QAI Ventures CEO and founder Alexandra Beckstein
QAI Ventures has launched the primary cohort of its Singapore Quantum Accelerator, a five-month programme backed by Enterprise Singapore that goals to assist quantum and superior computing startups enter the Asia-Pacific market.
The enterprise agency, which focuses on quantum applied sciences and superior computing, chosen 4 startups from 63 functions throughout 12 nations. Every firm will obtain a SGD300,000 (~US$234,000) funding package deal together with teaching, masterclasses, workspace entry in Singapore, and introductions to buyers, company companions and public-sector stakeholders.
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The inaugural cohort contains Quantum Logic from the Netherlands, Qualia Therapeutics from Armenia, QPICs from the US, and Regenesis Supplies from Indonesia. The businesses work throughout cryogenic quantum {hardware}, adaptive neurostimulation, photonic-chip manufacturing and sustainable superior supplies.
The accelerator will run from July to October 2026, with 4 in-person masterclass weeks in Singapore and weekly one-on-one teaching between classes. It’s going to finish with an Investor Day and Demo Day for buyers and ecosystem companions.
Singapore as a quantum launchpad
The launch comes as Singapore makes an attempt to transform almost 20 years of quantum analysis into business firms. The nation established the Centre for Quantum Applied sciences on the Nationwide College of Singapore in 2007, lengthy earlier than quantum computing turned a mainstream enterprise theme.
That early funding has given Singapore scientific credibility, however commercialisation stays a tougher take a look at. Quantum startups sometimes face lengthy growth cycles, costly {hardware} necessities, specialised expertise constraints and unsure timelines to income. For buyers, the sector sits someplace between deep-tech conviction and affected person capital.
QAI Ventures is betting that Singapore can function a bridge between analysis, capital and Asia-Pacific prospects. The agency established its Asia-Pacific headquarters in Singapore in September 2025 and is now utilizing the accelerator to construct a regional pipeline of quantum and superior computing ventures.
“Singapore made an early and affected person wager on quantum and that basis is now translating right into a business alternative that’s maturing,” stated Alexandra Beckstein, CEO of QAI Ventures. “We bridge the lab and the market. We all know the gamers, we perceive what the business wants and we all know how one can flip that into actual business traction for our startups.”
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The declare is directionally credible, however the business quantum market stays early. Many quantum computing firms globally are nonetheless promoting entry, instruments, elements, software program layers or analysis partnerships somewhat than at-scale manufacturing methods. For Singapore, the rapid alternative could lie much less in constructing a dominant quantum pc firm and extra in anchoring regional business exercise round elements, functions, expertise and enterprise adoption.
A regional race for quantum benefit
Quantum know-how has develop into a strategic precedence throughout Asia Pacific. China stays the area’s largest public investor, with authorities quantum spending broadly estimated at round US$15 billion. Japan has dedicated roughly US$1.4 billion to its nationwide quantum plan via 2030, whereas South Korea has pledged about US$2.3 billion for quantum analysis and growth via 2035.
India’s Nationwide Quantum Mission is backed by about US$730 million, and Australia has allotted greater than US$660 million beneath its Nationwide Quantum Technique. Singapore, in the meantime, has dedicated S$37 billion (~US$28.9 billion) beneath its broader Analysis, Innovation and Enterprise 2030 plan, inside which deeptech fields comparable to quantum sit alongside areas together with synthetic intelligence, semiconductors and superior manufacturing.
The dimensions of regional public funding displays each scientific ambition and geopolitical nervousness. Quantum computing might ultimately have an effect on drug discovery, supplies science, optimisation and cryptography. Quantum communications and sensing have potential defence, monetary companies and infrastructure functions. Governments need home functionality earlier than the know-how turns into commercially and strategically decisive.
For startups, nevertheless, public funding alone doesn’t create prospects. The extra rapid query is whether or not Asia Pacific can produce sufficient enterprise demand, specialised suppliers and affected person buyers to maintain quantum firms earlier than the market matures.
McKinsey’s Quantum Know-how Monitor has estimated that quantum applied sciences might create as much as US$2 trillion in financial worth by 2035, though that determine relies upon closely on technical progress and adoption. In Southeast Asia, quantum demand remains to be nascent. Banks, telcos, logistics gamers and government-linked analysis establishments are experimenting, however adoption stays principally exploratory.
Why the cohort issues
The combo of startups in QAI Ventures’s first Singapore cohort suggests the accelerator is just not narrowly centered on common quantum computing. Quantum Logic is engaged on cryogenic quantum {hardware}, an space tied to the infrastructure wanted to run sure quantum methods. QPICs focuses on photonic-chip manufacturing, a subject related to quantum communications, computing and broader semiconductor provide chains.
Qualia Therapeutics, which works on adaptive neurostimulation, sits nearer to superior computing and medical know-how than pure quantum. Regenesis Supplies, from Indonesia, brings a Southeast Asian firm into the cohort via sustainable superior supplies.
That Indonesian presence is vital. Singapore’s deeptech ecosystem usually capabilities as a regional headquarters and fundraising hub, however the wider Southeast Asian startup market has traditionally been extra related to fintech, e-commerce, logistics and client platforms. Deeptech founders from Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia,and the Philippines steadily face restricted home threat capital, weaker university-to-startup pathways and fewer specialised business companions.
If Singapore can present the infrastructure whereas neighbouring markets provide founders, use instances and industrial demand, the accelerator might develop into greater than a relocation automobile for international startups. However that may rely upon whether or not programmes like this create sturdy Asia-Pacific companies somewhat than short-term demo-day visibility.
Sophia Ng, Government Director for Startup Ecosystem at Enterprise Singapore, framed the programme as a part of the nation’s subsequent section of deep-tech growth.
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“Singapore has constructed a robust basis in quantum science and deep-tech innovation. The subsequent section is to construct globally aggressive, best-in-class quantum firms,” she stated. She added that the accelerator would help worldwide quantum startups getting into the area whereas giving native founders entry to networks, capital and business help.
Aggressive subject is widening
QAI Ventures is getting into a market the place a number of international and regional gamers are already constructing round quantum commercialisation. In Singapore, firms comparable to Horizon Quantum Computing and SpeQtral have emerged from the nation’s analysis base. Globally, companies together with PsiQuantum, IonQ, Rigetti, Quantinuum, and Pasqal have raised vital capital to pursue completely different quantum {hardware} and software program approaches.
The accelerator additionally gives entry to quantum {hardware}, cloud computing assets and simulation testbeds via partnerships that embody IonQ, QuEra and Fujitsu. That will assist startups keep away from some infrastructure bottlenecks, though entry to {hardware} doesn’t take away the bigger problem of proving business worth.
QAI Ventures says its portfolio firms have collectively raised greater than US$250 million in follow-on capital from buyers and strategic backers together with IBM, GitHub, Toshiba and the European Funding Financial institution. That observe report will matter if the Singapore programme is to maneuver past ecosystem signalling and assist firms elevate institutional capital.
For Southeast Asia, the accelerator’s relevance lies in whether or not it will probably join frontier applied sciences with precise regional demand. Singapore has the coverage help, analysis base and investor networks. The tougher activity is popping these benefits into firms that may promote into Asia-Pacific markets the place quantum readiness varies broadly.
The primary cohort is due to this fact much less a verdict than an experiment. It assessments whether or not Singapore can play a critical function within the international quantum startup pipeline — not merely as a bunch for analysis, however as a market-entry base for firms making an attempt to commercialise considered one of deep tech’s most tough sectors.
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