Beyond the Qubit

Frank Dekker
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The nr1 Quantum Technology podcast for investors.

  1. 5d ago

    Before Raising €50M, What Must a Quantum Scale-Up Prove?

    Before a quantum scale-up raises its next €50 million, one question matters: what exactly needs to become true with that money? In Part 1 of my Beyond the Qubit conversation with Yvonne Greeuw from Invest-NL, we discuss how investors evaluate deep-tech companies beyond the technology itself. Yvonne explains how they think about investment theses, key milestones, commercial validation, and the progress a company needs to make before its next financing round. One idea stood out: do not blindly optimize for KPIs. A company can hit its targets and still be working on the wrong things. For quantum computing startups, the critical milestone might be proving manufacturability, securing a reference customer, or showing that a technology can solve a meaningful problem for end users. We also explore the Dutch quantum ecosystem, different quantum computing modalities, the transition from research to commercial products, and what investors look for as companies mature. For founders and investors, the challenge is not simply to measure progress. It is to identify which achievements will materially strengthen the investment case. 💡 In this episode, we cover: How Invest-NL evaluates deep-tech investment opportunities Why a strong investment thesis starts with identifying the real bottleneck What value inflection points mean for a company's next funding round Why founders should not optimize blindly for KPIs How quantum startups can move from technical progress to commercial validation Why qubit counts alone do not tell the full story How different quantum computing modalities affect investment decisions What changes when a startup moves from early-stage funding toward Series A and Series B Why investor conversations should focus on the risks that need to be removed How to think about the next €50 million as a set of milestones, not just more runway Chapters 00:00 - Meet Yvonne Greeuw from Invest-NL 02:00 - What Invest-NL does and how it evaluates companies 04:00 - Building an investment thesis around the real bottleneck 06:00 - Evaluating technology and the opportunity it creates 08:00 - Testing assumptions and validating the investment case 10:00 - The role of people, communication, and alignment 14:00 - Keeping founders and stakeholders aligned as things change 16:00 - When a company's original investment thesis needs to change 18:00 - Strengthening the investment thesis with evidence 20:00 - Invest-NL and the Dutch quantum ecosystem 24:00 - Building the quantum ecosystem around startups 26:00 - Evaluating different quantum computing modalities 29:00 - Learning from experts and market analysis 31:00 - Moving from research progress toward end-user relevance 34:00 - What changes as a company approaches Series B 36:00 - Technical challenges and the path toward useful quantum systems 38:00 - Quantum hardware, infrastructure, and scaling challenges 41:00 - What creates a durable competitive advantage 44:00 - Common mistakes founders make when speaking to investors 46:00 - Pitching as a commercial strategy 48:00 - Why rejection does not always mean the company is wrong 50:00 - Defining milestones across technology, commercial progress, and team 51:00 - Why founders should not blindly optimize for KPIs 52:00 - Preparing a company for institutional investment If you work in quantum computing, deep tech, or venture capital, share this episode with someone thinking about how to turn technical progress into a stronger investment case. Subscribe to Beyond the Qubit for more conversations about the technologies, companies, and investment decisions shaping the quantum industry. Disclaimer: This post is shared on a personal basis. I do not represent any company. This is not investment advice.

  2. Oct 23

    Qifrost’s Hidden Moat: Why Cold Data Could Lock In Quantum Customers

    What could make a cryo-CMOS company difficult to replace, even if a competitor develops a technically better chip? In Part 2 of my Beyond the Qubit conversation with Eric W. Cao, Co-Founder and CEO of Qifrost, we explore what could separate the winners in the growing cryo-CMOS market. Beyond intellectual property and chip performance, the discussion turns to execution, hard-to-find engineering talent, customer qualification, and the challenge of getting cryogenic control technology out of the lab and into real quantum systems. We also discuss why the next 24 months could be important for identifying the leaders in cryogenic control electronics, how different quantum computing architectures shape demand, and what commercial progress might look like. For investors, the key question is whether a company can turn technical expertise into a solution that customers can deploy, trust, and keep using. 💡 In this episode, we cover: Why cryo-CMOS could become essential to scaling quantum computers What may differentiate Qifrost from foundries, instrument companies, and other competitors Why cryo-CMOS engineering talent is so difficult to find Why laboratory results are not enough to prove a commercial solution How quantum computing architectures influence cryogenic control requirements Why the next 24 months could reveal early market leaders The role of 4K electronics, multiplexing, packaging, and reducing fridge cabling Why engineering contracts, design agreements, and commercial milestones matter What investors should look for when evaluating progress in quantum hardware infrastructure Chapters 00:00 - Why Qifrost could win in cryo-CMOS 02:00 - The shortage of cryo-CMOS engineering talent 04:00 - What separates Qifrost from potential competitors 08:00 - Why lab validation is not enough 10:00 - Different technologies and the cryo-CMOS opportunity 12:00 - Which quantum computing architectures need cryo-CMOS 14:00 - Why market leaders could emerge in the next 24 months 16:00 - Multiplexing and scaling quantum control 18:00 - Platform agnostic technology and quantum modalities 20:00 - Quantum benchmarking and industry validation 22:00 - What the 4K control layer can do 24:00 - Hybrid bonding, packaging, and integration 25:00 - Why engineering contracts matter to investors 27:00 - What it takes to become a market leader 32:00 - Commercial milestones and proving progress 34:00 - Reducing cabling without sacrificing qubit fidelity If you follow quantum computing, cryo-CMOS, or deep-tech investing, share this episode with someone who would find it useful. Subscribe to Beyond the Qubit for more conversations about the companies, technologies, and business models shaping the quantum industry. Disclaimer: This post is shared on a personal basis. I do not represent any company. This is not investment advice.

  3. Oct 16

    The Cryo-CMOS Race May Be Decided Before 2030

    The cryo-CMOS market may still look early. But the leaders may already be starting to emerge. In this episode, I explore my biggest takeaways from my Beyond the Qubit interview with Eric W. Cao, Co-Founder and CEO of Qifrost. Eric believes the scaling bottleneck that cryo-CMOS aims to solve could become critical around 2030, give or take a couple of years. But companies cannot wait until then to prepare. The next 24 months could be when the leaders begin to separate themselves from the rest of the market. This episode is for investors, founders, and anyone trying to understand where value may emerge in the quantum hardware supply chain. Cryo-CMOS aims to address the scaling challenges of controlling quantum processors at cryogenic temperatures. But laboratory validation is only the first step. The next challenge is proving that the technology works inside commercial quantum processing units, alongside real architectures and roadmaps. That is what makes Qifrost interesting. The progression is clear: laboratory validation, commercial validation, standardization, and eventually mass manufacturing. The race may not be won by the company with the most impressive laboratory demonstration, but by the one that integrates its technology with commercial quantum hardware first. 💡 In this episode, we cover: Why cryo-CMOS could become a critical quantum scaling technology Why the next 24 months may help determine the market leaders How cryogenic control electronics could reduce wiring complexity Why laboratory validation is no longer enough How commercial validation differs from proving technology in the lab Why co-development with quantum processor companies matters How standardization and mass manufacturing fit into the roadmap What investors should watch as Qifrost moves toward commercial adoption Chapters 00:00 Why Qifrost matters for quantum investors 01:00 Why existing quantum control infrastructure will not scale 02:30 Why the next 24 months matter for cryo-CMOS 04:30 From laboratory validation to commercial validation 11:00 The physical scaling bottleneck in quantum hardware 36:30 Why cryo-CMOS is a strategic opportunity 43:00 Why commercial execution matters more than the technology alone 65:30 Building relationships with quantum hardware developers 72:30 What it takes to prove cryo-CMOS commercially Share this episode with someone investing in or building in quantum, and subscribe or follow Beyond the Qubit for more conversations on quantum technology, markets, and investing. 📌 Disclaimer:This is not investment advice.This post is shared on a personal basis and I do not represent any company.

  4. Oct 16

    Why the tile may be the real scaling unit in quantum

    The most important scaling unit in quantum may not be the qubit. It may be the tile. In this episode, I continue my conversation with James, CEO of Quantum Motion, to explore why the company’s tile architecture could change how investors think about quantum scaling. Most quantum discussions start with qubit count. But the semiconductor industry taught us a different lesson: scaling happens when you prove the repeating building block and then replicate it. That is the idea behind Quantum Motion’s tile architecture. A tile is not just a place where qubits sit. It is designed as a functional unit containing the key ingredients needed for a scalable architecture: shuttling, readout, single-qubit operations, and interfaces for interactions between neighbouring tiles. This episode is for investors, founders, and anyone trying to understand why manufacturability may matter more than impressive qubit numbers. The question is not only whether Quantum Motion can make more qubits. It is whether they can prove a manufacturable tile that can be repeated at scale. Because if the tile works, the scaling problem changes. It moves from invention risk toward replication risk. 💡 In this episode, we cover: Why the tile may be more important than raw qubit count How semiconductor scaling principles apply to quantum computing Why a repeatable building block changes the scaling challenge What Quantum Motion’s tile architecture contains Why manufacturing yield and control are critical How shuttling and readout fit into the architecture Why the TV pixel analogy helps explain quantum scaling What investors should watch beyond qubit numbers Chapters 00:00 Why qubit count may not be the right metric 00:41 Manufacturing yield as a key KPI 02:37 Why control is the real bottleneck 05:26 The quantum tile architecture explained 17:12 The TV pixel analogy for quantum scaling 27:32 Shuttling, readout and the functional tile 31:00 Why replication could change the scaling equation Share this episode with someone investing in or building in quantum, and subscribe or follow Beyond the Qubit for more conversations on quantum technology, markets, and investing. 📌 Disclaimer:This is not investment advice.This post is shared on a personal basis and I do not represent any company.

  5. Oct 2

    Can spin qubits turn semiconductor manufacturing into a quantum advantage?

    The real spin-qubit question is not: Can you make one? It is: Can you control millions? In this episode, I explore my biggest takeaways from my Beyond the Qubit interview with James, CEO of Quantum Motion. Spin qubits have one of the most interesting scaling stories in quantum because they build on something the semiconductor industry already understands: CMOS manufacturing. But CMOS does not make quantum easy. It changes where the hard problem sits. Instead of removing complexity, spin qubits move the challenge toward control, tuning, automation, and manufacturing. A single electron spin can hold quantum information, but scaling that into a useful quantum computer means controlling millions of slightly different qubits with high precision. This episode is for investors, founders, and anyone trying to understand why semiconductor-style manufacturing could matter in quantum. Quantum Motion’s approach is built around making qubits fit the factory from day one. The question is not only whether spin qubits work. It is whether they can become manufactured systems. Density creates the opportunity. Control determines whether it becomes a computer. 💡 In this episode, we cover: Why spin qubits are attractive from a semiconductor perspective How CMOS manufacturing changes the quantum scaling challenge Why millions of qubits create a control problem Why manufacturing discipline matters for quantum computers How automation and scalable readout become critical Why Quantum Motion started with a 300mm CMOS approach Why density alone does not create a useful quantum computer What investors should watch in spin-qubit platforms Chapters 00:00 Why Quantum Motion and spin qubits matter 01:12 Why CMOS is the foundation of the strategy 03:18 Why semiconductor manufacturing creates an advantage 05:10 The challenge of manufacturing quantum devices 11:12 Why controlling millions of qubits is the real problem 12:17 Why scalable readout matters 17:34 Why yield and automation determine success 27:34 Why 300mm CMOS matters for quantum scaling 31:28 From individual qubits to scalable systems Share this episode with someone investing in or building in quantum, and subscribe or follow Beyond the Qubit for more conversations on quantum technology, markets, and investing. 📌 Disclaimer:This is not investment advice.This post is shared on a personal basis and I do not represent any company.

  6. Sep 25

    When quantum technology works, the real problems begin

    The quantum technology worked. Then the real problems started. In this episode, I continue my conversation with Ingrid Romijn from Falqon® Systems to explore what happens when deep tech moves from demonstration into real-world deployment. One of my biggest takeaways was that the hardest problems often appear after the technology works. For Falqon®, the challenge was no longer simply whether quantum key distribution works. The challenge became integration: how do you connect quantum security technology with existing infrastructure, telecom networks, fibre providers, and customer security systems? This episode is for investors, founders, and anyone trying to understand how deep-tech companies move from technology development to commercial adoption. Real customers create real constraints. Government deployments push reliability requirements. Telecom customers push deployability. Enterprise users demand visibility into performance and operations. That customer feedback loop is where companies mature. The strategic question is not only whether a technology works. It is: How quickly can each customer make the next deployment easier? 💡 In this episode, we cover: Why real-world deployment creates new bottlenecks after the technology works What Falqon® Systems learned from customer deployments How the Port of Rotterdam exposed integration challenges Why quantum security needs to work with existing infrastructure How customer requirements shaped the Quantum Domain Controller Why telecom customers care about deployability and operations Why early customers become part of the innovation engine How field experience can become a long-term competitive advantage Chapters 00:00 Why deployment creates new challenges 01:27 The Port of Rotterdam customer lesson 02:50 Integrating quantum keys into existing infrastructure 12:16 Learning from early customer deployments 15:13 Building the Quantum Domain Controller 31:13 What customers need to trust the system 34:00 Why customer feedback creates a competitive moat Share this episode with someone investing in or building in quantum, and subscribe or follow Beyond the Qubit for more conversations on quantum technology, markets, and investing. 📌 Disclaimer:This is not investment advice.This post is shared on a personal basis and I do not represent any company.

  7. Sep 25

    Who Controls Europe’s Quantum Security Layer?

    Europe is focused on which cryptography to use. But the bigger question may be: Who controls it? In this episode, I explore my biggest takeaways from my conversation with Ingrid Romijn of Falqon® Systems and why post-quantum security is not only a cryptography question. Moving from vulnerable cryptography to quantum-safe solutions does not automatically create technological sovereignty. The question is also who controls the implementation, key management, orchestration, and security infrastructure around it. This episode is for investors, founders, and anyone trying to understand the emerging quantum security market. Ingrid explains why the future may not be about choosing only one technology. A layered approach combining post-quantum cryptography, QKD where appropriate, and existing security infrastructure may become the more realistic path. That creates a new strategic layer: the control plane. As quantum security becomes more complex, the companies that can manage and orchestrate different technologies may become just as important as the companies building individual components. The investor question is not only: Who creates the cryptography? It is also: Who controls how the entire security stack works together? 💡 In this episode, we cover: Why quantum security is also a sovereignty question Why adopting post-quantum cryptography does not automatically remove dependencies How PQC, QKD, and existing cryptography can work together Why key management and orchestration could become strategic layers How Falqon® Systems is moving beyond QKD hardware Why control planes may become valuable in quantum security The role of European technology independence Where investors should look for value in the quantum security stack Chapters 00:00 Why quantum security is a sovereignty question 02:08 Why Europe matters in the quantum security landscape 04:28 Building infrastructure for quantum-safe communications 08:20 Why Falqon moved beyond QKD hardware 09:08 Combining QKD, PQC, and PKI 11:41 Why the control plane matters 18:13 The future of quantum key management 29:10 Why orchestration may become the strategic layer Share this episode with someone investing in or building in quantum, and subscribe or follow Beyond the Qubit for more conversations on quantum technology, markets, and investing. 📌 Disclaimer:This is not investment advice.This post is shared on a personal basis and I do not represent any company.

  8. Sep 11

    Why transduction could become the control point of quantum networking

    Transduction is “everybody’s problem and nobody’s problem.” That line from Vijoy Pandey, SVP/GM of Outshift by Cisco, stayed with me after Part 2 of my Beyond the Qubit interview because it points to one of the most important value layers in quantum. In this episode, I explore why connecting quantum computers may become just as important as building them. In classical networking, information can be inspected, routed, and forwarded. Quantum information is different. If you inspect the quantum state, you risk destroying the information you are trying to preserve. This episode is for investors, founders, and anyone trying to understand the infrastructure that quantum computing will need to scale. The challenge is not only building better qubits. It is creating the interfaces, switches, and protocols that allow different quantum systems to communicate. That is where transduction becomes strategically important. It is the translation layer between quantum computers and quantum networks. Without it, the industry risks creating isolated compute islands where every system speaks its own language. Cisco’s approach is interesting because it is not built around betting on one winning quantum modality. Instead, the focus is on building a network layer that can connect different architectures. If quantum becomes a distributed computing platform, the companies controlling the interfaces and connectivity layers could become important control points. 💡 In this episode, we cover: Why quantum networks cannot copy classical internet architecture Why transduction is the interface problem between quantum computers and networks How quantum switches differ from classical switches Why different quantum modalities create a connectivity challenge How Cisco’s universal quantum switch approaches translation between encodings Why ecosystem collaboration matters for quantum networking Why the network layer could become a valuable control point What investors should watch as quantum infrastructure develops Chapters 00:00 Why transduction matters in quantum networking 01:35 Why quantum needs a network layer 02:39 The NIC card analogy for quantum 03:24 Why transduction is harder than classical networking 04:51 Why quantum networks cannot inspect information 07:05 Building a universal quantum switch 08:45 Translating different quantum encodings 10:48 Why ecosystem collaboration matters 12:47 Keeping the network simple and complexity at the edge 14:48 Why transduction could become a strategic control point Share this episode with someone investing in or building in quantum, and subscribe or follow Beyond the Qubit for more conversations on quantum technology, markets, and investing. 📌 Disclaimer:This is not investment advice.This post is shared on a personal basis and I do not represent any company.

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About

The nr1 Quantum Technology podcast for investors.

Information

  • Creator
    Frank Dekker
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    89
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Frank Dekker
  • Show Website
    Beyond the Qubit