Definition
Quantum computing uses quantum mechanical phenomena (superposition, entanglement) to perform computations. In 2026, capital is flowing toward fault-tolerant architectures that skip noisy intermediate-scale (NISQ) commercialization.
Key Points
- oratomic $300M Series A (July 2026) challenges million-qubit orthodoxy with 10K–20K qubit fault-tolerance thesis
- Dominant hardware approaches: superconducting, trapped-ion, neutral-atom optical tweezer arrays
- Khosla Ventures, ARCH, Bezos Expeditions betting on utility-scale machines by end of decade
- Encryption risk: Shor’s algorithm milestone cited by investors as “true quantum computing” symbol