PRESS-RELEASE
Yaqumo Welcomes Government-backed Fund JIC Venture Growth Investments and Toyota Invention Partners as New Investors in Seed Extension Round
— Advancing the real-world deployment of Japan-born neutral-atom quantum computers through public-private and industrial collaboration —
TOKYO, JAPAN – Yaqumo Inc. (“Yaqumo”), a Japanese startup developing neutral-atom quantum computers, today announced that it has raised funding in a seed extension round from JIC Venture Growth Investments Co., Ltd. (“JIC VGI”) and Toyota Invention Partners,Inc. (“TIP”).
This investment marks JIC VGI’s first investment in a quantum computing hardware startup. Through JIC VGI’s participation, Yaqumo will deepen its collaboration with government-related institutions and strengthen the foundation supporting its long-term growth.
This investment also marks TIP’s first investment in a startup working on quantum computing. Through TIP’s participation, Yaqumo will advance business collaboration and explore potential applications by leveraging the Toyota’s deep expertise in manufacturing and mobility.
Yaqumo has previously raised funding from Quantonation, a leading global venture capital firm dedicated to quantum technologies, and Alumni Ventures, a major U.S.-based venture capital firm. With the addition of JIC VGI and TIP, Yaqumo is building a growth platform that connects the global quantum ecosystem with Japan’s industrial foundation, accelerating the research, development, and social implementation of neutral-atom quantum computers originating from Japan.
Reference:
https://yaqumo.com/en/news/287/
https://yaqumo.com/en/news/351/
About JIC Venture Growth Investments
JIC VGI is a venture capital arm of the Japan Investment Corporation (“JIC”) group. Through funds including JIC Venture Growth Fund I, with approximately JPY 120 billion in capital, and JIC Venture Growth Fund II, with approximately JPY 200 billion in capital, JIC VGI aims to promote innovation in Japan and enhance international competitiveness by making venture and growth investments in promising startups.
In the deep-tech sector, JIC VGI supports startups in emerging industries that have the potential to become the core of next-generation industrial structures. By providing end-to-end support—from the early stages through to exit strategies—it helps foster the growth of domestic startups and strengthen Japan’s industrial competitiveness in new fields that require long-term, large-scale risk capital.
Website: https://www.j-vgi.co.jp/en
About Toyota Invention Partners
Toyota Invention Partners (TIP) is a strategic investment firm established by Toyota Motor Corporation. With a JPY 100 billion investment pool, TIP invests globally in startups and companies that offer strong strategic and business synergies with Toyota, including those expected to play an active role in Toyota Woven City. TIP places particular emphasis on fostering business collaboration with its portfolio partners.
Unlike traditional venture capital funds, TIP does not operate under a fixed investment horizon allowing it to provide long-term support aligned with the timeline of each business collaboration. In addition to capital investment, TIP leverages Toyota’s assets — including talent, manufacturing expertise, commercial channels, and global networks — to create new value in mobility and accelerate real-world implementation over the long term.
Website: https://www.toyota-invention.partners/en/
About the Financing
As global competition accelerates toward the practical implementation of quantum computers, Yaqumo has now welcomed JIC VGI, a government-backed fund, and TIP, Toyota’s strategic investment company, as new shareholders, following earlier investments from Quantonation, a global venture capital firm specializing in quantum technologies, and Alumni Ventures, a U.S.-based venture capital firm.
For Yaqumo, which is working to bring neutral-atom quantum computers into real-world use, support from both international specialist and growth investors and Japan’s public-private and industrial foundations carries significant strategic importance.
Through this financing, Yaqumo will further strengthen its collaboration with the Japanese government and the Toyota Group as it advances toward the social implementation of quantum computers.
Investment Summary
Round: Seed extension round
Investors: JIC Venture Growth Investments Co., Ltd.; Toyota Invention Partners Co., Ltd.
Investment instrument: J-KISS stock acquisition rights, Series 3
Comment from Kazuhiro Nakashoji, Representative Director and CEO of Yaqumo
“We are deeply encouraged to receive support from JIC VGI and TIP, two investors that play important roles in strengthening Japan’s industrial competitiveness and shaping the future of mobility.
Neutral-atom quantum computing is a technology with tremendous potential to realize truly useful quantum computers. At the same time, bringing this technology into society requires far more than research and development alone. It requires long-term capital, exceptional talent, collaboration with industry, and connection to the global ecosystem.
Through this financing, Yaqumo will connect Japan’s outstanding foundation in quantum science with real social value, and as a Japan-born quantum computing company, we will help open the future of the global quantum industry.”
Comment from Yuki Kuwabara of JIC Venture Growth Investments Co., Ltd.
“Quantum computing is a deep tech field with the potential to become a foundational technology for next-generation industries, requiring long-term and sustained R&D efforts as well as close industry collaboration before achieving real-world deployment. In this context, Yaqumo is a team pursuing the realization of scalable neutral-atom quantum computers, building on Japan’s strong research foundation in quantum science. We highly value both its technological potential and its strong commitment to commercialization and have therefore decided to make our first investment in a quantum computing hardware startup.
JIC VGI will support Yaqumo’s challenge to expand a Japan-originated quantum industry globally by providing risk capital and strengthening public-private collaboration.”
Comment from Masayuki Shimizu of Toyota Invention Partners, Inc.
“We believe the neutral-atom quantum computers being developed by Yaqumo represent an important technology area with future applications across complex social challenges, including materials development, manufacturing, logistics, energy, and mobility.
TIP aims to go beyond investment by leveraging Toyota’s manufacturing expertise and points of contact with business operations, strengthening collaboration between the Toyota Group and partners who share the same aspirations.
This marks TIP’s first investment in a startup working on quantum computing, and we have strong expectations for the Yaqumo team’s technological capabilities and execution, and we will provide long-term support for their challenge to bring Japan-born quantum technology into real-world implementation.”
About Yaqumo Inc.
Yaqumo Inc. is a Japanese quantum technology startup developing a scalable quantum computer based on the cold-atom architecture. Through its Ytterbium (Yb)-based approach, Yaqumo aims to realize the industrialization of practical quantum computing.
Company name: Yaqumo Inc.
Location: 1F, Yusen Building, 2-3-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0005, Japan
Representative: Kazuhiro Nakashoji, Representative Director and CEO
Established: April 1, 2025
Business: Development of neutral-atom quantum computers
URL: https://yaqumo.com/
About J-KISS
J-KISS (Keep It Simple Security) is a streamlined convertible equity instrument designed specifically for the Japanese startup ecosystem. It allows startups and investors to raise funds quickly and flexibly without determining an initial valuation, as the investment automatically converts into equity during the next priced funding round.
