Pasqal
Pasqal delivers neutral-atom quantum processors for enterprise optimization and simulation.
Pasqal develops quantum processing units (QPUs) based on neutral atom technology, where individual atoms trapped by optical tweezers serve as qubits. The company integrates quantum computing into HPC and cloud environments to solve optimization, simulation, and AI workloads for enterprises. Pasqal's neutral atom approach offers coherence times an order of magnitude higher than competing architectures (superconducting qubits, ion traps) and enables flexible 2D/3D atomic arrangements that reduce computational overhead.
Problem solved
Enterprises face intractable optimization and simulation problems that classical computing cannot solve efficiently, such as portfolio optimization, molecular modeling, logistics routing, and crash-test simulation.
Target customer
Fortune 500 enterprises in energy, finance, logistics, automotive, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals seeking quantum solutions for complex optimization, portfolio modeling, and materials simulation.
Founders
A
Alain Aspect
Co-founder
Nobel Prize in Physics 2022 for establishing foundations of quantum informatics; affiliated with Université Paris-Saclay and École Polytechnique; pioneering researcher in entangled photons.
A
Antoine Browaeys
Chief Science Officer
Built programmable quantum simulators at Institut d'Optique (IOGS, CNRS) starting in 2011; expert in neutral atom quantum systems.
G
Georges-Olivier Reymond
CEO
Achieved first controlled trapping of single atom in optical tweezer, published in Nature; demonstrated unprecedented control over individual quantum particles.
T
Thierry Lahaye
Chief Qubits Officer
Researcher specializing in neutral atom quantum systems and quantum computing hardware.
C
Christophe Jurczak
Co-founder
Co-founder of quantum computing startup spun from Institut d'Optique.
Funding history
Seed
Unknown
March 2019
Led by Quantonation
· Unknown
Seed 2
Unknown
September 2020
Led by TPY Capital
· Unknown
Series A
€25M
June 2021
Led by Quantonation, Defense Innovation Fund (Bpifrance)
· Runa Capital, Daphni, Eni Next
Series B
€100M
January 2023
Led by Temasek
· European Innovation Council (EIC) Fund, Wa'ed Ventures, Bpifrance, Quantonation, Defense Innovation Fund, Daphni, Eni Next
Private Equity + Convertible
€170M + €170M (USD 200M convertible)
March 2026
Led by Unknown
· Unknown
Total raised:
$445M
Industries
Pricing
Not publicly available. Company operates through custom enterprise agreements and cloud access models.
Notable customers
CMA CGM, OVHcloud, Thales, IBM (Quantum Network), Sumitomo, Crédit Agricole CIB, EDF, BASF, BMW, Siemens, Airbus, LG Electronics, Johnson & Johnson, Saudi Aramco, Links Foundation
Integrations
IBM Quantum Network, OVHcloud, QuaTERA (with EDF, Exaion, Quantum Innovation Zone)
Tech stack
React (JavaScript frameworks)
Next.js (Web servers)
Headless UI (UI frameworks)
Zendesk (Documentation)
webpack
PWA
Open Graph
Module Federation
HSTS (Security)
Google Font API (Font scripts)
Node.js (Programming languages)
Microsoft 365 (Email)
Vercel (PaaS)
OVHcloud (PaaS)
Website
Competitors
IBM Quantum
IBM leads with superconducting qubit architecture; Pasqal's neutral atoms offer longer coherence times and better scalability without expensive SWAP gates.
IQM Quantum
IQM also pursues superconducting qubits; Pasqal's neutral atom approach provides fundamentally different scaling advantages.
D-Wave Quantum
D-Wave focuses on quantum annealing for optimization; Pasqal offers dual analog-digital QPUs with broader algorithmic flexibility.
Atom Computing
Atom Computing is also neutral-atom based but Pasqal leads in commercial deployment and enterprise customer integration.
QuEra Computing
QuEra develops software and cloud access; Pasqal manufactures QPU hardware directly.
Infleqtion
Infleqtion develops quantum sensing and computing; Pasqal is narrower focus on commercial quantum computing infrastructure.
Why this matters: Pasqal is notable as the French neutral-atom quantum computing champion founded by Nobel laureate Alain Aspect and backed by €340M+ in funding. With 25+ commercial use cases deployed and partnerships across energy, finance, and automotive sectors, Pasqal demonstrates that quantum computing is transitioning from research to production enterprise workloads—a critical milestone for the industry.
Best for: Large enterprises in energy, finance, logistics, chemicals, and automotive industries seeking quantum computing solutions for optimization, simulation, and complex material discovery without waiting for fault-tolerant quantum computers.
Use cases
Portfolio Optimization
Financial institutions like Crédit Agricole CIB use Pasqal's QPUs to solve large-scale portfolio optimization and derivatives pricing problems that are computationally prohibitive on classical systems, reducing calculation time and improving risk modeling accuracy.
Energy Systems Optimization
EDF and energy sector companies leverage Pasqal to optimize power grid dispatch, resource allocation, and renewable energy integration—use cases where quantum's combinatorial optimization excels and classical methods are insufficient at scale.
Logistics and Supply Chain
CMA CGM applies Pasqal's quantum algorithms to complex routing, fleet optimization, and supply chain problems involving thousands of interdependent variables, achieving solutions faster than classical approaches.
Materials Science and Crash Testing
BMW and BASF use Pasqal to simulate molecular properties and crash dynamics, enabling discovery of lighter materials and faster design iteration than traditional computational chemistry and finite element analysis.
Satellite Constellation Planning
Thales applies Pasqal's quantum solvers to mission planning for satellite constellations, optimizing orbital mechanics and resource allocation problems with significantly improved computational efficiency.
Alternatives
IBM Quantum
Choose IBM for broader ecosystem and existing enterprise relationships; choose Pasqal for superior coherence times and neutral atom scaling advantages.
D-Wave Quantum
Choose D-Wave for quantum annealing on pure optimization problems; choose Pasqal for broader algorithmic flexibility and analog computing capability.
Atom Computing
Choose Atom Computing for alternative neutral-atom hardware; choose Pasqal for more mature commercial deployments and enterprise customer base.
FAQ
What does Pasqal do? +
Pasqal manufactures quantum processing units (QPUs) based on neutral atom technology, where individual atoms trapped by optical tweezers serve as qubits. The company integrates these QPUs into cloud and HPC environments to solve complex optimization, simulation, and AI problems for enterprises. Pasqal's neutral atom approach offers substantially longer coherence times and better scalability than competing superconducting and ion-trap architectures.
How much does Pasqal cost? +
Pasqal does not publicly disclose pricing. The company operates through custom enterprise agreements and cloud access models tailored to individual customer requirements. Interested enterprises should contact Pasqal directly for pricing and availability.
What are alternatives to Pasqal? +
Main alternatives include IBM Quantum (superconducting qubits, broader ecosystem), D-Wave Quantum (quantum annealing for pure optimization), Atom Computing (also neutral-atom based), QuEra Computing (software/cloud access), and IQM Quantum (superconducting approach). Each has different strengths depending on use case and customer strategy.
Who uses Pasqal? +
Pasqal serves 35+ customer engagements among global leaders in energy (EDF), finance (Crédit Agricole CIB), logistics (CMA CGM), chemicals (BASF), automotive (BMW, Siemens, Airbus), and other industries. Named customers include Thales, IBM (via Quantum Network), Sumitomo, LG Electronics, and Johnson & Johnson. Target customers are Fortune 500 enterprises seeking quantum solutions for optimization and simulation.
How does Pasqal compare to IBM Quantum? +
IBM leads market share with superconducting qubits and a mature ecosystem, but Pasqal's neutral atom architecture offers fundamentally better coherence times (tens of milliseconds vs. microseconds), eliminating expensive SWAP gates through flexible 2D/3D atom arrangements. Pasqal is smaller but more specialized; IBM offers broader enterprise integration. For quantum-native optimization and simulation, Pasqal's technology has technical advantages; for ecosystem breadth, IBM wins.
Tags
quantum computing
neutral atoms
quantum processors
optimization
simulation
enterprise
HPC integration
quantum hardware