Category Visionaries Matthew Kinsella, CEO of Infleqtion: $150 Million Raised to Build the Future of Quantum Technology
Oct 18, 2024
37:17
Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from tech's most innovative B2B founders. In today's episode, we're speaking with Matthew Kinsella, CEO of Infleqtion, a quantum technology company that's raised over $150 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
- Quantum technology’s roots at CU Boulder: Infleqtion's journey started with foundational research from Nobel Prize-winning physicists at CU Boulder. They developed ways to control atoms using lasers, which unlocked the ability to isolate and exploit quantum properties for next-gen tech applications.
- The unexpected career shift: Matthew spent nearly two decades as an investor, never planning to run a company. His deep dive into quantum technology in 2017 led him to invest in Infleqtion, and ultimately to step in as CEO, driven by the technology’s potential to be transformative for humanity and national security.
- Explaining quantum to grandma: When simplifying quantum technology, Matthew compares it to Newtonian physics but highlights that quantum operates with its own set of bizarre rules, where everything is governed by probabilities, and phenomena like superposition and entanglement defy everyday logic.
- Commercializing quantum tech: Infleqtion is already selling products like their quantum optical clock, which keeps time 1,000 times more accurately than anything currently available. This tech has wide-reaching implications, from improving GPS accuracy to enabling future quantum computers.
- The race to quantum supremacy: Quantum computing is still a few years away from reaching "quantum advantage," but Matthew believes that within five years, we’ll see quantum computers outperform classical computers in specific tasks. Meanwhile, quantum sensors and clocks are already delivering commercial value today.
- Navigating government contracts: Matthew shares that breaking into government procurement is complex and involves building relationships through programs like SBIR grants. Success in this space can be transformative, with multi-year contracts that provide a consistent revenue stream.
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