QSimulate has secured an additional round of seed financing, bringing its total funding to more than $11 million as the Boston-based startup accelerates the deployment of its quantum-powered molecular simulation technology. The round includes participation from Embark Ventures. At the same time, the company introduced QUELO v2.3, the latest version of its quantum simulation engine built to model drug-protein interactions with far greater speed and scientific accuracy than conventional approaches.
Founded by former Northwestern University and Caltech professors Toru Shiozaki and Garnet Chan, QSimulate aims to transform how drug candidates are designed by focusing on the fundamental physics governing molecular behavior. The company’s platform directly models quantum mechanical interactions, enabling simulations that have historically been too complex or too slow for real-time research.
The new QUELO v2.3 release introduces enhanced sampling techniques and expanded capabilities for modeling large molecules, including peptide drugs. By doing so, it becomes the first quantum-powered solution tailored to these classes of molecules. The platform already includes quantum tools for optimizing covalent drugs and those interacting with metal ions, an area crucial for oncology and diseases such as HIV and Alzheimer’s.
QSimulate’s technology has gained strong traction since its breakthrough quantum engine debuted in 2024. Its real-time quantum simulations can achieve speeds up to 1000 times faster than traditional methods, with results available within milliseconds per snapshot. This shift reduces workflows that previously required months to just hours. Industry partners now include Google, Mitsui, JT Pharma, and five of the world’s top 20 pharmaceutical companies.
With the latest financing, the company plans to expand operations and broaden its platform to support the growing demand from global biopharmaceutical and research organizations.
KEY QUOTES:
“Quantum mechanics is the often-overlooked key ingredient, and we’ve pioneered a quantum mechanics approach to unlock molecular insights in drug discovery that conventional AI methods cannot reach.”
“As AI continues to evolve, quantum mechanics will be more important than ever in the next frontier of drug discovery where both quantum and AI technologies will act as complementary forces.”
Toru Shiozaki, Co-Founder And CEO Of QSimulate
