$2 billion flowed into quantum computing across 23 VC deals in Q2, a record haul that made up about one-third of all chips-and-datacenters funding, PitchBook said.
Quantinuum's IPO drove most of the sector's $19 billion in exit value, while Oxford Quantum Circuits raised a £260 million Series C and hardware startup Miraex was acquired in June.
The surge came as overall chips-and-datacenters investment fell for a second straight quarter to $6.6 billion across 133 deals, with semiconductor design startups dropping to $1.7 billion—the weakest since Q1 2025.
Investors are still backing AI infrastructure that can ease compute shortages, with Anthropic signing $35 billion and $45 billion capacity deals and TensorWave raising a $350 million Series B.
With AI chip funding cooling, is the record $2 billion quantum surge a genuine breakthrough or just a desperate search for compute alternatives?
Why are hyperscalers suddenly pouring billions into quantum hardware while traditional semiconductor design startups face their worst quarter since early 2025?
As quantum startups promise fault-tolerant systems by 2028, will these massive financial bets revolutionize technology or become the decade's biggest stranded assets?