Canvas on this collaborative Google document (This is just a draft, and more input is needed!)
