Firgun backs Quantum Elements in quantum software bet

Firgun Ventures has invested in Quantum Elements, a Los Angeles start-up behind Constellation, a quantum software platform. The deal marks another step for the recently launched British fund, which targets early growth-stage quantum technology companies.

Firgun backed Quantum Elements' software for quantum application development. Quantum Elements describes Constellation as an AI-powered system that models quantum hardware and simulates circuit behaviour before running on physical processors.

Software focus

Quantum computing remains constrained by limited machine access, high costs and technical challenges such as error rates and system stability. Software and tooling companies are increasingly pitching ways to reduce the time engineers spend waiting for machine access and to cut the number of experiments run directly on hardware.

Quantum Elements positions Constellation as a blend of AI-driven digital twins and hardware-aware simulation, enabling researchers and businesses to design, test and refine quantum circuits before executing them on processors. It also presents the platform as a way to lower costs and reduce risk in early-stage quantum projects.

The start-up launched its cloud platform in October 2025 and has since reported early commercial traction. It also points to partnerships and collaborations across the quantum ecosystem.

Quantum Elements lists Rigetti, IBM, Quantum Machines and AWS among its partners, and cites research collaborations with the National University of Singapore and the University of California, Los Angeles. Such relationships are common for quantum software firms, which often work across multiple hardware approaches because no single technology has emerged as the industry standard.

Investor group

Other investors in the safe include QDNL Participations, Quantacet and R-Squared Ventures. QDNL Participations is based in the Netherlands, Quantacet in Canada, and R-Squared Ventures in Los Angeles.

Firgun describes itself as a specialist investor in early growth-stage quantum technologies. The firm was founded by Dr Kris Naudts and Zeynep Koruturk. Naudts is a former academic psychiatrist-neuroscientist and founder of Culture Trip. Koruturk is a former Goldman Sachs executive and co-founder of Goldman's Tech Initiative.

The firm also says it previously invested as an angel in Cambridge Quantum Computing, now known as Quantinuum. Quantinuum is one of the best-known private companies in the sector and has pursued a combined hardware-and-software strategy in quantum computing and quantum cybersecurity.

Firgun recently announced its first investment in Photonic. The Quantum Elements deal follows that initial deployment from a new $250 million fund, according to information released by the firm.

Board and team

Quantum Elements has assembled a leadership group that spans academic and commercial backgrounds. Its board includes Dr Chad Rigetti, founder of Rigetti Computing, who has advocated for practical, near-term development paths for quantum technology.

Quantum Elements describes CEO Izhar Medalsy, PhD, as a serial technology entrepreneur with experience building and scaling hardware companies. Co-founder and chief scientific officer Professor Daniel Lidar leads the University of Southern California's Centre for Quantum Information Science & Technology and is known for work in quantum error correction and open quantum systems.

Co-founder Professor Amir Yacoby is a member of the US National Academy of Sciences and a professor at Harvard University. He is known for work in solid-state quantum physics, which underpins several hardware approaches being pursued by quantum computing companies.

Firgun framed the investment as a bet on the platform's potential role in quantum application development.

"This is exactly the type of innovation and team we have been looking for, and we're thrilled to be backing Quantum Elements," said Dr Kris Naudts, co-founder of Firgun Ventures.

"Their first-of-its-kind software is laying the foundations to make quantum computing more scalable and accessible, helping accelerate use cases across industries such as finance, pharmaceuticals and energy," said Naudts.

The deal adds to a growing flow of capital into quantum software and tools, alongside continued investment in hardware approaches such as superconducting systems, trapped ions and photonics. Quantum Elements and its backers face a market shaped by long development timelines, uncertainty over which hardware platforms will dominate, and rising customer demand for clear paths from research to deployment.

Firgun says it will announce a third investment, following Photonic and Quantum Elements, as it builds out its portfolio.