C12 is building reliable quantum computers.
The company is a spin-off from ENS launched in January 2020 by twin brothers Matthieu and Pierre Desjardins to supercharge the development of the lab’s promising new quantum technology.
Quantum computing has the potential to change our lives. But frequent errors limit the technology’s viability. We are tackling the fundamental issue: the nature of the hardware itself. We are tapping into the simplest material–carbon–to drive a technological breakthrough in the field. Unlike other quantum computers, we use carbon nanotubes as the fundamental building block of our processor. By combining the power of an ultra-pure material with an easy-to-manufacture semiconductor device, we are building a scalable platform for quantum computing.
Our executive co-founders bring a unique combination of scientific excellence and business skills to the company. Our team is made up of the world’s most accomplished experts in quantum electronics and carbon nanotube science. Our scientific advisors are renowned scientists and pioneers in spin qubits: Dr. Takis Kontos, Dr. Matthieu Delbecq and Dr. Jérémie Viennot.
In June 2021, C12 secured a $10 million seed round with funding from 360 Capital, Bpifrance (Digital Venture Fund), Airbus Ventures, BNP Paribas Développement, and Octave Klaba (OVHcloud), and additional grants from Bpifrance and the Ile-de-France Region.
We are leading quantum’s next material breakthrough, and we are just getting started. Silicon enabled the emergence of classical computing – it’s time for carbon to do the same for quantum !
The company is a spin-off from ENS launched in January 2020 by twin brothers Matthieu and Pierre Desjardins to supercharge the development of the lab’s promising new quantum technology.
Quantum computing has the potential to change our lives. But frequent errors limit the technology’s viability. We are tackling the fundamental issue: the nature of the hardware itself. We are tapping into the simplest material–carbon–to drive a technological breakthrough in the field. Unlike other quantum computers, we use carbon nanotubes as the fundamental building block of our processor. By combining the power of an ultra-pure material with an easy-to-manufacture semiconductor device, we are building a scalable platform for quantum computing.
Our executive co-founders bring a unique combination of scientific excellence and business skills to the company. Our team is made up of the world’s most accomplished experts in quantum electronics and carbon nanotube science. Our scientific advisors are renowned scientists and pioneers in spin qubits: Dr. Takis Kontos, Dr. Matthieu Delbecq and Dr. Jérémie Viennot.
In June 2021, C12 secured a $10 million seed round with funding from 360 Capital, Bpifrance (Digital Venture Fund), Airbus Ventures, BNP Paribas Développement, and Octave Klaba (OVHcloud), and additional grants from Bpifrance and the Ile-de-France Region.
We are leading quantum’s next material breakthrough, and we are just getting started. Silicon enabled the emergence of classical computing – it’s time for carbon to do the same for quantum !
Employees: 11-50
Total raised: $29.46M
Founded date: 2020
Investors 5
| Date | Name | Website |
| - | 360 Capita... | 360cap.vc |
| - | Verve Vent... | verve.vc |
| 14.09.2026 | Agoranov | agoranov.c... |
| 08.07.2022 | Creative D... | creativede... |
| - | Stake Capi... | stake.capi... |
Funding Rounds 2
| Date | Series | Amount | Investors |
| 19.06.2024 | - | $19.46M | - |
| 08.06.2021 | - | $10M | 360 Capita... |
Mentions in press and media 8
| Date | Title | Description |
| 21.06.2024 | C12 Quantum Computing: Leading the Charge in Quantum Technological Advancements | In the realm of quantum computing, C12, a pioneering French startup, has recently secured a substantial €18 million in funding to further its development of a carbon nanotube-based quantum computer. Founded by the visionary Desjardins broth... |
| 19.06.2024 | French quantum computing startup C12 raises €18M to stabilize qubits with carbon nanotubes Quantum instability challenges A new kind of qubit Your vote of support is important to us and it helps us ke... | Few people have heard of the French quantum computing startup C12 Quantum Electronics SAS, but that could change if its novel architecture for creating the qubits that power these next-generation computers lives up to its billing. A lot of ... |
| 19.06.2024 | C12 raises €18M for universal quantum computing | C12, a French spin-off of the Physics Laboratory of the École Normale Supérieure in Paris which is developing a carbon nanotube-based universal quantum computer, has closed its second round at €18M. The new round of financing will allow C12... |
| 15.06.2021 | Paris-Based Startup C12 Quantum Electronics Raises $10MIllion, Led by 360 Capital | C12 Quantum Electronics announces the closing of a $10 million seed round comprising funds from 360 Capital, Bpifrance (Digital Venture Fund), Airbus Ventures, BNP Paribas Développement, and Octave Klaba (OVHcloud), with additional grants f... |
| 08.06.2021 | C12 Quantum Electronics Raises $10M in Funding | C12 Quantum Electronics, a Paris, France-based company which makes functional units of quantum computers, raised $10M in funding. Backers included 360 Capital, Bpifrance (Digital Venture Fund), Airbus Ventures, BNP Paribas Développement, an... |
| 08.06.2021 | C12 Quantum Electronics announces 10M$ Seed round | Paris-based startup C12 Quantum Electronics raises 10M$ Seed round to help accelerate the development of the company’s unique quantum computing technology: a qubit, built from an ultra-pure carbon nanotube, suspended above a silicon chip, t... |
| 08.06.2021 | Paris-Based Startup C12 Quantum Electronics Raises $10M, Led by 360 Capital | |
| - | C12 Quantum Electronics | “C12QE” |