Planqc
Planqc is a quantum computing company based in Munich.[1] Founded in 2022 as a spin-off from the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics, the company develops quantum processors that use neutral atoms trapped in optical lattices of light to perform computations.[2]
History
[edit | edit source]Planqc was founded in 2022 by Alexander Glätzle, Sebastian Blatt, and Johannes Zeiher as the first spin-off from the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics within the Munich Quantum Valley initiative.[3] The company is part of broader European efforts to develop locally built quantum computing technologies.[4] The company’s founders and leadership include researchers formerly affiliated with the University of Oxford, Harvard University, and the University of California, Berkeley.[5]
In the same year, Planqc secured seed funding of approximately €4.6 million from UVC Partners and Speedinvest to support the development of its neutral-atom quantum processors.[6][7] Among the investors were Hermann Hauser, Ann-Kristin Achleitner, and Markus Wagner, who also joined the company's advisory board.[8]
Planqc’s scientific advisory board includes researchers in quantum physics, such as Immanuel Bloch, J. Ignacio Cirac, Artur Ekert, Dieter Jaksch, and Markus Müller.[9] [10]
In 2023, the company was selected by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) to develop a 1,000-qubit quantum computer under a contract valued at approximately €29 million.[11] [12]
In 2024, Planqc was selected to lead a €21 million project to build a 1,000-qubit system integrated into the Leibniz Supercomputing Centre (LRZ) high-performance computing infrastructure.[13][14] The initiative forms part of Germany’s broader national quantum-computing programme, in which neutral-atom systems are being developed for scalable hardware and for applications in scientific and industrial simulation. [15] The same year, the company completed a €50 million Series A funding round led by CATRON Holding and DTCF.[16][17] In parallel, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) announced an investment to support Planqc’s further development.[18][19]
In 2025, Planqc announced collaborations with the European Space Agency (ESA), Airbus, the Fraunhofer Institutes, and the consulting firm d-fine, to explore industrial applications of quantum computing, including materials science, climate modeling, and mobility optimization.[20] The work also includes joint research with the Technical University of Munich on quantum-based algorithms for aerodynamics and aircraft-stability simulations.[15]
Later that year, Planqc received the Deutscher Gründerpreis (German Founders Award) in the “Start-up” category.[21][22]
Technology
[edit | edit source]Planqc builds quantum processors using ultracold neutral atoms confined in optical traps. Neutral-atom platforms are used internationally as an alternative route to scalable quantum processors, with multiple industrial groups developing architectures based on programmable atom arrays.[23] The atoms are manipulated using laser pulses to implement qubits and quantum gates. The platform operates at room temperature and is designed for integration into high-performance computing systems. [24] [2]
References
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