Equal1, a quantum semiconductor company, has secured $60 million in funding to accelerate the development of scalable quantum computers built on standard silicon processes and to advance deployment of its data centre–ready Bell-1 quantum server.
The funding round was led by the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, with participation from Atlantic Bridge, the European Innovation Council Fund, Matterwave Ventures, Enterprise Ireland, Elkstone and TNO Ventures.
Scaling quantum with semiconductor economics
Quantum computing is widely expected to unlock major economic value, with estimates suggesting up to $100 billion by 2035. However, adoption has been slowed by the cost, complexity and bespoke infrastructure required by most quantum systems.
Equal1 is taking a different route by building quantum processors using existing silicon semiconductor manufacturing. This approach enables lower costs through scale, faster iteration cycles and improved yields, without the need for exotic fabrication facilities or highly specialised infrastructure.
Gerry Maguire, board director at Equal1 and general partner at Atlantic Bridge, said the funding marks a shift from breakthrough research to commercial execution, enabling the company to bring quantum computing closer to real-world deployment.
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Quantum as an accelerator for AI and HPC
As artificial intelligence drives exponential growth in compute demand, power consumption and cost are emerging as critical constraints. Quantum computing has the potential to act as a tightly integrated accelerator within high-performance computing environments, enhancing efficiency and sustainability rather than replacing classical systems.
Equal1’s focus is on production and deployment rather than experimental physics. Its systems are designed to be rack-mounted, power-efficient and easily integrated into existing data centre environments.
Bell-1 moves from development to deployment
At the core of this strategy is Bell-1, Equal1’s plug-and-play quantum server. The system does not require dilution refrigerators, custom facilities or dedicated physics teams, making it suitable for standard data centre operations. Bell-1 is already shipping, including to the European Space Agency’s Space HPC Centre in Italy.
Brian O’Connor, senior investment director at the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, highlighted the alignment between Equal1’s growth plans and ISIF’s mandate to support commercially viable Irish companies scaling internationally.
Jason Lynch, CEO of Equal1, said the new funding represents a transition from development to deployment, positioning silicon-based quantum hardware as deployable infrastructure rather than bespoke laboratory equipment.
About Equal1
Equal1 is a global provider of silicon-based quantum computing technology. Its UnityQ processor family combines quantum and classical components on a single silicon chip, enabling compact, cost-efficient and rack-mounted quantum servers. The company’s technology supports scalable quantum computing for applications in pharmaceuticals, finance, materials science and high-performance computing.
