Photonic secures $130 million to scale quantum computing systems

The $271 million in funding will be used to develop their fault-tolerant quantum systems.
From lab to market, China accelerates frontier tech deployment (Xinhua) 08:17, January 12, 2026 A humanoid robot conducts box-carrying training at a data collection pre-training center for humanoid robots in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Dec. 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan) HEFEI, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- From robots deployed at airports and hotels to autonomous vehicles navigating city roads and quantum computing tackling complex industrial calculations, innovations in China are moving rapidly from laboratories into real-world applications. At Hefei Xinqiao International Airport in Hefei, the capital of east China's Anhui Province, a wheeled humanoid robot named Zerith H1 glides through the restrooms, automatically adjusting its height to collect trash, wipe stains from countertops, and mop the floor. Developed by Hefei-based robotics company Zerith, the intelligent cleaning robot has been deployed at more than 20 venues in major Chinese cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. It serves shopping malls, airports and hotels by doing cleaning and goods sorting. Founded by a team of post-2000s graduates from Tsinghua University, Zerith moved from a laboratory prototype to mass production within a year, securing orders totaling more than 100 million yuan (about 14.3 million U.S. dollars).

Canadian quantum computing company Photonic has raised $130 million in the first close of a new investment round led by Planet First Partners. New backers include RBC and TELUS, alongside returning investors.

The funding brings Photonic’s total capital raised to $271 million and supports the development of fault-tolerant quantum systems. The company combines silicon-based qubits with built-in photonic connectivity.

Photonic’s entanglement-first architecture is designed to scale across existing global telecom networks. The approach aims to enable large, distributed quantum computers rather than isolated machines.

Headquartered in Vancouver, Photonic plans to utilise the investment to accelerate key product milestones and expand its team. Investors see strong potential across finance, sustainability, telecommunications and security sectors.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!