Groove Quantum, a Delft-based developer of scalable quantum processors, has raised €16M ($18.75M) in seed funding led by Innovation Industries and 55 North. The startup builds germanium spin qubits designed for high quality, small footprint, and integration with semiconductor manufacturing. The capital will scale qubit production, expand the team, and advance toward industrial-grade quantum systems.
EU Quantum Wave Tops €170M
The round arrives during a surge in European quantum investments, with EU startups announcing over €170M this week alone. The quantum computing market stands at $1.88B in 2026, projected to reach $19.44B by 2035 at 30.88% CAGR. Groove's focus on semiconductor-compatible qubits positions it amid trends toward qubit scaling and error correction. This funding follows €10M from the EIC Accelerator in 2024, bringing total capital to €26M.
Spin Qubits Face Scaling Hurdles
Quantum processors struggle with qubit coherence and manufacturing at scale, limiting applications in security, medicine, and materials. Traditional approaches like superconducting qubits require complex dilution refrigerators and lack CMOS compatibility. Semiconductor spin qubits promise denser arrays but historically suffer lower fidelities. Groove targets these gaps with germanium, enabling existing fab processes.
Germanium Enables CMOS Quantum Chips
Groove's germanium spin qubits offer superior coherence and integrate seamlessly into standard semiconductor lines. The company demonstrated the world's largest semiconductor spin qubit processor with 18 qubits in parallel operation. This milestone builds on first operating a germanium quantum processor in 2020 and achieving >99% two-qubit gate fidelity.
As CEO Anne-Marije Zwerver noted:
"The future of quantum is germanium-based."
The approach leverages a spin-out from QuTech, the Delft quantum research institute.
Quantum Specialists Validate Hardware Bet
Innovation Industries co-led with semiconductor expertise from partners like ex-NXP VP. 55 North, the largest dedicated quantum VC, backs pure quantum stack plays like IQM. Verve Ventures adds deep tech conviction from quantum bets on Q.ant and C12. EIC Fund participation signals EU priority status.
The lineup underscores conviction in Groove's path to fault-tolerant systems via scalable hardware.
QuTech Founders Win Science Prizes
CEO Anne-Marije Zwerver earned the 2023 Minerva Prize for industry cleanroom quantum dot qubits. CTO Nico Hendrickx received the Christiaan Huygens Prize for hole spin qubits, plus IBM Zurich postdoc on germanium coherence. Both bring 8+ years from QuTech and Delft University. This prize-winning duo secured EIC funding among top 40 of 1000 applicants.
Qubit Scaling Eyes Industrial Demos
With €26M raised, Groove plans hires in quantum fabrication, measurement, and software engineering. Recent live demos include quantum artwork on the 18-qubit system with Qblox and cabling integration with Delft Circuits. Funds target industrial manufacturing scale-up, following Pitchfest win and APS Summit presence.
Quantum Market Chases Scalability Shift
Investors pour into hardware amid hybrid quantum-classical trends and cybersecurity demands. Competitors like Intel advance silicon spin qubits, but Groove differentiates on germanium's coherence edge. Global funding heats up, with UK quantum at $7.8B and US states like Maryland committing $500M+. Groove's CMOS path accelerates commercialization.