In the race to define the next era of technology, one Israeli startup is boldly carving its place in history.

Classiq Technologies, a Tel Aviv-based quantum software firm, has raised a staggering $110 million in a fresh funding round led by global venture capital fund Entrée Capital. The round saw participation from a stellar lineup of investors, including Norwest, NightDragon, Samsung Next, HSBC, Clal, Wing, Phoenix, and Hamilton Lane, among others. With this latest boost, Classiq’s total capital raised now stands at $173 million—a significant war chest as it gears up to revolutionize the world of quantum computing.

Founded in 2020 by Nir Minerbi (CEO), Yehuda Naveh (CTO), and Amir Naveh (CPO), Classiq’s mission is as bold as it is transformative: to become the Microsoft of quantum computing. Their innovative software platform is designed to bridge the gap between cutting-edge quantum hardware and practical, usable applications. It empowers data scientists, engineers, and researchers to develop quantum algorithms and applications without the need to master the intricate and highly technical nature of quantum mechanics.

“We are building the Microsoft of quantum computing – a software layer that powers the next generation of quantum applications, just as Microsoft did for classical computing,” said CEO Minerbi. “Quantum computing is at a similar point today as personal computing was in its early days: powerful but hard to use. Our platform simplifies that.”

This comparison to Microsoft Windows is not just metaphorical. Just as Windows opened up computing to the masses, Classiq’s software aims to democratize quantum development, enabling industries such as automotive, finance, automation, and pharmaceuticals to build powerful quantum applications, even without in-house quantum experts.

Classiq’s software platform allows users to design and simulate complex quantum circuits, which can solve computational problems that would be practically impossible for classical computers. Quantum computing, leveraging qubits (quantum bits), processes data in fundamentally different ways—achieving speeds and scalability that far exceed traditional computing models.

The company already boasts a strong and growing list of clients, including global powerhouses like BMW, Rolls-Royce, Citi, Toshiba, Deloitte, HSBC, and Sumitomo. Partnerships with leading cloud providers such as Microsoft Azure Quantum, AWS Braket, Google Quantum Cloud, and Nvidia further validate its growing footprint.

And it's not just the private sector that sees promise. Classiq is also deeply integrated into the academic world, with its tools used in quantum computing courses at prestigious universities including MIT in the United States and UCL in the UK. The startup has also been tapped as a key player in Israel’s first national quantum computing center, IQCC, established in June 2024 by the Israel Innovation Authority to accelerate the country’s quantum capabilities.

The recent funding will fuel Classiq’s expansion across North America, Europe, and Asia, with plans to double its 65-member team over the next year. The company’s ambitions are clear: to become the go-to development platform for quantum applications across governments, academia, and industry worldwide.

Israel, a rising player in the quantum realm, is now home to 22 quantum startups. In 2024 alone, the country’s quantum firms secured $289 million in investments—a massive jump from the previous year’s $42 million. Classiq’s rise, along with the success of fellow startup Quantum Machines (which raised $170 million), signals that the “Startup Nation” is positioning itself to lead in the global quantum race.

As countries like the US, China, India, Germany, and Japan pour billions into quantum R&D, the stakes are high. But with visionary startups like Classiq, Israel is making it clear: it intends not just to participate in this technological revolution, but to lead it.