Quantum computing startup Zapata Computing (www.zapatacomputing.com)
today announced it has raised $21 million in Series A financing. Led by
Comcast Ventures and Prelude Ventures, the round includes participation
from new and existing investors Pitango Ventures, BASF Venture Capital,
Robert Bosch Venture Capital, Pillar VC, and The Engine.
Since spinning out of Harvard University in 2017, Zapata has rapidly
become an established player in quantum computing with an exceptional
team of scientists. Zapata has emerged as a leading enterprise
technology company focused on developing a powerful software platform
and quantum algorithms to enable the next generation of discoveries —
for a wide range of industries including chemistry, pharmaceuticals,
logistics, finance and materials — on quantum computers.
“For our Series A, we looked specifically for world-class investors who
bring a global reach and a depth of experience in enterprise software
and applications,” said Christopher Savoie, CEO and cofounder of Zapata.
“The success of Zapata’s quantum software platform in delivering real
world advances in computational power for applications — particularly in
chemistry, machine learning, and optimization — has sparked an enormous
demand from Fortune 100 and Global 1000 enterprises worldwide. The new
financing will power our expansion strategy, enabling us to accelerate
product development and expand our business into new markets and
regions.”
To date, the tech talent shortage in quantum science has been a critical
bottleneck to the industry’s progress.
“The playbook for quantum computing is being written right now by first
movers like Zapata,” said Alán Aspuru-Guzik, cofounder of Zapata. “As
the enterprise demand for our quantum solutions continues unabated,
Zapata has a distinct opportunity to aggressively and rapidly cultivate
the next generation of quantum science talent who can transform the
promise of quantum technology into reality.”
With growing customer demand, Zapata is developing powerful,
hardware-agnostic solutions on the latest quantum hardware made by
Google, IBM, Rigetti, Honeywell, IonQ and others. Zapata holds an
exclusive license to a portfolio of quantum algorithms from Harvard
University. Zapata is also a founding member of the Quantum Industry
Coalition, an
industry group instrumental in driving the bipartisan passage of the
National Quantum Initiative in the United States.
Press Kit & Photos: http://bit.ly/ZapataSeriesA
INVESTOR QUOTES
“Quantum computers will solve problems that classical computers haven’t
been able to. But as it is still early, the best and brightest minds are
needed to drive algorithms and software vital to fuel commercial
applications. Zapata has assembled a world-class team that is already
pushing the envelope of what’s possible and delivering huge advances in
quantum computing. This team has the proven ability to attract the right
talent and partners focused on driving the technology toward
transforming a wide range of industries.” — Gil Beyda, Managing Director
of Comcast Ventures
“With a founding team of the best minds in quantum computing and an
unrivaled expertise in quantum algorithms, Zapata will be a driving
force for the next era of quantum computing by serving as the vital
bridge between quantum software and quantum hardware for enterprises.” —
Mark Cupta, Partner of Prelude Ventures
“Led by a world-class founding team of quantum scientists, Zapata is
leading the charge in changing how the world uses computing. We are
excited to invest in Zapata as the company continues its product and
expansion plans in enabling the next generation of accessible,
commercial high-performance computing.” — Ayal Itzkovitz, Managing
General Partner of Pitango Ventures
“We are happy to support this promising start-up. Zapata is positioned
to add value to a wide variety of industries, including chemicals,
pharmaceuticals, automotive, aerospace, and finance. Zapata will fill a
growing demand for quantum solutions that address key issues its
customers are facing.” — Markus Solibieda, Managing Director of BASF
Venture Capital
“Driven by efforts from Zapata, quantum computing has evolved from the
research of laboratories into now deployable technology. Zapata’s
quantum computing algorithms have the potential to accelerate
developments in Bosch relevant fields such as material science. Zapata
is already creating quantum computing solutions for a variety of
applications and markets, and with RBVC’s experience and expertise
across a breadth of business sectors and innovations, we look forward to
helping accelerate Zapata’s progress.” — Ingo Ramesohl, Managing
Director of Robert Bosch Venture Capital
ABOUT ZAPATA COMPUTING
Founded in 2017 and based on technology developed at Harvard University,
Zapata Computing is building the leading enterprise software company for
quantum solutions to enable the next generation of accessible,
commercial high-performance computing. Co-founded by Alán Aspuru-Guzik,
a world leader in quantum simulation for chemistry and materials,
Zapata’s founding team includes Christopher Savoie, Yudong Cao, Jonathan
Olson, Peter Johnson, and Jhonathan Romero. www.zapatacomputing.com
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190417005484/en/