QuEra Computing Inc. said today it has secured more than $230 million in funding to accelerate its goal of advancing error-corrected quantum computers.

Today’s round was backed by Google LLC’s Quantum AI business unit and participants such as the SoftBank Vision Fund and Valor Equity Partners, as well as existing backers such as QVT Family Office and Safar Partners.

It’s a substantial sum of money and it suggests that QuEra, which launched back in 2018, is making good progress on its goals. The company is one of several that’s seeking to achieve “quantum advantage,” or the point at which quantum computers become more powerful than classical computers, and it’s doing this through the use of “neutral atom”-based qubits that are manipulated by lasers, which ensure stability and minimize quantum errors.

The company has already launched a quantum computer called Aquila, which runs on a field-programmable qubit array processor with 256 rubidium atoms acting as the individual qubits. This architecture makes it possible for the qubit configurations to be rearranged on demand without needing to change the hard, which means it can also be thought of as a “software-defined” quantum computer.

Customers can access QuEra’s Aquila quantum computer via Amazon Web Services Inc.’s Braket service and use it for the research and development of quantum applications. Last year, QuEra announced a new roadmap, aiming to build a machine with 100 logical error-corrected qubits by 2026.

The existing Aquila quantum computer is equipped with 10 logical qubits plus 256 physical qubits, and also features a “unique transversal gate” capability to prevent errors from propagating across those qubits, making them inherently error-resistant. According to the startup, the transversal gates also make it possible to correct each qubit individually, laying the foundations for “error-corrected” quantum computing.

Later this year, the company’s roadmap calls for the launch of a more powerful machine with 30 logical error-corrected qubits that will feature a “magic state distillation” capability and 3,000 physical qubits. According to QuEra, magic state distillation is a technique that allows for it to implement a broader range of quantum gates with higher fidelity, so it can execute exponentially greater quantum computations.

Finally in 2026 the company will debut a third-generation quantum computer with 100 logical qubits and 10,000 physical qubits. It says such a machine will be capable of running “deep logical circuits” and push quantum computing beyond the “simulatability” limit to usher in a new era of quantum-powered innovation.

QuEra interim Chief Executive Andy Ory said the funding is a key milestone for the company as it works towards its goal of scalable, fault-tolerant quantum computing.

“Since our last funding round in 2023, we have achieved impressive scientific, technical, and commercial milestones, which have dramatically increased the value of our business,” he said. “This new investment will fuel our next phase of growth, enabling us to deliver large-scale quantum solutions that address critical business challenges.”

QuEra noted that it isn’t guaranteed all of the money, as $60 million is said to be contingent on the company satisfying what it says is a “prerequisite funding condition,” but it said efforts to do so are “currently in progress.”

In any case, the company has a clear idea of where it intends to go next, with the funds earmarked for accelerating the development of its quantum technology, expanding its team of scientists and engineers, and strengthening its build and test capacity to scale the performance of its computers.

In addition, QuEra also wants to expand its engagements with global research organizations, government research programs and Fortune 500 companies.

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