Led by SBI Investment, the round will fund R&D, partnerships, and hiring for Qubitcore’s distributed ion-trap architecture with photonic interconnects.
YOKOHAMA, KANAGAWA, JAPAN, April 27, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Qubitcore Inc., an ion-trap quantum computing startup spun out of the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), today announced that it has completed a JPY 1.53 billion, approximately US$9.6 million, seed round through a third-party allotment of preferred shares.
The round was led by SBI Investment, with participation from 12 investors. Participating investors include SBI Investment as lead investor, Abies Ventures, Nissay Capital, Lifetime Ventures, Dual Bridge Capital, Daiwa House Ventures, Yanmar Ventures, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, Blue Lab, SMBC Venture Capital, Bank of the Ryukyus, and Canal Ventures.
Qubitcore previously completed a pre-seed round in January 2025 led by Lifetime Ventures. With this latest round, the company will accelerate the R&D and commercialization of a quantum optical interconnect interface based on micro-optical cavities and a distributed ion-trap quantum computing architecture, building on research outcomes from OIST.
Funding Background and Use of Proceeds
Quantum computing requires long-term research and development investment before broad social implementation. As practical quantum computing advances, it is expected to affect sectors including drug discovery, materials, finance, logistics, manufacturing, energy, climate-related simulation, and AI. Qubitcore believes it is important to deepen R&D while building early relationships with future customers, demonstration partners, and the broader ecosystem.
Qubitcore will allocate the funding to three priorities: accelerating R&D for a distributed ion-trap quantum computing architecture using multiple photonic interconnects based on micro-optical cavities; developing partners for joint research, demonstration, and business collaboration; and expanding hiring and organizational capabilities across research, engineering, business, finance, and corporate functions.
Qubitcore’s Business and Technology
Qubitcore aims to develop fault-tolerant universal quantum computers, or FTQC, for computational challenges that are difficult for conventional computers, including drug discovery, materials and energy materials design, climate-related simulation, and high-speed, energy-efficient AI model training.
At the core of Qubitcore’s approach is a photonic interconnect interface that integrates micro-optical cavities, enabling efficient interaction between qubits and photons. The company’s technology is based on research from the Experimental Quantum Information Physics Unit led by Assistant Professor Hiroki Takahashi at OIST. Qubitcore entered into an exclusive license agreement with OIST in July 2025 and was selected as an EY Innovative Startup 2026 by Ernst & Young ShinNihon LLC in March 2026.
Technological Strengths
Qubitcore’s core technology, which forms a key part of its patent portfolio, offers three primary advantages.
First, high-efficiency coupling between light and qubits via micro-optical cavities. A proprietary cavity design strengthens the interaction between qubits and photons, enabling fast and stable optical connections between multiple modules.
Second, a distributed quantum computing architecture via multiplexed photonic interconnects. By connecting multiple quantum processing units (QPUs) with light, Qubitcore seeks to overcome the scalability limitations of single-module systems and provide a clear path toward practical FTQC.
Third, end-to-end in-house validation, from components to full systems. Qubitcore develops not only micro-optical cavity devices but also the ion-trap quantum computer systems that integrate them. By building process capabilities based on semiconductor microfabrication technology, the company pursues system-level performance improvements and helps shorten the lead time to deployment for future customers and partners.
Development Roadmap
Qubitcore is advancing development along a phased roadmap at OIST in Okinawa. The company plans to launch a cloud-accessible prototype quantum computer in 2026, present a small-scale Early-FTQC with quantum error correction in 2028, and present a second-generation system connecting multiple QPUs with light in 2029.
In addition to quantum computing, Qubitcore sees potential future applications of its high-precision QPU technology in quantum repeater systems that support long-distance quantum networks. Through collaboration with companies specializing in quantum repeaters and telecommunications operators, Qubitcore aims to contribute to the realization of quantum networks and the quantum internet.
Comments
“Quantum computers may redefine the computational foundation of society across fields such as drug discovery, materials, energy, and AI,” said Ryuta Watanuki, Founder & CEO of Qubitcore. “We see this seed round as a strong vote of confidence from a diverse group of investors. Together with the R&D team led by Co-Founder & CSO Hiroki Takahashi, we will accelerate research and development, business development, and hiring as we work to build a quantum computing company from Japan.”
“It is deeply meaningful to see our research on ion-trap quantum optical interconnects at OIST evolve, through Qubitcore, into concrete initiatives toward an actual quantum computer system,” said Hiroki Takahashi, Co-Founder & CSO of Qubitcore and Assistant Professor at OIST. “With this seed round, I look forward to broader collaboration with researchers and engineers in Japan and abroad, and to steady progress in our R&D.”
“Realizing quantum computing in society requires not only advancing theory and standalone devices, but also overcoming the extremely difficult challenge of connecting quantum processors with high fidelity and scaling them,” said Takaki Suzuki, Assistant Manager, Investment Department, SBI Investment. “We see Qubitcore’s distributed architecture as a rational approach to this scalability challenge, and the company’s foundation in research led by Assistant Professor Hiroki Takahashi at OIST is a major strength. We are proud to partner with Qubitcore through this round.”
“Having been part of the strategic discussions since Qubitcore’s pre-founding conceptual stage, I am thrilled to welcome such a formidable group of investors for this milestone seed round. I am firmly convinced that Qubitcore’s distributed architecture is the definitive key to realizing FTQC and represents a technology that is globally unparalleled in its competitiveness,” said Ryosuke Kimura, Founder & General Partner of Lifetime Ventures.
Qubitcore is actively hiring researchers, engineers, and business, finance, and corporate professionals. For more information, please visit the Qubitcore website.
About Qubitcore
Qubitcore Inc. is a quantum computing startup founded in July 2024 and spun out of OIST. Based on research from the OIST Experimental Quantum Information Physics Unit led by Assistant Professor Hiroki Takahashi, Qubitcore is developing a distributed ion-trap quantum computing architecture that integrates ion-trap technology and photonic quantum interconnects. The company is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, with its R&D center located at OIST in Okinawa.
Ryuta Watanuki
Qubitcore Inc.
+81 45-900-0797
info@qubitcore.jp
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