Today, we proudly celebrate Qilimanjaro Quantum Tech’s 6th anniversary, six years of bold milestones, and a growing contribution to Europe’s quantum computing landscape. As we look back, it’s incredible to see how far we’ve come and the impact we’ve made.
Here’s a recap of the key milestones that have shaped our journey so far:
2019: The Beginning of the Adventure
5 founders!
In April 2019, Qilimanjaro was born from a shared vision between 5 entrepreneurs, four quantum physics Ph.D’s and one lawyer, from the University of Barcelona (UB), the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), and the Institute of High Energy Physics (IFAE).
The mission, led by Victor Canivell as CEO and co-founder, was clear from the start: to build application-oriented, coherent analog quantum computers based on superconducting flux qubits, and to pursue a co-design approach between hardware and algorithms.
From a small but determined team in Barcelona, Qilimanjaro set out to push the limits of what was possible in quantum tech.
“Coherence and analog were our guiding principles from day one. We had the sense that now was the time to build such a quantum computer, by sidestepping the industry’s mainstream to attain first-to-market for real world use cases. This was a key metric. To get there was a dream. But we got off to a great start, by signing a multimillion euro project in December 2019, before hiring our first employee.”
Victor Canivell Cretchley
CEO of Qilimanjaro from 2019 to 2023
2020: Building the Foundation
11 employees!
2020 was a year of quiet but fundamental growth. As the world faced difficult challenges, we focused on our core, building the foundations of our company.
We built our laboratory facilities, established our hardware, software, and theory teams, and established the infrastructure necessary to launch future projects. It was a year of intense preparation, preparing the groundwork for the bold milestones that were just ahead.
2021: Quantum Leaps
15 employees!
In 2021, Qilimanjaro took a bold step onto the global stage by delivering to the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) in Abu Dhabi the UAE’s first quantum computer. Focused on superconducting qubit chips designed and fabricated by ourselves, the project marked a major milestone for both Qilimanjaro and the Middle East’s quantum ambitions.
Qilimanjaro had only a small team of 15 employees back then!
Qilimanjaro installed the UAE’s first Quantum Computer in Abu Dhabi
Back in Spain, we contributed to the national CUCO project, where we contributed to the design of quantum and quantum inspired algorithms for Spanish Major Accounts such as Repsol and BBVA.
It was a year of expansion, partnerships, and laying the groundwork for what was to come. We also received the first of many future awards, that of the Best Startup of the University of Barcelona.
2022: Recognitions and Momentum
19 employees!
In 2022, our efforts gained significant recognition. We were named the Best Deep Tech Startup and selected as one of the “5 Top Quantum Computing Startups to Watch” by StartUs Insights.
The most notable business milestone was winning the Quantum-Spain tender to build the first quantum computer in our country, a three year project through 2025 to deliver a 30 qubit quantum computer at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, the main node of the Spanish HPC network. This project for a gate based system would run in parallel to our on-going in-house development of the analog chips, since we could leverage all the technology stack down to the chips themselves.
This milestone coincided with the closing of our first investment round, led by Repsol Ventures, Axis Participaciones, and Grow Venture Partners. December 2022 marked a true turning point for Qilimanjaro.
Meanwhile, we continued advancing the CUCO project, as well working with Major Accounts ENEL in Italy and Indra in Spain on other algorithm use cases. Our momentum was undeniable, and our vision was becoming reality.
2022 was also the year when we actively pursued Qilimanjaro’s first patents in both quantum hardware and software.
2023: Stepping into a New Phase
38 employees!
2023 marked a pivotal transition in Qilimanjaro’s story. After the first four years under the leadership of Victor Canivell and the founders, in April 2023, Dr. Marta Estarellas took on the role of CEO, bringing fresh leadership and a renewed strategic vision. Marta was one of the first employees of Qilimanjaro in late 2020, transferring from her research work in Japan; the key factor for joining was her total alignment with our unconventional concept of building a coherent analog quantum computer.
Dr. Marta P Estarellas, CEO of Qilimanjaro
A key success, based on the proposal presented in 2022, was being honored with the prestigious EIC Transition 2.5M euro grant for the RoCCQeT project, enabling us to better move forward with our first chip prototypes for coherent quantum annealers.
At the same time, in early 2023, Qilimanjaro was selected by Intel to join their 2023 “Intel Ignite 2023” cohort of European startups, to participate in their prestigious acceleration program for deeptech startups.
Marta led the team that followed this very useful training in Munich.
Victor Canivell, co-founder of Qilimanjaro at the presentation of the QuantumSpain project
A coming out in the public light in early 2023 was when Qilimanjaro took part in the presentation of Spain’s first quantum computer, to be installed at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center as part of the Quantum Spain initiative. Developed by the joint venture between Qilimanjaro and GMV, this project marked a key step toward integrating quantum technology into MareNostrum 5 and advancing Spain’s digital sovereignty.
Finally, in late 2023, we welcomed a new investor, the Quantic Gang family office, further strengthening our growth journey.
2024: Delivering Quantum Spain and Upgrading Infrastructure
56 employees!
2024 was THE year… As our team grew significantly, our original offices and labs could no longer fit all of us! In response, we inaugurated our new headquarters in Poblenou, Barcelona, a vibrant hub designed to foster innovation, collaboration, and the next stage of our growth.
Additionally, we successfully completed Phase II of the Quantum Spain project, installing a twin system of analog quantum computers at the BSC, built with a 100% european technology.
The quantum computer Marenostrum-Ona at the BSC, deployed by Qilimanjaro
Our new lab at the 22@ district in Barcelona
Our growth was further supported by a public loan funding from Avançsa and the Innova Creixement Line, boosting our R&D and reinforcing our ambitions for the future.
At the Mobile World Congress, we were awarded the Best Digital Startup in the World during the 4YFN Awards, an incredible achievement that highlighted the global relevance of our work.
Marta also collected the “NextGen Tech Winner 2024” from the European Commission.
2025: Scaling for the Future
65 employees!
2025 opened a new chapter for Qilimanjaro. We signed the EuroQCS contract, taking a leading role in bringing quantum computing into Europe’s high-performance computing centers. This system, to be installed as of late 2025 over a three year period, is a fully analog quantum computer, such that our client BSC will be the first worldwide to have a hybrid HPC plus both analog and digital quantum computers, with the same open software access and control stack.
At the same time, we strengthened our position with new equity funding from deeptech VC Axion Partners and SETT, alongside continued support from existing investors Grow Venture Partners and Quantic Gang. With this, we officially closed our latest investment round, a milestone that secures the resources needed to support our next phase of growth.
In a major boost for the entire ecosystem, the Spanish government announced an €808 million investment plan to position Spain as a global leader in quantum technologies.
This announcement was done in the context of an OECD conference on quantum technologies in Madrid, at which Marta was invited as a roundtable speaker.
This truly feels like the beginning of a new era, not just for Qilimanjaro, but for quantum innovation across the country.
We participated in the OECD Global Technology Forum during the Spanish government’s presentation of its €808M Quantum Technologies Strategy.
Celebrating Our People and Our Vision
None of these achievements would have been possible without the extraordinary talent, passion and resilience of our team. Every engineer, physicist, designer and collaborator has contributed to making this dream, a reality.
As Qilimanjaro turns six, we reflect on an extraordinary journey of growth, scientific ambition, and the pursuit of building quantum technologies with real-world impact. From day one, we’ve chosen a path of rigor over hype — staying true to our mission of developing useful, responsible, and sovereign quantum computing solutions.
“We believe that Europe’s leadership in quantum technologies depends not just on software or theory, but on its ability to develop sovereign hardware and robust hybrid infrastructures. That’s the future we’re working toward — with integrity, with ambition, and with a team committed to shaping the next era of computation.”
Marta P Estarellas, CEO