What FrostByte does

FrostByte is a private Dutch deep-tech company founded in 2021 as a spin-off from TU Delft and QuTech, headquartered in Delft, Netherlands, with a 1–10 employee headcount. The company designs and develops cryogenically operated Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) fabricated in CMOS technology — together with cryogenic RF switches and integrated controllers — that operate inside dilution refrigerators at millikelvin temperatures. The core problem it addresses is the wiring and heat-generation bottleneck that currently constrains scaling of quantum processors: today, room-temperature electronics must be used to bias, read out and control each qubit, and this approach becomes prohibitively expensive and complex as systems grow toward millions of qubits. By moving control electronics into the cryogenic environment, FrostByte's cryo-CMOS architecture aims to make quantum computers more compact, energy-efficient, and scalable.

The product portfolio comprises four prototype-stage offerings: general cryo-CMOS circuits and systems, cryogenic RF switches, a wideband frequency-multiplexed controller for spin qubits and transmons, and a class-DE driver controller for diamond color-center quantum computers. FrostByte pursues a dual revenue model — selling cryo-CMOS hardware to full-stack quantum computing vendors and licensing topological qubit processors to cloud quantum-computing providers, a model it explicitly compares to NVIDIA's AI chip licensing strategy. Customer segments targeted are full-stack quantum hardware vendors, cloud quantum-computing service providers, and quantum research institutions.

FrostByte operates a B2B enterprise field-sales motion targeting the global quantum industry directly, with no public pricing disclosed and contracts structured as bespoke enterprise agreements. The company closed a €1.3 million pre-seed round on 2026-05-08 led by Graduate Ventures with UNIIQ, InnovationQuarter, Paeonia Group, and an undisclosed angel investor; stated use of funds is to advance cryogenic RF switches toward manufacturable cryo-electronics, expand the team, and develop integrated cryo-CMOS chips. Scientific advisors Fabio Sebastiano and Masoud Babaie, both from QuTech, anchor the company's technical credibility.

Name

FrostByte

Legal name

FrostByte

Website

https://frostbyte.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

FrostByte is a Dutch deep-tech spin-off from TU Delft and QuTech that develops cryogenic CMOS ASICs and RF switches to solve the wiring and heat bottleneck in scaling quantum computing systems, serving quantum hardware vendors, cloud providers, and research institutions globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Quantum Computing Hardware

NAICS

Semiconductor and Related Device Manufacturing (334413), Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (3344)

SIC

Semiconductors & Related Devices (3674)

akta.pro primary industry

Cryogenic Packaging, Enclosures & Thermal Interfaces (Sample Holders, PCBs, Connectors) (HDAGABAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cryogenic Wiring, Interconnects & RF Cabling (HDAGABAE), Microwave/RF Signal Generation, Up/Downconversion & LO Chains (HDAGABAG)

Keywords

• Cryogenic CMOS ASICs
• Quantum control electronics
• Cryogenic RF switches
• Quantum computing hardware
• Millikelvin electronics

Headquarters

HQ city

Delft

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations

Revenue model

1. Topological Qubit Processor Licensing: FrostByte builds topological qubit processors and licenses them to cloud providers, similar to NVIDIA's business model for AI chips. This represents a hardware licensing/royalty revenue stream targeting quantum computing cloud infrastructure providers.
2. Cryo-CMOS Hardware Sales: Sale of cryo-CMOS chips and cryogenic switches as manufacturable hardware products for the global quantum industry. The company develops integrated cryo-CMOS chips for next-generation quantum systems.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

FrostByte develops cryogenically operated application-specific integrated circuits in CMOS technology (Cryo-CMOS) that integrate quantum control electronics directly into the cryostat. The company's chips replace racks of room-temperature control hardware with single-millimeter silicon, solving the cabling and heat-load bottleneck that limits scaling of quantum processors.

Product overview

FrostByte offers a portfolio of cryogenic control electronics products for quantum computing systems. The core product line consists of Cryo-CMOS ASICs and Cryogenic RF Switches, which are integrated circuit solutions designed to operate inside dilution refrigerators at cryogenic temperatures, addressing the fundamental infrastructure challenge of scaling quantum systems by reducing cabling complexity and heat generation. Supporting products include the Wideband Frequency-Multiplexed Cryo-CMOS Controller (for spin qubits and transmons) and the Cryo-CMOS Controller with Class-DE Driver (for diamond-based quantum computers). These products work together as a cryogenic control stack, enabling quantum processors to be controlled closer to the quantum hardware rather than from room temperature.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cryo-CMOS ASICs Cryogenically operated CMOS application-specific integrated circuits that integrate quantum control and readout electronics, replacing racks of room-temperature hardware with single-millimeter silicon dies placed inside the cryostat.
• Cryogenic RF Switches Cryogenic RF switch components for routing qubit control and readout signals inside the cryogenic environment of quantum processors, reducing the number of physical cables and room-temperature connections required.
• Wideband Frequency-Multiplexed Cryo-CMOS Controller
• Cryo-CMOS Controller with Class-DE Driver

Quantifiable outcome

• Operates at 1 Kelvin vs competitors requiring near-absolute-zero temperatures
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• TU Delft and QuTechcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrostByte is a spin-off from TU Delft and QuTech, building on over ten years of research. Scientific advisors Fabio Sebastiano and Masoud Babaie are from these institutions. The company leverages the academic research foundation to develop commercial products.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Qblox: Dutch-based (Delft) quantum control electronics provider offering modular control stacks for superconducting and spin qubits. Most directly comparable peer: same geography, same customer base (quantum hardware vendors), overlapping product category of qubit control electronics.
• Delft Circuits: Dutch spin-off specializing in cryogenic wiring and interconnects (Cri/oFlex) for quantum computers. Comparable as a Delft-based cryogenic hardware provider solving the same wiring/scaling problem, though focused on cabling rather than integrated ASICs.
• Quantum Machines: Israeli company providing quantum control hardware and orchestration software (OPX, QUA) widely adopted across quantum labs. Comparable as a direct competitor in the quantum control electronics stack that FrostByte's cryo-CMOS ASICs are designed to replace or complement.
• Zurich Instruments: Swiss manufacturer of quantum control electronics (SHF, HDAWG, PQ boxes) serving superconducting and spin qubit labs. Direct peer in RF signal generation and qubit control, with established customer relationships in the same quantum research and commercial labs that FrostByte targets.

Emerging players

• Imec: Belgian nanoelectronics R&D center with active cryo-CMOS research programs and quantum chip fabrication capabilities. Comparable as an emerging player with strong cryo-CMOS IP and foundry access; potential collaboration partner or competitor depending on commercialization direction.

Broad incumbents

• Microsoft Azure Quantum: Microsoft is the leading commercial proponent of topological qubits via its Azure Quantum program. Comparable as a potential customer for FrostByte's topological qubit licensing model, but also a competitor if Microsoft continues to pursue internal qubit development.
• Bluefors Oy: Finnish manufacturer of dilution refrigerators and cryogenic measurement systems serving the quantum industry. Comparable as a critical cryogenic-infrastructure vendor in the same ecosystem; while Bluefors focuses on the refrigerator platform and FrostByte on the in-fridge ASICs, the two are complementary and often co-sold.
• Intel Corporation: Intel has an active quantum computing program (Intel Quantum) including research on cryo-CMOS control electronics and silicon spin qubits. A broad incumbent with internal cryo-CMOS efforts that compete directly with FrostByte's value proposition, plus the resources to vertically integrate.
• IBM Quantum: IBM operates one of the largest superconducting quantum programs and has internal cryogenic control development. A broad incumbent customer of, and competitor to, third-party cryo-control vendors like FrostByte, with the scale to absorb cryo-CMOS development in-house.

Others

• Q-CTRL: Australian quantum control software company (Fire Opal, Black Opal) used alongside hardware control stacks from Qblox, Quantum Machines, and Zurich Instruments. Adjacent ecosystem player — not a direct competitor, but its software could either complement FrostByte's hardware or be packaged by incumbents to add stickiness.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/frostbytecryoelectronics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors5 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 FrostByte