QUBITRIUM secures $1.5M in Seed funding

QUBITRIUM, a Turkish startup in the field of advanced quantum technologies, has secured €1.5M in seed funding from ACT Venture Partners.

Established in 2020, QUBITRIUM develops innovative solutions in quantum cryptography, communication, and quantum sensing. By creating nanosatellite-based Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) systems, the company provides advanced solutions for secure information sharing. Led by Dr. Kadir Durak, the founder and CEO, QUBITRIUM aims to make a global impact, particularly in the field of secure communications. As part of the investment received from ACT Venture Partners, the goal is to launch a 2U-sized satellite equipped with a Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) payload.

As critical sectors such as finance, healthcare, education, supply chains, and various commercial and defence applications increasingly rely on secure information-sharing platforms, current cryptographic systems are becoming more vulnerable.

Dr. Kadir Durak, a faculty member at Özyeğin University, and his team founded QUBITRIUM in 2020 with the vision of addressing these challenges through nanosatellite-based QKD systems. These systems ensure inherent confidentiality and integrity through the principles of quantum physics. QUBITRIUM’s vision and technical solution were recognized by NATO and gained momentum with support from NATO’s DIANA Program in 2023. During the program, QUBITRIUM successfully tested its cutting-edge miniaturized products designed for nanosatellites to provide QKD services.

Commenting on the investment round, QUBITRIUM’s Founder and CEO Dr. Kadir Durak stated, “The challenges of information sharing and security can be effectively addressed through our QKD technology, which is based on zero-trust principles, enabling secure and trusted exchanges between organizations.

"A QKD system that operates on zero-trust principles can be achieved through the use of entangled photon sources. Currently, QUBITRIUM is the only company offering these products in such a miniaturized form.” Dr. Durak further emphasized, “In addition to developing QKD products, QUBITRIUM is building a new supply chain across Europe to deliver secure communication solutions.”

ACT Venture Partners' Managing Partner Okan Kara remarked, “We are thrilled to support Dr. Kadir Durak and his team’s ambitious vision of building a global quantum internet. We are confident that QUBITRIUM’s secure and scalable communication platform will play a vital role in safeguarding critical infrastructures such as banking, e-commerce, digital signatures, and the defence sector from advanced cyber-attacks and the growing threats posed by quantum computing.”

With this round of funding, QUBITRIUM aims to accelerate its technology development and commercialization efforts. The company plans to launch its first satellite to demonstrate its products under space conditions and validate the feasibility of QKD. Additionally, QUBITRIUM will deepen its engagement with global customers and strategic partners by strengthening its sales and technical customer success teams. Through these efforts, QUBITRIUM seeks to establish itself as a leader in providing miniaturized QKD payloads for nanosatellite manufacturers and satellite service providers.