TL;DR
- Israeli quantum startup Qedma raises $26 million Series A led by Glilot+, with backing from IBM and Korea Investment Partners
- Qedma specializes in quantum error mitigation software, not hardware
- Their QESEM tool allows for 1000x larger quantum circuits to run accurately on current machines
- IBM and Qedma aim to demonstrate practical quantum advantage by year-end
- Co-founded by quantum theorists, Qedma now plans to grow from 40 to 60 employees
Qedma’s Funding: A Bet on Quantum Software, Not Just Hardware
Quantum computing continues to accelerate — and Israeli startup Qedma just positioned itself at the center of the next wave. The company announced a $26 million Series A funding round led by Glilot+ (the growth fund of Glilot Capital Partners) with participation from IBM, TPY Capital, and Korea Investment Partners.
The funding will allow Qedma to expand its team and scale its error mitigation software, a critical missing link in making today’s quantum computers useful without requiring millions of qubits.
“Our claim is that we can get quantum advantage even before a million qubits are achieved,” said CTO Prof. Netanel Lindner.
Qedma’s Position in the Quantum Ecosystem
| Metric | Detail | Source |
| Series A Funding | $26 million | TechCrunch |
| Key Investors | Glilot+, IBM, TPY Capital, Korea Investment Partners | TechCrunch |
| Core Product | QESEM (Quantum Error Suppression and Mitigation) | Qedma |
| Hardware-Agnostic? | Yes | Qiskit Catalog |
| Year of Seed Round | 2020 ($4.7M) | TPY Capital |
| Team Growth Target | 40 → 60 Employees | TechCrunch |
QESEM: Qedma’s Quantum Booster
At the heart of Qedma’s technology is QESEM — a platform for quantum error suppression and mitigation. Unlike traditional error correction, which requires more quantum bits (qubits) and slows down runtime, QESEM works during and after quantum algorithm execution:
- Suppression phase reduces noise in real-time
- Mitigation phase refines results via post-processing
According to co-founder Prof. Dorit Aharonov, the tool enables quantum circuits that are up to 1000x larger than what today’s machines typically support.
IBM’s Strategic Partnership
Qedma is already integrated into IBM’s Qiskit Functions Catalog, making its software available to enterprise and academic users worldwide. The partnership marks a growing industry focus on software-layer quantum solutions that work across platforms.
“They want to write the problem and say, ‘I want it to run with this accuracy,’” said Jay Gambetta, IBM’s VP of Quantum. “That’s what Qedma is enabling.”
IBM’s participation is more than financial — it signals a strategic alignment with Qedma’s hardware-agnostic approach, allowing the software to run on IBM, IonQ, or even future quantum systems.
Team and Talent: From Talpiot to Technion
Qedma’s leadership team is a who’s who of quantum science and Israeli innovation:
- Asif Sinay, CEO: Former physicist at Magic Leap, Talpiot alum
- Prof. Dorit Aharonov, CSO: Renowned quantum theorist
- Prof. Netanel Lindner, CTO: Technion professor, ex-Weizmann Institute
Sinay shared that Qedma will grow from 40 to 60 employees, hiring researchers, software engineers, sales and marketing talent. Recruitment is also targeting former PhD students from Israeli quantum programs.
International Validation: IonQ, RIKEN, and “The Largest Partner”
Qedma’s tech has already been tested on the Aria quantum computer by IonQ, a U.S.-based leader in trapped ion technology. The company is also working with Japan’s RIKEN research institute to integrate quantum and supercomputing frameworks.
A recent Q2B Tokyo presentation co-hosted with RIKEN highlighted Qedma’s ability to reduce error rates without requiring more qubits — and hinted at broader Asian expansion.
Sinay also teased an ongoing collaboration with “the largest company in the market”, though he did not name the partner.
Quantum Advantage May Be Closer Than Expected
The quantum industry is still in search of quantum advantage — the moment when quantum computing clearly outperforms classical computation for a real-world task.
“It’s possible that already within this year, we’ll be able to demonstrate with confidence that the quantum advantage is here,” said Sinay.
While most quantum breakthroughs are still academic, Qedma’s bet is that software-based noise suppression will offer a shortcut to demonstrating practical value.
Competitive Landscape: Alice & Bob, Algorithmiq, and Others
While Qedma focuses on error mitigation without increasing qubit counts, other players like France’s Alice & Bob are tackling the problem at the hardware level. Their $104 million raise earlier this year is funding the development of a fault-tolerant quantum computer using cat qubits.
IBM is also partnering with Finland-based Algorithmiq, another error-mitigation startup, reinforcing its belief that no single company will solve quantum alone.
What’s Next for Qedma
Qedma plans to use its Series A funds to:
- Expand its engineering and research team
- Launch new features in QESEM via Qiskit and other platforms
- Build out sales and marketing capabilities to reach enterprise users
- Pursue cross-platform deployments with IonQ, IBM, and others
Ultimately, Qedma aims to serve a wide range of users — from chemists to bankers — who want quantum computing’s power without becoming quantum physicists.
