1 The EIC Accelerator Project

The EIC Accelerator program is a pivotal initiative under the European Innovation Council (EIC), designed to support high-risk, high-potential small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups in Europe. It offers a unique blend of funding options that include grants and equity investments, facilitating the development of innovative technologies and solutions. The program aims to bridge the financing gap that many innovative companies face at crucial stages of their growth, particularly in the DeepTech sector.

Funding Structure

The EIC Accelerator provides blended finance, which combines grants and equity investments. The grant component can reach up to €2.5 million, aimed at funding projects that drive innovation and address significant societal challenges. This grant can cover various costs associated with the development and scaling of a project, including research, development, and testing phases.

In addition to the grant, the EIC Accelerator offers equity financing to support sustainable growth. Until 2024, this equity funding can go up to €15 million, while from 2025 onwards, it will be capped at €10 million. This equity investment is particularly beneficial for companies that are developing breakthrough technologies, as it provides the necessary capital to scale operations and enhance market competitiveness.

Purpose within the European Ecosystem

The EIC Accelerator plays a crucial role in the European DeepTech and startup ecosystem by providing targeted financial support to innovative companies. It not only helps startups mitigate risks associated with bringing new technologies to market but also encourages collaboration among various stakeholders in the ecosystem, including investors, corporations, and research institutions. By fostering innovative solutions, the EIC Accelerator contributes to the EU's broader goals of digital transformation, sustainability, and economic growth.

Scaling and Private Sector Funding

One of the significant challenges faced by startups in the DeepTech sector is securing funding from private investors. The EIC Accelerator addresses this challenge by providing a credible funding source that can leverage additional investments from private sectors. The involvement of the EIC often serves as a validation for private investors, enhancing the company's attractiveness and increasing the likelihood of securing further financing.

The EIC Accelerator not only supports the development of the technology itself but also assists in creating a robust business plan that appeals to private investors. This comprehensive approach ensures that companies are well-prepared to scale their operations effectively and sustainably.

QC Design and the QPRINTS Project

QC Design, a German company, recently emerged as a winner of the EIC Accelerator program with its project titled QPRINTS (Quantum PRINTing Software). The project focuses on developing fault-tolerant architectures and software for scalable quantum computers, a pressing need as the demand for quantum computing capabilities continues to rise.

Technology Basics and Background

Quantum computing represents a paradigm shift in computational capabilities, leveraging the principles of quantum mechanics to process information in ways that classical computers cannot. However, the current generation of quantum computers faces significant challenges, including error rates and scalability issues. Fault tolerance is crucial for the practical application of quantum computers, as it ensures that computations can be performed accurately despite the presence of errors.

The QPRINTS project aims to address these challenges by developing new architectures and software solutions that enhance the fault tolerance of quantum computing systems. By focusing on scalable architectures, QC Design is paving the way for more robust quantum computing platforms that can handle complex computations essential for various industries, including pharmaceuticals, materials science, and cryptography.

Through the EIC Accelerator's blended financing model, QC Design is well-positioned to advance its innovative technology, ensuring that it can meet the growing demands of the quantum computing market while attracting private sector investments that will facilitate further growth and development.

In summary, the EIC Accelerator program not only provides essential funding but also plays a transformative role in nurturing innovative companies like QC Design, which are critical to advancing technological frontiers in Europe and beyond.

2 The Funding Rounds

# QC Design: EIC Accelerator Funding Success and Company Profile

QC Design, a German quantum computing company founded in 2021 and headquartered in Ulm, successfully secured €4 million in funding through the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator program in July 2024. The company specializes in quantum design automation software and architectures for fault-tolerant quantum computing.

EIC Accelerator Funding Details

QC Design emerged as one of 68 winners from a highly competitive selection process that had 969 full proposals submitted, representing just a 7% success rate in the first EIC Accelerator call of 2024. The funding package consists of:

• €2.5 million in grant funding
• Up to €1.5 million in equity investments for their Seed round
• Total funding: €4 million (approximately $4.35 million USD)

The announcement of this funding was made on July 16, 2024, following QC Design's successful application in the March 2024 EIC Accelerator cut-off.

Company Overview

QC Design develops fault-tolerant architectures to unlock the full potential of quantum computing. Their flagship product, Plaquette, is a quantum design-automation software that helps hardware manufacturers develop efficient logical qubits and architectures for fault-tolerant quantum computing.

In December 2023, the company launched Plaquette+, an advanced version of their design automation tool that provides:

• Advanced fault-tolerance methods
• Hardware-specific error models
• Capability to analyze arbitrary hardware imperfections in thousands of qubits

The company made its first commercial sale of Plaquette+ to QuiX Quantum, a leading European company in photonic quantum computing.

Leadership and Recognition

QC Design is led by CEO and co-founder Ish Dhand, who was recently awarded the prestigious Newcomer of the Year award at the German Startup Awards 2024 on May 17, 2024. The scientific founder of the company is Professor Martin B. Plenio, who has drawn parallels between fault-tolerance design tools in quantum computing and electronic design-automation in semiconductor development.

Business Development Timeline

• 2021: QC Design founded in Ulm, Germany
• 2023, December: Launch of Plaquette+, their commercial software offering for fault-tolerance design automation
• 2024, March: Submitted proposal to the EIC Accelerator program
• 2024, May: CEO Ish Dhand wins Newcomer of the Year at German Startup Awards
• 2024, July 16: Announced selection for the EIC Accelerator program and €4M funding

Funding Information

Based on the available search results, the EIC Accelerator funding appears to be the company's first publicly disclosed funding round. The search results do not provide information about:

• Previous funding rounds
• Company valuation
• Other investors beyond the EIC
• Exit events such as IPOs or acquisitions

QC Design's mission, as stated by CEO Ish Dhand, is "to support quantum hardware manufacturers towards scalable and reliable quantum computing." The EIC funding is expected to accelerate the development of their design-automation tools for customers building fault-tolerant quantum computers across all hardware platforms.

Sources: - QC Design - EIC Accelerator announcement

• Quantum Computing Report - QC Design funding
• The Quantum Insider - EIC Accelerator 2024
• Rasph - EIC Accelerator March 2024 Results
• QC Design - German Startup Awards

3 The Press Releases

QC Design's EIC Accelerator Achievement and Recent Developments QC Design, a quantum design automation firm based in Ulm, Germany, secured €4 million in July 2024 through the European Innovation Council’s (EIC) Accelerator program. The funding includes a €2.5 million grant and up to €1.5 million in equity to advance its Plaquette software for designing fault-tolerant quantum computing architectures. The company was among 68 winners selected from 969 applicants in the March 2024 call, reflecting a highly competitive 7% success rate.

Technology Advancements
QC Design’s flagship product, Plaquette, enables hardware manufacturers to optimize logical qubits and error-correcting architectures for scalable quantum computers. Recent updates include:

• Loss-aware decoding: Version v2025.4 introduced loss-aware decoding to reduce logical error rates by optimizing decoder settings based on qubit-loss data.
• GPU acceleration: Integration of NVIDIA’s cuQuantum SDK allows full-state simulations of over 400 qubits on a single GPU.
• Near-Clifford circuit simulations: Version v2025.2 improved scalability for simulating error-correcting circuits under complex noise models.

The company also published research on boosted Bell-state measurements, achieving a 69.3% entanglement success rate in photonic systems—a critical step toward scalable photonic quantum computing.

Partnerships and Applications
QC Design collaborates with industry players like Quantum Source, which uses Plaquette to simulate imperfections in photonic hardware and optimize fault-tolerant architectures. Their tools support multiple hardware platforms, including superconducting and trapped-ion systems.

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Sources

• Quantum design automation leader QC Design selected for EIC Accelerator
• QC Design Secures €4M from EIC Accelerator
• EIC Accelerator March 2024 Results
• Plaquette Software Updates

4 The Technology Advancements

Overview of QC Design

QC Design, a German company specializing in quantum computing, has made significant strides since securing funding from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator in July 2024. Their primary focus is on developing fault-tolerant quantum computers, particularly through their flagship software, Plaquette.

Current Capabilities

• Plaquette Software: QC Design's Plaquette is a state-of-the-art design automation tool that simulates, analyzes, and optimizes quantum architectures under realistic conditions. It captures over 20 hardware imperfections, far surpassing the capabilities of open-source alternatives, which typically handle only two imperfections.
• GPU Acceleration: Recent advancements include integrating NVIDIA's cuQuantum SDK to enhance Plaquette's capabilities. This integration allows for full-state simulations of fault-tolerant quantum circuits involving hundreds of qubits on a single GPU, significantly outperforming traditional CPU-based simulations.

Advancements Since EIC Funding

Since receiving the EIC funding, QC Design has focused on expanding its GPU support and improving Plaquette's functionality. Key advancements include:

• GPU-Based Full-State Simulations: Plaquette now supports GPU-based full-state simulations for fault-tolerant quantum circuits. This breakthrough enables simulations of over 400 qubits on a single GPU, offering unmatched performance and memory efficiency compared to CPU-based methods.
• Loss-Aware Decoding: The latest version of Plaquette includes loss-aware decoding, a technique that optimizes decoder settings using information about qubit losses, reducing logical error rates and enabling more accurate benchmarking of quantum error-correcting codes under realistic conditions.
• Boosted Bell-State Measurements: QC Design has developed a technique to boost photon entanglement success rates from 50% to 69.3%, enhancing fault tolerance and resilience to photon loss in photonic quantum computing.

Demonstrations and Collaborations

• Quantum Source Collaboration: QC Design partnered with Quantum Source to pilot Plaquette for accelerating photonic fault-tolerance architectures. This collaboration aims to develop commercially viable photonic quantum computers with millions of qubits.
• Market Demonstration: The partnership with Quantum Source represents a significant demonstration of QC Design's technology in the market, focusing on practical, fault-tolerant quantum computers.

New Patents and Scientific Studies

There is no specific information available on new patents filed or scientific studies published by QC Design since the EIC funding. However, their advancements and collaborations reflect ongoing contributions to quantum computing research and development.

Conclusion

QC Design continues to innovate in the field of quantum computing, leveraging the EIC funding to enhance its design automation tools and collaborate with industry partners. Their focus on fault-tolerant architectures and advanced simulation capabilities positions QC Design as a leader in quantum design automation.

Sources

• QC Design Pioneers GPU-Accelerated Quantum Fault-Tolerance
• Quantum Source Pilots QC Design's Plaquette to Accelerate Photonic Fault-Tolerance
• QC Design Launches Fault-tolerant Architecture Licensing
• Quantum Source Pilots QC Design's Plaquette to Accelerate Photonic Fault-Tolerance
• News — QC Design
• QC Design Secures €4M ($4.35M USD) Funding from EIC Accelerator
• Quantum design automation leader, QC Design, selected for the prestigious EIC Accelerator program

5 The Partnerships and Customers

QC Design's Strategic Partnerships and Market Positioning Post-EIC Accelerator Funding QC Design, a German quantum design automation company, has leveraged its 2024 EIC Accelerator funding (€4M) to forge key partnerships and expand its customer base, focusing on photonic and superconducting quantum computing platforms.

Key Partnerships & Customers

• Quantum Source: Partnered to integrate Plaquette software into Quantum Source's R&D for photonic fault-tolerance architectures. The collaboration aims to optimize atom-photon entanglement protocols and refine scalable quantum hardware designs.
• QuiX Quantum: First customer for Plaquette+, QC Design’s fault-tolerance design automation tool, enabling tailored error models for photonic systems.
• IQM Quantum Computers: Co-developed a "Fault Tolerance" training module for IQM Academy, enhancing education in quantum error correction strategies.

Nature of Relationships & Strategic Objectives

• Technology Validation: Partnerships focus on simulating thousands of qubits under realistic conditions (e.g., 20+ hardware imperfections modeled in Plaquette) to validate fault-tolerant architectures.
• Market Expansion: Collaborations with photonic (Quantum Source) and superconducting (IQM) leaders position QC Design as a cross-platform fault-tolerance specialist.
• GPU Acceleration: Integration of NVIDIA’s cuQuantum SDK into Plaquette enables simulations of 400+ qubit systems, attracting hardware developers seeking performance scaling.

Technological Advancements & Scaling Impact

• Plaquette Upgrades: Recent releases include loss-aware decoding (v2025.4), GPU-based full-state simulations (v2025.3), and qLDPC code support (v2024.6), enhancing utility for partners like Quantum Source.
• Funding Utilization: EIC Accelerator resources are directed toward expanding GPU compatibility and developing device-specific error models, critical for near-term commercial deployments8.

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Sources

6 The Hiring and Company Growth

QC Design: A Quantum Leap in Team Growth and Innovation

QC Design, a cutting-edge quantum computing company from Germany, has been making significant strides in developing fault-tolerant quantum computers since its inception in 2021. Following its recent success in securing EIC Accelerator funding in March 2024, QC Design is poised to enhance its team and accelerate technological advancements.

Current Headcount and Team Size

As of the latest available data, QC Design has a dedicated team of over 10 top experts in quantum technologies. This team is spearheaded by co-founders Ish Dhand and Martin B. Plenio, both renowned figures in the field of quantum computing.

Hiring and Growth

QC Design is actively focused on expanding its team to continue driving innovations in fault-tolerant architectures and simulation tools. The company's growth is supported by leading investors such as Vsquared Ventures and Quantonation, as well as funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

Key Positions and Recent Hires

While specific recent hires are not detailed, QC Design emphasizes the importance of recruiting top talent in areas such as fault tolerance theory, engineering, and hardware. This strategic recruitment enables the company to tackle complex challenges in quantum system development, positioning it for future success.

Future Impact and Scaling

New team members will play a crucial role in helping QC Design scale and grow by advancing its core mission: designing and implementing fault-tolerant quantum computing architectures. This capability is essential for the next generation of quantum computers, and QC Design's work has the potential to propel the industry forward.

Management and Founding Team Changes

There are no reported major changes in the management or founding team since the company's establishment. The leadership remains strong under Ish Dhand and Martin B. Plenio, who bring extensive expertise in quantum technologies to drive the company's vision.

Conclusion

QC Design is on a trajectory of growth and innovation, bolstered by its recent funding successes and strategic team expansion. As the company continues to develop cutting-edge fault-tolerant quantum computers, its impact on the future of computing is poised to be significant.

Sources

• QC Design
• News — QC Design
• QC Design - GitHub
• QC Design Launches Fault-tolerant Architecture Licensing

7 The Media Features and Publications

Overview of QC Design

QC Design is a leading company in quantum design automation software, based in Germany. The company made significant news in 2024 when it was selected for the prestigious European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator program. This selection not only highlighted QC Design's innovative approach to quantum computing but also provided the company with substantial funding to further develop its technologies.

Media Features and Publications

Several publications have featured QC Design since its EIC Accelerator win. Key media outlets include Quantum Computing Report and The Quantum Insider, which have covered the company's success in securing €4 million in funding to enhance its quantum design automation tools. These publications emphasize QC Design's role in developing fault-tolerant architectures for scalable quantum computing, crucial for advancing quantum computing technologies.

Content from Publications

Publications have highlighted QC Design's mission to support hardware manufacturers in building fault-tolerant quantum computers. The funding received from the EIC Accelerator is specifically aimed at developing QC Design's Plaquette software, which helps optimize logical qubits and architectures despite imperfections in physical qubits and gates. This focus on fault tolerance is critical for making quantum computing more reliable and scalable.

Podcasts or Interviews

Currently, there is no publicly available information on specific podcasts or interviews featuring the team of QC Design. However, the company's CEO, Ish Dhand, has been recognized in the German startup ecosystem, winning the Newcomer of the Year award at the German Startup Awards 2024.

Conference and Fair Visits

While there is no detailed information available on specific conference or fair visits by QC Design, the company's involvement in the quantum computing community suggests participation in relevant events. The EIC Accelerator's selection process involves a rigorous evaluation, indicating that QC Design is actively engaged in showcasing its innovations.

Involvement in Events

QC Design's involvement in events primarily centers around its participation in the EIC Accelerator program. The company's selection and subsequent funding highlight its strategic relevance in advancing quantum computing technologies within the EU. The EIC's support enables QC Design to further its mission in developing scalable and reliable quantum computing solutions across various hardware platforms.

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Sources:

• Quantum design automation leader, QC Design, selected for the EIC Accelerator program
• QC Design Secures €4M ($4.35M USD) Funding from EIC Accelerator
• EIC Accelerator 2024: Quantum Technology Start-Ups Secure Grants and Equity Funding
• Press Release — News - QC Design