Chinese quantum-AI startup Qingxing Yigou raises two rounds in three months, nearing $14M total
What's the deal? Qingxing YigouDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a Tsinghua University-affiliated quantum-AI startup, has closed a Series A round backed by Jingkai CapitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, Anhui Hi-Tech Investment, Daode InvestmentDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, Lishi Investment, Zhongzi Fund, Xuhui CapitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, Senlan Group, and the founder of Jingdong Group. Combined with an earlier round, the company has raised nearly US$13.8M across two rounds in three months.
What's the endgame? Founded in 2021 by Tsinghua computer science alumnus Yu Teng, the company started building AI systems on classic heterogeneous computing. It has since pivoted to quantum-inspired AI models, running large-scale inference on existing GPUs rather than waiting for mature quantum hardware.
Why now? General-purpose quantum computers remain immature, so the company generates model parameters using simulated quantum computing at the build stage, then runs inference on standard GPUs. That lets it develop and ship products today without a quantum computer in the loop.
Its RiverONE vision-language model reached at least 95% of Nvidia's Ising Calibration 1 performance on a quantum-calibration chart benchmark, according to a third-party test — using 1.9 billion parameters, under a tenth of the comparison model.
The startup has moved products into the computing supply chain. It became an AI system supplier to AMD in 2023 and has run adaptation tests with domestic GPU makers Biren Technology and MetaX, chip startup Tecorigin, and NetEase-incubated game chip firm Qianhe Yibang.
The signal: Investors are betting quantum-inspired methods can cut compute costs as demand for high-efficiency AI models outpaces global chip supply. Spain's Multiverse Computing, which compresses AI models using tensor-network techniques, raised €189 million in a Series B in 2025 and has targeted up to €500 million in a 2026 Series C — a sign the sector is drawing scale capital worldwide.
Read more: 36kr.com
Image credit: IBM Research
