Quanfluence, a Bengaluru-based company focused on photonics and quantum-inspired solutions, has raised $2 million in a seed funding round led by pi Ventures.
The round saw participation from multiple others, like Golden Sparrow and Reena Dayal, founder and CEO of the Quantum Ecosystems and Technology Council of India (QETCI).
According to the company, the funding will scale its current products and advance its research and development initiatives.
It also aims to deliver near-term optimisation tools and achieve its long-term goal of developing a general-purpose quantum computer based on the continuous variable photonics paradigm within five to six years.
In relation, Sujoy Chakravarty, co-founder and CEO of Quanfluence, highlighted the significance of the funding. “The funds will help us enhance our photonic-based technologies and accelerate the development of our quantum computer.”
Light Waves, Big Impact
Quanfluence’s optical Ising machine, which powers its optimisation technology, is designed to process vast amounts of data efficiently.
The machine leverages light waves and advanced photonic circuits to address high-dimensional optimisation problems in industries such as finance, logistics, and workforce management.
The company’s current system is capable of handling 128 interconnected variables (~10,000 permutations) and has been successfully piloted with select customers for small-scale problems.
Furthermore, it also claims that its pilot systems have shown promising results, and an advanced version capable of processing 10–25 million permutations is set for release next quarter.
Shubham Sandeep, managing director at pi Ventures, also discussed the company’s potential saying, “Quanfluence’s photonic-based technology is poised to transform industries by tackling challenges where classical computing falls short.”
Based in India, Quanfluence conducts all its R&D and hardware development locally. The company is positioning itself as a key player in India’s effort to lead global innovation in quantum technology.
