Bengaluru-based Quanfluence has raised $10 million to pursue a distinctly different route to quantum computing: build the machine around photons, integrate the entire technology stack in India, and avoid some of the extreme infrastructure associated with conventional quantum systems.
The funding round was led by Chiratae Ventures, with participation from Rainmatter by Zerodha and existing investor Pi Ventures. The latter had previously led Quanfluence’s $2 million seed round in 2024. The fresh capital will support development of a full-stack photonic quantum computer combining photonic chips, control electronics and software within one architecture.
Quanfluence’s near-term target is a four-qubit quantum computer, followed by a substantially larger prototype of roughly 100 qubits by 2029. The startup ultimately wants to build a fault- tolerant, general-purpose quantum system over the next five to six years.
Founded in 2021 and incubated at IIT Madras, Quanfluence is not waiting for that larger machine to start commercialising its technology. It has already developed an optical Ising machine that uses light waves for complex optimisation problems. The company says the system can outperform traditional optimisation approaches significantly for certain workloads.
Quanfluence has sold around three machines and is running paid pilots with 10–15 corporations.
Since its earlier funding round, the startup has also designed and fabricated multiple photonic and electronic integrated circuits, developed low-loss chip-to-fibre coupling and demonstrated quantum light generation. Its team of 25 is expected to grow to around 40 over the coming year.
The $10 million round therefore funds more than another quantum prototype. Quanfluence is attempting to assemble the chip, optics, electronics and software into one domestic stack — while using commercial optimisation products to bridge the long journey toward a scalable quantum computer.
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Startup Unplugged
