Jena, September 11, 2024 – Quantum Optics Jena (QOJ), a pioneering startup in the field of quantum technology, today announced the closing of an €8.5 million Series A funding round. This investment underscores the growing confidence in German quantum technology and its potential to revolutionize secure data transmission.

Led by Join Capital, a leading European venture capital firm, joined by early investors ELAS Technologies GmbH, Fraunhofer Technologies-Transfer Fonds, and beteiligungsmanagement Thüringen (bm|t) as well as business angel Malte Pollmann, this latest funding round will fuel QOJ's expansion and accelerate the commercialization of its quantum key distribution technology. With its quantum encryption, QOJ enables tap-proof communication for companies and institutions of all sizes. The fresh capital from this Series A will fuel expansion and help bring QOJ's quantum key technology to a wider market.

“We are excited to support QOJ in their mission to fundamentally transform the cybersecurity landscape,” said Tobias Schirmer, Partner at Join Capital. “Quantum key distribution is a groundbreaking approach to data security, and QOJ is leading the way in this exciting field.” The QOJ team is pioneering advancements in cybersecurity by harnessing quantum optics – a technology that uses entangled pairs of photons (light particles) to transmit information with complete security. These photons generate a secret key, which is then used to encrypt and decrypt data—a method known as entanglement-based key distribution (EKD). With this approach, multiple users can securely communicate at the same time using the generated quantum keys.

Quantum Optics Jena is the world's only commercial provider of such multi-party quantum key distribution systems. The company – which develops hardware, software and services for data exchange – has received multiple awards for its technologies. QOJ’s solutions are particularly interesting for customers with high security requirements, such as government networks, as well as banks that need to communicate confidentially and securely but have high risk of exposure to hackers. This technology can also benefit research institutions, small and medium-sized enterprises, the healthcare sector, and society as a whole.

"Our technology has moved beyond the research lab and is now ready for practical applications. With this funding, we can expand our production capacity and scale our technology globally," explains Dr. Kevin Füchsel, CEO of Quantum Optics Jena. “I've had the privilege of collaborating closely with the highly skilled founding team at Quantum Optics Jena for years. Their groundbreaking advancements in quantum technology have consistently impressed me. I'm thrilled to be part of their journey as they redefine the landscape of secure communication”, says business angel Malte Pollmann.

Quantum Optics Jena is already a global player and is also active in Singapore, Spain, Austria, and Slovakia, with a sales office in North Carolina, USA. Currently, the company is working on connecting data centers and critical infrastructures. In the rural area surrounding the university town of Jena, Germany, QOJ is building a communication system with partners to securely send information and patient data to the Jena University Hospital. The company is also involved in the construction of a European Quantum Communication Infrastructure (EuroQCI), which is expected to be operational across all of Europe by 2027.