Qilimanjaro Quantum Tech, a Spanish start-up company specialized in the field of quantum computing, has been awarded with the world’s best digital start-up at the 4YFN Awards. The spin-off, founded by the BIST community centre IFAE, the University of Barcelona and the Barcelona Supercomputing Centre in 2019, has won 20,000€ in funding and the opportunity to be a speaker at the 2025 edition of 4YFN.
An innovation and leadership recognition
Qilimanjaro Quantum Tech has been selected as the winner from among hundreds of start-ups from all over the world, after a tight competition of presentations to an international VC panel as part of the Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2024, which was attended by more than 100,000 people.
The technology developed by Qilimanjaro accelerates the capabilities of traditional computers. This allows the possibility to address complex problems that are currently unsolvable, and it pushes forward the boundaries of science, providing faster and more efficient solutions to existing problems in the industry.
Marta Estarellas, CEO of Qilimanjaro, points out that the award is a great recognition of the work and dedication of the entire Qilimanjaro team: “Quantum computing will be the next technological revolution, offering tools to further expand our knowledge of the world around us and applying them to the industry. We are proud to be at the forefront of this field, and we hope this award will boost our international expansion and consolidate our position as a leader in the European market“.
Revolutionary technology with a wide range of applications in different industries
Founded as a spin-off from the University of Barcelona (UB), the Barcelona Supercomputing Centre (BSC) and the Institut de Física d’Altes Energies (IFAE), the company has a team of more than 40 highly qualified professionals and has already developed two quantum computers: one for the BSC, which is due to be installed in July 2024 and is already providing remote service, and another, in operation, for the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) in the United Arab Emirates.
With the 4YFN award under its belt, Qilimanjaro Quantum Tech looks to the future with optimism and ambition. One of its immediate plans is to open a Quantum Data Centre, which will provide remote access to various quantum platforms through its Quantum-as-a-Service.
The focus now is to develop specific use cases that offer innovative solutions in areas such as chemistry, logistics, finance, and energy. In Estarellas’ words, “Nature is intrinsically quantum and analog. Therefore, if we want an accurate description of nature, we need to use its language. And that is why our vision is to develop quantum analog processors”. Quantum processors or QPUs are accelerators of computing systems that work in a hybrid way with conventional CPUs and GPUs to solve specific subproblems.
Qilimanjaro is in advanced discussions to finalize its first round of funding, which will expedite the launch of its Quantum-as-a-Service. Until the present, Qilimanjaro’s funding has been based on customer contracts, as well as national and European grants from the European Innovation Council.
Additionally, the company has received several important distinctions, including participation in the 2023 Intel® Ignite acceleration programme in Munich- selected from nearly 300 innovative technology startups worldwide -, as well as the recognition of StartUs Insights as one of the five most relevant companies in the quantum sector in 2022, the award of the Deep Tech Awards 2022 of the Barcelona Deep Tech Node and the Senén Vilaró 2021 award of the Bosch i Gimpera Foundation for the best innovative company related to the University of Barcelona.
Currently, Qilimanjaro’s end clients include some of the leading Spanish multinational corporations, such as a major international textile firm, as well as Indra, Grupo Enel and Stuart, part of the GeoPost group. In addition, the company has received financial support from CDTI and collaborates on projects with Grupo Repsol and BBVA. According to Hyperion Research analysts’ projections, the current quantum computing market is estimated at $1B and is expected to grow by 40% in the next 10 years.
More about Qilimanjaro
Qilimanjaro Quantum Tech is a pioneering Spanish company that specializes in researching, developing, and commercializing quantum computers for specific use cases. Founded in 2019 as a spin-off from the University of Barcelona (UB), the Barcelona Supercomputing Centre (BSC) and the Institut de Física d’Altes Energies (IFAE), the company has a team of more than 40 highly qualified professionals and has already developed two quantum computers in research and supercomputing centers.
Qilimanjaro Quantum Tech’s mission is to democratize quantum computing and make it accessible to companies, enabling them to solve complex problems and optimize their processes in innovative ways.The company provides tailored solutions for diverse industries, such as chemistry, logistics, finance and energy.
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