Pasqal, a quantum computing pioneer born from French academic excellence
Quantum Computing harnesses the unique properties of quantum physics to open new paradigms of computation with the usage of Quantum Processing Units (QPUs). QPUs are not a replacement for Central Processing Units (CPU) and Graphics Processing Units (GPU), but complementary. Quantum computing offers the potential to solve certain problems exponentially faster than the best?known classical algorithms, and in some cases demonstrates capabilities that seem to lie outside the reach of classical computational models. Among various quantum hardware existing technologies, Pasqal’s neutral atom technology stands out for its scalability and stability. It uses individual neutral atoms as qubits, capitalizing on their natural properties. Neutral atoms provide several key advantages, including a promising route to Fault?Tolerant Quantum Computing (FTQC) Systems, high scalability potential, and competitive qubit gate fidelities.
Headquartered in Europe, with a growing international presence, Pasqal was born as a spinoff of Institut d’Optique (a leading Graduate school of Paris‑Saclay University hub). Pasqal was co‑founded by notable figures including 2022 Nobel Laureate in Physics Prof. Alain Aspect, renowned member of the French Science Academia Dr. Antoine Browaeys, and Dr. Georges Olivier Reymond. This founding team created neutral atom technology. It started with Prof. Aspect’s experiment in 1982 demonstrating entanglement experimentally, and in 2001 with Dr. Georges Olivier Reymond and his experimental demonstration of the first trapped neutral atom. Guided by this history and a groundbreaking vision, Pasqal aims at breaking through the limits of quantum computing.
Pasqal products and services include offering hardware deployment on premises, and direct access to the hardware through the cloud to solve real‑world industrial problems. When providing these services and products, Pasqal collaborates with over 45 clients and partners –such as Thales, EDF, or BMW– across various industries countries including France, Canada, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia, serving verticals such as energy, logistics, or life sciences. Moreover, Pasqal is the second company to have shipped the most QPUs of more than 100+ qubits worldwide after IBM. The team includes over 250+ employees from more than 30 nationalities, including 75+ PhDs.
A Roadmap designed towards Tomorrow’s Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computing Systems
In June 2025, Pasqal unveiled a new roadmap focusing on three core strategic pillars: quantum application, FTQC, and technology deployment. Pasqal aims to achieve industrial quantum advantage on an industrial application in the short term. As part of its drive towards
Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computing (FTQC), the company plans to scale its systems to 1,000 physical qubits by the beginning of 2026 progressing toward 10,000 qubits by 2028. To strengthen this goal, Pasqal recently made the acquisition of Canada’s Aeponyx, enhancing Pasqal’s Photonic Integrated Circuit Capabilities. And to achieve industrial Quantum Advantage, Pasqal is developing a 250‑qubit quantum processing unit (QPU) designed to outperform classical computers in real‑world applications. By the end of 2025, the company will deliver Orion Gamma, the third version of its Orion Quantum Processing Unit, with over 140+ physical qubits. Future models will include Vela (2027, 200+ qubits), Centaurus (2028, early FTQC capabilities), and Lyra (2029, targeting impactful FTQC deployment).
Through this unique strategy, Pasqal pursues both near‑term usable Quantum Processing Units while developing use cases, and a scalable fault‑tolerant roadmap that is on par with most of the company's direct competitors.
Pasqal – the only Quantum Computing Company delivering Neutral Atom Quantum Computing at scale and Quantum Utility Pasqal is already delivering Quantum Processing Units directly to end users. A significant milestone was achieved under the High-Performance Computer and Quantum Simulator Hybrid (HPCQS) program, with the deployment of a quantum computer at TGCC ‑ one of Europe most advanced high performance computing centers. By integrating HPC with quantum computing, value is created through usage and entry barriers for users are reduced. The TGCC example is not the only integration example worth highlighting. Others within the HPCQS program of the EuroHPC JU include the procurement of a machine to Germany (100 qubits) and Italy (140 qubits). Outside the HPCQS program, Pasqal has sold a 200‑qubit Quantum Computer to Aramco, and a 100‑qubit Quantum Processing Unit (QPU) to Distriq, Quantum Innovation Zone.
Pasqal’s Impactful Global Expansion through Strategic Partnerships Pasqal maintains a strong commitment to global expansion, reinforced through a network of strategic partnerships spanning research, cloud infrastructures and industrial application. Pasqal’s QPUs are now compatible with NVIDIA’s open‑source CUDA‑Q platform and accessible via Microsoft Azure Quantum Cloud and Google Cloud Marketplace, expanding global user access. Complementing this commitment, Pasqal has also been deepening key research collaborations. One notably example is with IBM, whose Vice President for Quantum showcased the global recognition of Pasqal: “IBM approached the French startup because it saw it as the most advanced competitor in the field.” This partnership momentum extends across regions, including Asia, where Pasqal is actively collaborating with leading industry players and academic institutions. Partners such as Panasonic, Sumitomo, Posco, LG Electronics, Tech Mahindra,Sungkyunkwan University, Tata Consultancy Services & the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) are working with Pasqal to solve difficult challenges while supporting the local ecosystem. Pasqal is shaping the quantum computing landscape by combining scientific excellence, pioneering hardware deployments, and an ambitious roadmap toward fault‑tolerant systems. With systems already operating at customer sites, strategic alliances with tech giants like IBM, NVIDIA, and Microsoft, and a presence spanning Europe, North America, and Asia, Pasqal is not just promising the future of Quantum Computing but already delivering it. As the only neutral-atom company achieving this scale and speed, Pasqal is setting the pace for a new era of quantum value creation, where science meets real-world impact. Over the next 3 to 5 years, Pasqal’s neutral‑atom platforms are poised to radically transform key industries by delivering unprecedented value and paving the way toward truly fault‑tolerant Quantum Processing Units.
