QuiX Quantum

QuiX Quantum is a Dutch company specializing in photonic quantum computing hardware, established in January 2019 as a spin-off from the University of Twente. The company was co-founded by Dr. Jelmer Renema, a quantum optics expert, and Dr. Hans van den Vlekkert, a seasoned entrepreneur in the photonics industry. Dr. Renema's research on low-loss silicon nitride properties formed the technological foundation, while Dr. van den Vlekkert brought extensive experience in founding and leading photonics companies like LioniX International. In 2022, Dr. Stefan Hengesbach, an engineer with a background in photonics and quantum optics, was appointed CEO after Dr. van den Vlekkert retired. QuiX Quantum develops and manufactures quantum photonic processors, which are the core components of optical quantum computers. Unlike other quantum computing approaches that often require cryogenic cooling, QuiX's technology primarily operates at room temperature. Their processors use photons as 'flying' qubits that travel through reconfigurable optical circuits on a chip. The company utilizes its proprietary TriPleX platform based on silicon nitride, a material that enables low-loss waveguides, crucial for maintaining the coherence of photons over long distances on the chip. This approach allows for the creation of compact, stable, and scalable processors. The company operates on a fabless business model, outsourcing chip manufacturing to specialized foundries, which allows it to focus resources on research, development, and intellectual property. The company's main products are its Quantum Photonic Processors, which are sold as standalone units, and full quantum computing systems. These processors are universal, tunable interferometers that allow for user-defined interference between optical channels. QuiX Quantum has consistently set records for the number of optical channels (qumodes) in its processors, launching a 12-mode processor in 2020 and a 20-qumode processor in early 2022, which was the largest of its kind at the time. The company's clients primarily consist of quantum research labs, national computing centers, and government bodies. A major milestone was achieved in 2022 when QuiX Quantum sold an 8-qubit and a 64-qubit photonic quantum computer to the German Aerospace Center (DLR), marking the world's first sale of a universal quantum computer based on photonics. In 2024, the company launched a cloud-based service, providing remote access to its hardware for a broader range of users to explore applications in fields like defense, healthcare, and IT. QuiX Quantum has secured significant funding to fuel its growth. After a ․5.5 million Seed round in 2022, the company raised ․15 million in a Series A round in July 2025. This funding is aimed at delivering its first-generation universal photonic quantum computer by 2026, which is designed to implement a universal gate set for any quantum operation. The company has expanded from its headquarters in Enschede, Netherlands, to include offices in Amsterdam, Ulm, and Stuttgart. Keywords: photonic quantum computing, quantum processors, silicon nitride photonics, universal quantum computer, quantum hardware, integrated photonics, TriPleX platform, room temperature quantum computing, quantum interferometers, qumodes, low-loss waveguides, quantum optics, German Aerospace Center (DLR), cloud quantum computing, Jelmer Renema, Hans van den Vlekkert, Stefan Hengesbach, University of Twente spin-off, fabless semiconductor company, quantum machine learning, quantum simulation