Innovation Kyoto 2021 Investment Limited Partnership ("KYOTO-iCAP Fund Ⅱ"), with Kyoto University Innovation Capital Co.,Ltd. ("Kyoto iCAP") (Headquarters: Sakyo-ku, Kyoto; Representative Director: Ko Kusumi) as general partner, has made the investment in Yaqumo Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Kazuhiro Nakashoji), a venture company that utilizes the results of research at Kyoto University.

Overview of this investment
　Yaqumo is a startup that aims to provide a large-scale error tolerant quantum computer that can be applied in practical fields. The company was founded by Professor Yoshiro Takahashi of Kyoto University's Graduate School of Science and Professor Kenji Omori of the Institute for Molecular Science's Photochemistry Research Area, leveraging the research results of their research group.

　Quantum computers, the next generation of computers, are expected to be put to practical use because of their potential to efficiently solve problems that are difficult to solve with current computers. There are a variety of implementation methods for quantum computers, and the world is racing to develop them. However, there are still issues that need to be addressed before they can be put to practical use, such as the need for larger systems and efficient handling of errors that occur during calculations. Recently, the "cooled atom (neutral atom) method," which uses neutral atoms cooled by laser light as qubits, has attracted much attention as a revolutionary method that is expected to overcome these problems.

　Takahashi Lab. of Kyoto University was the first laboratory in the world to establish a laser cooling method for ytterbium atoms, a feature useful for quantum computation. The Omori Laboratory of the Institute for Molecular Science possesses a number of outstanding technologies, including high-precision optical tweezers for preparing a large number of qubits for calculations and ultra-fast quantum entanglement generation using pulsed lasers.

　Based on the fundamental technologies of both laboratories, Yaqumo aims to develop a domestic quantum computer based on a cooled atom (neutral atom) method and to implement large-scale error correction functions that are essential for practical applications.

　Kazuhiro Nakashoji, CEO of Yaqumo, was selected by Kyoto iCAP for its full-time visiting entrepreneur program (EIR-iCAP) and worked at Kyoto University to start his own company. EIR-iCAP is a program of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), a national research and development organization (NEDO), which aims to develop management talents for university-launched startups. The project is supported by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) under its Management Personnel Management (MPM) Support Program for University Startups.

　Kyoto iCAP expects Yaqumo to make a significant contribution to the social implementation of quantum computers, and in collaboration with Beyond Next Ventures and ANRI, has invested ¥240 million as lead investor out of a total of approximately ¥700 million in private placement.

Outline of Yaqumo Corporation
Establishment : April 2025
Business : Development of neutral atom quantum computer
Head Office: 1F, Yusen Building, 2-3-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Representative Director: Kazuhiro Nakashoji
HP: https://yaqumo.com

About Kyoto University Innovation Capital, Co. Ltd.
　As a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kyoto University, Kyoto-iCAP provides investment and other business support to companies that utilize research results generated by Kyoto University and other national universities. We currently operate the Innovation Kyoto 2016 Investment Limited Partnership ("Kyoto-iCAP 1 Fund") (established in January 2016) with a total value of 16 billion yen and the Kyoto-iCAP 2 Fund (established in January 2021) with a total value of 18.1 billion yen. The Kyoto-iCAP No. 1 Fund has a maturity of up to 20 years, and the Kyoto-iCAP No. 2 Fund has a maturity of up to 17 years, making it possible to provide long-term support for the practical application of research results from Kyoto University, which has strengths in basic research. The Kyoto-iCAP 2 Fund has a maximum maturity of 17 years. In addition, Kyoto-iCAP No. 2 Fund will invest a portion of the funds in ventures originating from national universities other than Kyoto University.

Contact information for inquiries
Kyoto University Innovation Capital, Co. Ltd.
36-1 Yoshida Honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8317, Japan
Osami Kono, Senior Officer, Business Development Department
TEL: 075-753-7588 FAX: 075-753-7592
E-mail: info@kyoto-unicap.co.jp