Quantum Motion Raises $160M to Build Silicon-Based Quantum Computers
The UK Startup Betting Silicon Can Crack Quantum Computing
Quantum Motion raises $160M in its Series C, marking the largest VC deal ever closed by a UK-based quantum computing company, according to PitchBook data. The London-based startup is making a bold wager that the same silicon technology powering every smartphone and laptop on the planet is also the key to making quantum computers commercially viable.
The round was co-led by DCVC and Kembara, with participation from new investors the British Business Bank and Firgun, alongside existing backers. Oxford Science Enterprises, Inkef, and Bosch Ventures also joined the round.
Founded in 2017 by Professor John Morton and Professor Simon Benjamin, the company was spun out of University College London and Oxford University, having previously raised $50.8 million in 2023. This latest round arrives after strong momentum in April 2025, Quantum Motion was selected for DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, and in September that year delivered a full-stack quantum computer to the National Quantum Computing Centre in Harwell, UK.
What separates Quantum Motion from rivals is its silicon transistor-based architecture. Its approach delivers a 100-fold reduction in cost and space requirements, and a 1,000-fold reduction in energy consumption compared to alternative quantum architectures. Its systems are also built to slot directly into existing standard data-centre racks, eliminating the need for bespoke facilities and heavy energy infrastructure.
CEO James Palles-Dimmock was direct about what comes next. “We’ve got a very clear path to delivering the world’s most powerful computer at a reasonable cost,” he said. As Quantum Motion raises $160M to push silicon quantum computing toward commercial scale, the bet is that the transistor moment for the quantum era is no longer a distant dream
