QNu Labs has raised Rs 200 Cr in a Series A1 round co-led by India’s National Quantum Mission and Speciale Invest, with Sony Innovation Fund, Gaja Capital and Artha Ventures participating. The Bengaluru startup, incubated at IIT Madras, has now collected Rs 375 Cr in total funding.
QNu builds quantum-safe cybersecurity products, including quantum key distribution systems and post-quantum cryptography, designed to protect data from the attacks quantum computers will one day be able to mount. The capital also supports an approved project under the RDI programme to build the technology backbone for India’s Quantum Secure and Sensing ecosystem, Entrackr reported.
Earlier backing includes a Rs 60 Cr Series A led by the National Quantum Mission in April and a $6.5M pre-Series A1 round led by Ashish Kacholia in December 2023.
The round shows governments moving from funding quantum research to funding quantum security startups directly. Banks, telecoms and defense agencies worldwide are racing to replace encryption before quantum machines can break it, and India’s push mirrors similar programs in the US, Europe and China. The startups that win the first quantum-safe networking contracts are positioning to sell to any enterprise that must migrate cryptography this decade.
