Quantum technology startup FirstQFM AB has raised €1.2 million (13.1 million SEK) in pre-seed funding to accelerate the development of its AI foundation models for quantum computing.
The round was led by BSV Ventures, with participation from Almi Invest, Further than Capital, and Luminar Ventures.
Building the AI layer for quantum performance
Founded by Vish Ramakrishnan and Isaiah Hull, FirstQFM develops machine learning foundation models designed to improve the performance, scalability, and reliability of Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) devices — a crucial step toward fault-tolerant quantum computing.
“This funding supports the continued development of our proprietary, patent-pending technology, the execution of pilot projects, and ultimately enables NISQ-era quantum machines to deliver useful results,” said Vish Ramakrishnan, CEO and Co-founder.
Quantum computing has the potential to transform sectors such as chemistry, finance, life sciences, and mobility, but widespread adoption remains limited by hardware instability and calibration challenges. FirstQFM’s technology aims to enhance performance across all layers of the quantum stack, enabling faster, more efficient experimentation and scaling.
“Our models improve device performance and availability,” said Isaiah Hull, CTO and Co-founder. “By partnering directly with quantum hardware developers, we’re helping chart the path toward fault-tolerant quantum systems.”
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Investor confidence in scalable quantum AI
Erik Bhullar, Partner at BSV Ventures, said:
“FirstQFM is reshaping how quantum technology can deliver customer value. By drastically reducing the cost and time to run workloads across hardware platforms, they’re making quantum computing accessible to more industries.”
Peter Gullander, Fund Manager at Almi Invest, added:
“We were impressed by the performance gains FirstQFM achieved on superconducting hardware and look forward to seeing these advances rolled out across multiple quantum modalities.”
Reid Jackson, Partner at Luminar Ventures, described the startup as developing “transformative technology with cross-sector potential,” while Stefan Lindeberg of Further than Capital noted that FirstQFM’s “intellectual property and global partnerships position it to play a defining role in the next generation of quantum computing.”
About FirstQFM
FirstQFM AB develops AI foundation models that enhance the performance and scalability of quantum computers. Working with leading hardware and cloud providers, the company builds the infrastructure required to move quantum computing from research labs into real-world industrial applications — powering breakthroughs across chemistry, finance, life sciences, and mobility.
