What Welinq does

Welinq is a Paris-based quantum networking company founded in 2022 as a spin-out from Sorbonne Université, CNRS, and PSL-University. The company develops the hardware and software infrastructure layer that enables quantum processors to be interconnected into scalable, multi-QPU architectures, addressing the fundamental physical scaling limits of individual quantum machines. Its core product portfolio comprises three rack-mounted hardware products — QDrive (a neutral-atom quantum memory achieving world-record >90% storage-and-retrieval efficiency and up to 200-microsecond storage durations), the Entangled Photon Pair Source (a narrowband, dual-wavelength telecom C-band + visible source operating at room temperature), and Quantum Link (an end-to-end integrated "quantum Ethernet" solution combining photonics, quantum memory, and light-qubit interfaces) — alongside the araQne distributed quantum compiler, which partitions monolithic quantum algorithms across interconnected QPUs with documented 10–30% reductions in EPR-pair consumption versus baseline partitioning.

The company's go-to-market is enterprise B2B sales-led, targeting quantum hardware manufacturers (Pasqal, Quandela, QphoX), data center operators (OVHcloud), HPC facilities, and national quantum communication infrastructure programs (EuroQCI / skQCI in Slovakia). Welinq monetizes through hardware sales of production-ready quantum networking modules, software licensing of the araQne compiler, and contract revenue from joint research and development programs such as the €4M InterQo project and AQADOC consortium with EDF. Pricing is quote-based enterprise sales and not publicly disclosed. The firm has received non-dilutive funding from the European Innovation Council (€2.5M Transition grant), Bpifrance, the Île-de-France Region, and France 2030, alongside a $5M pre-seed round led by Quantonation in January 2023. With 11–50 employees and two commercial product launches completed in 2025–2026, Welinq is at an early commercial stage but is positioned as the neutral-atom quantum networking layer for heterogeneous quantum data centers.

Name

Welinq

Legal name

Welinq

Website

https://welinq.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Welinq builds quantum networking hardware (quantum memories, entangled photon sources) and distributed quantum compiler software that interconnect quantum processors across neutral-atom, photonic, and superconducting modalities into scalable multi-QPU architectures for quantum data centers, HPC facilities, and secure quantum communication networks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Quantum Computing Infrastructure

NAICS

Electronic Connector Manufacturing (334417), Wired and Wireless Telecommunications (except Satellite) (5171)

SIC

Computer Communications Equipment (3576), Communications Equipment, Nec (3669)

akta.pro primary industry

Quantum Interconnects for Distributed Quantum Computing (QNICs & Entanglement Links) (HDAGAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Quantum Transceivers, Modems & Photonic Interfaces (HDAGAFAE), Quantum Repeaters & Entanglement Distribution (HDAGAFAB), Quantum Network Control, Routing & Orchestration (SDN/NFV for Quantum) (HDAGAFAD), Quantum Hardware Abstraction Layers & Backend Interfaces (HDAGACAH)

Keywords

• Quantum networking hardware
• Distributed quantum computing
• Quantum memory systems
• Entangled photon sources
• Quantum interconnect infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Quantum Hardware Sales: Sale of production-ready quantum networking hardware including QDrive quantum memories and entangled photon pair sources. Products are delivered as engineered, production-ready modules to end users for deployment in quantum data centers and communication networks.
2. Software Licensing: Licensing of distributed quantum computing software including the araQne compiler for algorithm partitioning and optimization across networked quantum processors.
3. Research Partnerships and Development Contracts: Joint research and industrial collaborations such as the InterQo project (€4M), AQADOC initiative, and Meet-Q project. Funded by government programs including France 2030, Bpifrance, and European Innovation Council.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Welinq provides the networking infrastructure layer for quantum-augmented data centers, interconnecting quantum processors through hardware products—QDrive neutral-atom quantum memory, Entangled Photon Pair Sources, and the integrated Quantum Link solution—together with the araQne distributed quantum compiler. Its offerings enable entanglement distribution, qubit synchronization, and distributed algorithm execution across heterogeneous QPU modalities (photonic, superconducting, neutral-atom).

Product overview

Welinq offers an end-to-end solution for quantum-augmented data centers, providing the networking infrastructure layer needed to interconnect quantum computers into scalable clusters. The product portfolio consists of three core hardware products — QDrive (world-record neutral-atom quantum memory), the Entangled Photon Pair Source (rack-mounted photonic source with dual-wavelength output), and Quantum Link (integrated end-to-end connectivity combining photonics, quantum memory, and light-qubit interfaces) — plus a Software & Services module featuring the araQne compiler for distributed quantum circuit partitioning and distributed error-correction. Together these form a full-stack, multi-platform quantum networking solution that is natively compatible with photonic, superconducting, and neutral-atom qubit modalities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• QDrive: World-record quantum memory product for quantum data centers with over 90% storage-and-retrieval efficiency
• araQne
• Quantum Link

Products and services

• QDrive Quantum Memory World-record neutral-atom quantum memory module providing on-demand storage and retrieval of quantum information with over 90% efficiency and up to 200 microseconds storage time. Packaged in a 19-inch industrial rack and operating at room temperature, it serves as the entanglement-distribution and quantum-buffer backbone for quantum data centers.
• Entangled Photon Pair Source Rack-mounted entangled photon pair source with narrowband (2–20 MHz linewidth) dual-wavelength output, providing one photon in the telecom C-band for low-loss fiber transmission and one at visible wavelength for coupling with atomic systems. Operates continuously at room temperature and is engineered for integration with QDrive quantum memories and heterogeneous QPU platforms.
• Quantum Link End-to-end quantum connectivity solution integrating quantum photonics, QDrive quantum memory storage, and light-qubit interfaces into a single turnkey product. Provides a high-rate entanglement-generation platform that allows quantum processors to be directly networked and share entanglement, positioned as the quantum Ethernet port for data center environments.
• Software & Services (araQne Compiler and Protocols) Advanced quantum software offering covering the araQne distributed quantum compiler—used to partition large-scale quantum algorithms into subcircuits distributed across multiple interconnected QPUs while minimizing entanglement resource consumption—together with protocols for distributed error correction. Supports use cases in energy, materials simulation, and optimization.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 90% on-demand storage-and-retrieval efficiency for single photons
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, key and supporting.

• OVHcloudcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2026Strategic partnership to develop networked quantum computing architectures and explore future quantum data center designs. Collaboration focuses on connecting quantum computers across different qubit modalities for scalable hybrid quantum-classical computing. Leverages Welinq's clustering technology to enable flexible allocation of computing workloads across different platforms.
• PasqalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 February 2026Expanded strategic collaboration to develop networked quantum computing architectures based on interconnected neutral-atom quantum processors. Includes €4 million InterQo project supported by Île-de-France Region and Bpifrance through France 2030. Both companies develop compatible neutral-atom technologies operating at the same optical wavelengths. Pasqal contributes QPU deployments while Welinq provides quantum networking solutions.
• Meet-Q Consortium (Welinq, QphoX, Sorbonne University)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 October 2025Joint initiative to advance optical quantum interconnects for scalable quantum networking. Combines QphoX's quantum frequency converters and Welinq's quantum memory buffer to bridge the gap between quantum processors and optical quantum network technology. Supported by Quantum Delta NL and BPI France.
• QphoXcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2025Partnership to develop optical quantum interconnects for superconducting quantum computers. QphoX provides quantum transduction technology to convert signals between microwave and optical frequencies, while Welinq supplies quantum interconnection systems and memories. Together they enable connections between different quantum processor modalities.
• QuandelacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 July 2024Partnership to provide custom quantum interconnects for photonic quantum computers. Welinq's state-of-the-art quantum interconnects combined with Quandela's quantum processors support fault-tolerant computing and expansion of comprehensive quantum networks. Addresses the challenge of interconnecting multiple independent photonic QPUs.
• AQADOC Consortium (EDF, Pasqal, Quandela, GENCI, LIP6, Le Lab Quantique, Teratec)keyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2024World-first consortium dedicated to distributed quantum computing focused on energy transition use cases. Led by Welinq and EDF, the project develops new algorithms for energy production and management including battery simulation and optimal energy routing. Supported by Île-de-France Region.
• Sorbonne UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic spin-out origin. Welinq was founded as a spin-off from Sorbonne Université, CNRS, and PSL-University based on research from the Kastler Brossel laboratory.
• CNRScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic spin-out origin. Research collaboration continues with CNRS researchers including Eleni Diamanti as CNRS research director at LIP6 laboratory.
• Collège de FrancekeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration partner in the InterQo project with research group led by Prof. Alexei Ourjoumtsev, expert in quantum optics and strong light-matter interactions.
• Institute of Physics, Slovak Academy of ScienceskeyTechnology or IntegrationCustomer for QDrive quantum memory as part of skQCI project establishing Slovakia's national quantum communication infrastructure within EuroQCI framework.
• ExailsupportingTechnology or IntegrationIndustrial partner providing advanced laser technologies for quantum networking solutions. Supports the industrial foundation for quantum technologies.
• NVIDIAkeyTechnology or IntegrationIntegration partnership where Welinq's araQne compiler works with NVIDIA CUDA-Q platform for distributed quantum computing compilation and GPU-accelerated verification.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• QphoX: Dutch quantum transduction company building microwave-to-optical converters that connect superconducting qubits to optical networks. Welinq and QphoX are co-developing superconducting interconnect solutions (Meet-Q, QphoX partnership announced Feb 2025), making QphoX the closest functional peer in the interconnect stack.
• Nu Quantum: UK-based quantum networking company developing quantum networking hardware including photonics and entanglement-distribution components. Competes with Welinq in selling optical/networking building blocks into the quantum networking and distributed quantum computing stack.
• Aliro Quantum: US-based quantum networking software and orchestration platform focused on entanglement-based networks and the quantum internet. Competes with Welinq's software layer (araQne / Quantum Link orchestration) for the control-plane of multi-node quantum networks.

Broad incumbents

• Pasqal: French neutral-atom quantum computing company and Welinq's core partner. While not a direct competitor (Welinq supplies its interconnect layer), Pasqal represents the broader neutral-atom QPU category and a strategic customer/partner concentrated risk.
• Quandela: French photonic quantum computing company and Welinq partner for photonic interconnect solutions. Comparable as a European deep-tech quantum hardware incumbent and as a customer/partner feeding into Welinq's distributed computing roadmap.
• Quantinuum: US/UK integrated quantum computing company (Honeywell + Cambridge Quantum) operating trapped-ion systems. Broad incumbent that could absorb networking capability internally, representing both a potential customer and a competitive threat for independent interconnect vendors.
• PsiQuantum: US-based photonic quantum computing company pursuing utility-scale fault-tolerant quantum computing. Comparable as a major photonic quantum hardware incumbent whose in-house networking strategy could compete with Welinq's photonic interconnect offerings.
• IBM Quantum: Largest quantum hardware incumbent with a multi-modality roadmap including superconducting processors and inter-module classical/quantum links. Represents both the dominant end-market buyer and a risk of vertical integration that could sideline independent interconnect vendors like Welinq.
• Atom Computing: US-based neutral-atom quantum computing company comparable to Pasqal. While not a direct networking competitor, Atom Computing is a potential customer for neutral-atom interconnect solutions and represents the broader neutral-atom category that validates Welinq's target market.

Emerging players

• Quantum Machines: Israel-based provider of quantum control systems and orchestration hardware (OPX, QUA). Adjacent emerging player in the quantum stack — competes more on classical control than quantum networking but serves the same QPU integrator customer base as Welinq.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors6 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Welinq