Pasqal seeks €200M to accelerate neutral-atom quantum computing
Pasqal, a French quantum computing startup, is reportedly in talks to raise €200 million in fresh funding in a deal that would value the company at more than $1 billion before the round closes. The terms are still being finalised, according to industry reports.
The fundraising comes as quantum computing attracts renewed attention for potential breakthroughs in drug discovery, logistics optimisation and cryptography. Yet the sector’s central challenge remains the same: building systems that can maintain qubit stability while scaling to sizes that are commercially useful.
Neutral-atom qubits, arranged with lasers
Co-founded by Georges-Olivier Reymond and Antoine Browaeys, Pasqal is developing quantum processors based on neutral-atom qubits—atoms trapped and manipulated with lasers. The company argues this architecture offers high accuracy, long coherence times and flexible qubit layouts that can make error correction and scaling more practical.
Unlike some rivals focused primarily on hardware, Pasqal is also building an integrated software stack designed to combine quantum and classical computing workflows. The company positions this as an advantage over superconducting qubits, which can be noisy and fixed in place, and trapped-ion approaches, which can be difficult to scale.
Competing with established quantum players
The competitive field includes IonQ, Rigetti, IBM and Oxford Quantum Circuits. Pasqal is betting its neutral-atom roadmap can push beyond 1,000 qubits, a milestone often cited as a step toward more practical quantum advantage.
If completed, the new funding is expected to support scaling next-generation processors, expanding software capabilities, and running real-world pilot projects in sectors such as pharmaceuticals and logistics.
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