What Yaqumo does

Yaqumo Inc. is a Japanese quantum computing hardware startup founded on April 1, 2025 as a spin-off from Kyoto University's Takahashi Laboratory and the Institute for Molecular Science's Ohmori Laboratory. The company is developing scalable, fault-tolerant quantum computers based on the neutral-atom (cold atom) approach, using laser-cooled ytterbium (Yb) atoms as qubits. Its core technical differentiator is a dual-isotope ytterbium system — one isotope serving as computational qubits and another as error-detection qubits — combined with high-precision optical tweezer arrays, ultrafast quantum entanglement generation via pulsed lasers, moving optical tweezers for flexible qubit connectivity, and hardware-software co-design for fast clock rates. The architecture is designed to scale from thousands to tens of thousands of qubits by increasing laser power without proportionally increasing control complexity, with a full-stack system targeted by end of 2025 and a fault-tolerant quantum computing (FTQC) prototype targeted for fiscal year 2027.

Yaqumo is pre-revenue. Its anticipated business model centers on the sale of quantum computer systems, integrated platforms, and related hardware to research institutions, government agencies, and enterprise customers in pharmaceutical/life sciences, materials science/chemistry, and financial services. A secondary revenue stream is expected from R&D collaboration services, co-development agreements, and research partnerships with academic and enterprise partners. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales supplemented by event-driven engagement (e.g., ASEAN Quantum Summit 2025 keynote, Global Startup EXPO 2025) and bilateral government cooperation frameworks with Singapore, India, and Denmark. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and will be set through custom enterprise engagements based on system specifications and qubit count.

The company is led by CEO Kazuhiro Nakashoji (formerly EIR at Kyoto University Innovation Capital and Director at Dream Incubator), CTO Yuma Nakamura (Ph.D. Kyoto University), and CSO Takafumi Tomita (Ph.D. Kyoto University; formerly Assistant Professor at IMS), with executive advisors Professor Yoshiro Takahashi (Kyoto University) and Professor Kenji Ohmori (IMS), both APS Fellows. Yaqumo has raised approximately ¥700M plus $4.4M USD across seed rounds from Beyond Next Ventures, Kyoto University Innovation Capital, ANRI, Quantonation II FPCI, and Alumni Ventures, and has been accepted into NEDO's large-scale quantum computing industrialization subsidy program. Strategic technology and academic partners include Entropica Labs, QC Design, IISc Bengaluru, NKT Photonics, and Hamamatsu Photonics.

Name

Yaqumo

Legal name

Yaqumo Inc.

Website

https://yaqumo.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Yaqumo is a Japanese quantum computing startup developing scalable neutral-atom quantum computers using ytterbium atoms, spun out of Kyoto University and the Institute for Molecular Science. It targets pharmaceutical, materials science, financial, and research customers with fault-tolerant systems targeted for 2027.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Quantum Computing Hardware

NAICS

Research and Development in Nanotechnology (541713)

SIC

Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)

akta.pro primary industry

Quantum Control, Cryogenics & Measurement Research (HDAGAMAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Quantum Error Correction, Fault Tolerance & Quantum Information Theory (HDAGAMAD), Fault-Tolerant Architectures & Resource Estimation (overhead, layout, scheduling) (HDAGAJAF), Noise Modeling, Characterization & Calibration-Aware Tooling (HDAGAKAG)

Keywords

• Neutral atom quantum computing
• Quantum hardware systems
• Fault tolerant quantum computers
• Cold atom qubit technology
• Quantum error correction

Headquarters

HQ city

Marunouchi

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

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. Quantum Computing Hardware Systems: Yaqumo is a pre-revenue deep-tech startup developing quantum computing hardware. Revenue will be generated from the sale of quantum computer systems, integrated quantum computing platforms, and related hardware to research institutions, government labs, and enterprise customers. The company targets commercialization of practical fault-tolerant quantum computers for industrial applications in materials science, pharmaceuticals, and finance.
2. Quantum Computing Services & R&D Partnerships: Yaqumo provides R&D collaboration services, co-development agreements, and research partnerships with enterprises and academic institutions, potentially generating professional services and licensing revenue as the technology matures.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Yaqumo develops scalable, fault-tolerant quantum computers based on the cold (neutral) atom approach using laser-cooled ytterbium (Yb) atoms as qubits. The system combines high-precision optical tweezer arrays, ultrafast quantum entanglement generation via pulsed lasers, and a dual-isotope ytterbium qubit architecture enabling computational and error-detection qubits. The company also engages in R&D collaboration services and co-development partnerships with research institutions and industrial partners.

Product overview

Yaqumo Inc. is a Japanese quantum technology startup offering a single unified product: a scalable neutral-atom (cold atom) quantum computer. The system uses laser-cooled ytterbium atoms as qubits, combining high-precision optical tweezer arrays, ultrafast pulsed-laser quantum entanglement generation, and integrated system architecture for control. Yaqumo's quantum computer is under active development, with a full-stack system targeted for operation by end of 2025 and a fault-tolerant quantum computing (FTQC) prototype targeted for 2027. The company also adopts QC Design's Plaquette design-automation platform internally to support architecture evaluation and optimization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Yaqumo Neutral-Atom Quantum Computer A scalable quantum computing system based on the cold (neutral) atom approach, using laser-cooled ytterbium (Yb) atoms as qubits. The architecture leverages two ytterbium isotopes (one for computational qubits and one for error-detection qubits), high-precision optical tweezer arrays for qubit preparation, and ultrafast quantum entanglement generation via pulsed lasers. Scalable to thousands to tens of thousands of qubits by increasing laser power, with long coherence times reducing computational errors. Targeted at research institutions, government agencies, and enterprises in materials science, pharmaceuticals, and finance.
• R&D Collaboration and Co-Development Services R&D collaboration, co-development, and research partnership services with enterprises and academic institutions for quantum hardware and software co-design, including integration of design automation platforms and photonic systems for cold-atom quantum computing industrialization. For research institutions, government agencies, and technology companies in the quantum ecosystem.

Quantifiable outcome

• Qubit scalability from thousands to tens of thousands achievable by increasing laser power
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• NKT PhotonicscoreTechnology or Integration · 3 June 2026Yaqumo, NKT Photonics (Denmark), and Hamamatsu Photonics signed a trilateral MOU on advanced optical systems for quantum computing industrialization. The MOU aims to pursue joint R&D, industrialization of optical modules for cold-atom quantum computing, and global supply chain establishment. Signed in the presence of METI and the Danish Ambassador, aligned with the Japan-Denmark bilateral quantum cooperation MOU.
• Hamamatsu PhotonicscoreTechnology or Integration · 3 June 2026Yaqumo, NKT Photonics, and Hamamatsu Photonics signed a trilateral MOU on advanced optical systems for quantum computing industrialization. Hamamatsu Photonics contributes ultra-high-sensitivity single-photon detection and imaging technologies, while Yaqumo provides quantum computing hardware architecture, aiming to build integrated optical modules and global supply chains for cold-atom quantum computers.
• Indian Institute of Science (IISc)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2026Yaqumo and IISc Bengaluru signed a Letter of Intent for strategic R&D collaboration in quantum technologies, aligned with the India-Japan Digital Partnership 2.0 and bilateral quantum Letter of Intent signed May 4, 2026. The collaboration will focus on validating Yaqumo's neutral-atom quantum hardware using IISc's research laboratories and cleanrooms as testbeds under India's National Quantum Mission, spanning quantum hardware, photonics, quantum software, and systems engineering.
• QC DesigncoreTechnology or Integration · 6 February 2026Yaqumo adopted QC Design's quantum design automation platform 'Plaquette' to accelerate fault-tolerant neutral-atom quantum computer development. Plaquette models 20+ types of real-world hardware imperfections, enabling Yaqumo to quantitatively evaluate and refine its neutral-atom qubit architecture as it scales toward large fault-tolerant systems.
• Entropica LabsflagshipTechnology or Integration · 9 January 2026Yaqumo and Singapore-based quantum software firm Entropica Labs signed a non-binding MOU witnessed by Singapore and Japan government representatives. The partnership aims to co-design hardware-aware transpilation and optimization technologies tailored to cold-atom quantum computers, integrating Yaqumo's scalable cold-atom architecture with Entropica Labs' fault-tolerant quantum error correction software. Aligned with the Japan-Singapore bilateral Memorandum of Cooperation on quantum science and technology.
• Kyoto University (Takahashi Laboratory)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerYaqumo was co-founded by members of Kyoto University's Takahashi Laboratory, a world-leading research group in cold atom physics that pioneered laser cooling of ytterbium atoms. The partnership provides foundational technology for quantum computation using two ytterbium isotopes for computational and error-detection qubits.
• Institute for Molecular Science (IMS)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerYaqumo was co-founded by members of IMS's Ohmori Laboratory, a global leader in quantum computer R&D. IMS provides foundational technologies including high-precision optical tweezer arrays, ultrafast quantum entanglement generation using pulsed lasers, and system architecture design for integrated quantum computers.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• QuEra Computing: US-based neutral-atom quantum computing company, backed by Google and SoftBank, focused on scalable fault-tolerant quantum computers using similar optical-tweezer architectures. Most directly comparable peer given shared modality and target use cases.
• Atom Computing: US-based neutral-atom quantum computing startup using optically-trapped neutral atoms (strontium) for fault-tolerant systems. Direct competitor in the same modality with $100M+ raised and Microsoft partnership.
• Pasqal: France-based neutral-atom quantum computing company (€140M+ raised) using arrays of neutral atoms held by optical tweezers. Closest European peer and most relevant comparison given Yaqumo's Quantonation investor relationship and Japanese-European partnership focus.

Emerging players

• PsiQuantum: Well-capitalized photonic quantum computing startup ($700M+ raised, backed by BlackRock and Microsoft) pursuing fault-tolerant systems via silicon photonics. Different modality but comparable FTQC ambitions and stage of industrialization.
• Xanadu Quantum Technologies: Canadian photonic quantum computing company pursuing fault-tolerant quantum computing with squeezed-light-based systems. Comparable in being a non-superconducting, non-trapped-ion modality pursuing FTQC, with similar enterprise application focus.

Broad incumbents

• Quantinuum: US/UK trapped-ion quantum computing leader (Honeywell/Cambridge Quantum merger, $300M+ raised), pursuing fault-tolerant quantum computing with H-series systems. Comparable FTQC roadmap but different qubit modality.
• Google Quantum AI: Industry leader in superconducting quantum computing (Sycamore, Willow chip demonstrating below-threshold error correction); the deepest-pocketed competitor pursuing fault-tolerant quantum computing that Yaqumo's neutral-atom approach aims to compete with.
• IBM Quantum: Industry incumbent in superconducting quantum computing with Condor/Heron processors and the largest installed enterprise base. Comparable in FTQC roadmap and target use cases (drug discovery, materials, finance) though different modality.

Others

• IonQ:
• QC Design: Software/design-automation partner for Yaqumo (Plaquette platform). Enables hardware-aware FTQC architecture evaluation across neutral-atom, superconducting, and trapped-ion modalities; provides comparable context on Yaqumo's design choices.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 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 Yaqumo