Classiq, a startup headquartered in Tel Aviv focused on simplifying the creation of quantum algorithms and applications for computer scientists and developers, has announced the successful completion of a $10.5 million Series A funding round. The investment was spearheaded by Team8 Capital and Wing Capital, with additional participation from Entrée Capital, the crowdfunding platform OurCrowd, and Sumitomo Corporation (via IN Venture). This latest funding builds upon the company’s prior $4 million seed round, which was also led by Entrée Capital.

The core concept driving Classiq, currently staffed by a team of nearly a dozen professionals, centers on addressing the significant difficulties inherent in quantum algorithm development.

“Currently, developing quantum software presents a remarkably challenging undertaking,” explained Nir Minerbi, CEO and Co-founder of Classiq. “Programming is performed at the most fundamental level, with very limited abstraction. However, many organizations aim to develop groundbreaking quantum algorithms. Therefore, we’ve created the next level within the quantum software infrastructure – a layer dedicated to computer-aided design, automation, and synthesis. […] This allows for the design of quantum algorithms without requiring detailed knowledge of the underlying gate-level specifics, as those details are automated.”

Developers already have access to quantum-specific languages and frameworks like Microsoft’s Q# and IBM’s Qiskit, among others. As Amir Naveh, Classiq’s VP of R&D, clarified, developers will define their algorithms using code – in Classiq’s case, a variation of Python – similar to these existing tools. However, unlike those other languages, users won’t be writing sequences of gates operating on qubits to define their quantum circuit.

“Instead of specifying gates on qubits, you articulate concepts, constructs, and constraints – essentially defining the desired outcome for the circuit,” Naveh elaborated. “The circuit is then synthesized based on these constraints. From a visual standpoint, the interface may appear similar to other frameworks, but the underlying thought process operates at a significantly higher level of abstraction, allowing you to describe the circuit in a more intuitive way.”

This approach, he stated, empowers Classiq’s users to more readily express their objectives. Currently, the platform’s user base primarily consists of quantum teams, scientists, and developers possessing deep expertise in quantum circuit development. The team anticipates that as the technology matures, developers will require less in-depth understanding of qubit behavior.

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As Minerbi emphasized, the tool is designed to be independent of the specific hardware that will ultimately execute these algorithms. Classiq’s primary goal is to provide an additional layer of abstraction above the hardware level. Simultaneously, developers retain the ability to optimize their algorithms for particular quantum computing hardware.

Classiq CTO Dr. Yehuda Naveh also highlighted that the company is already collaborating with several large enterprises. These include financial institutions utilizing the platform for portfolio optimization and a semiconductor company investigating material science challenges related to chip manufacturing – a promising area for current quantum computing capabilities.

The newly acquired funding will be allocated to expanding the existing team, with a primary focus on engineering roles. A substantial portion of the company’s ongoing efforts remains dedicated to research and development. Securing skilled software engineers with a physics background – or quantum information specialists proficient in programming – will be crucial for the company’s growth. Minerbi is confident in their ability to attract such talent and plans to grow the team to approximately 25 individuals.

“We are excited to collaborate with Classiq, supporting their efforts to advance the quantum computing sector,” stated Sarit Firon, Managing Partner at Team8 Capital. “They have successfully addressed a critical gap in the quantum computing landscape, enabling the development of transformative quantum algorithms as the quantum era unfolds. We anticipate the industry’s expansion and look forward to witnessing Classiq’s continued leadership.”