Firgun Ventures announced a strategic investment in Los Angeles–based startup Quantum Elements, which is developing Constellation, an AI-powered platform designed to accelerate the development of quantum computing applications. The firm said it is backing what it described as an exceptional founding team, with Dr. Chad Rigetti, founder of Rigetti Computing, serving on the company’s board. Financial terms of the investment were not disclosed.
Quantum Elements’ Constellation platform combines AI-driven digital twins with hardware-aware simulation, enabling researchers and enterprises to design, test and refine quantum circuits before deploying them on costly quantum processors. The company said this approach reduces cost, time and risk while making quantum computing more accessible for real-world use cases.
Since launching its cloud platform in October 2025, Quantum Elements has secured early commercial traction with quantum hardware companies and research institutions. The company has established partnerships with Rigetti, IBM, Quantum Machines and AWS, along with research collaborations with the National University of Singapore and UCLA. Quantum Elements said these engagements demonstrate its ability to deliver interoperable software across the quantum ecosystem.
The leadership team includes CEO Izhar Medalsy, PhD, described as a serial technology entrepreneur with experience building and scaling advanced hardware companies; Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer Professor Daniel Lidar, director of the University of Southern California’s Centre for Quantum Information Science & Technology and a researcher in quantum error correction and open quantum systems; and Co-Founder and Board Member Professor Amir Yacoby, a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and Professor of Physics and Applied Physics at Harvard University specializing in solid-state quantum physics.
In addition to Firgun Ventures, other investors in the round include early-stage quantum specialist funds QDNL Participations in the Netherlands and Quantacet in Canada, as well as R-Squared Ventures in Los Angeles.
Firgun Ventures describes itself as a venture capital firm specializing in early growth-stage quantum technology investments. The firm was founded by Dr. Kris Naudts, a former academic psychiatrist-neuroscientist and founder of Culture Trip, and Zeynep Koruturk, a former Goldman Sachs executive and co-founder of Goldman’s Tech Initiative.
KEY QUOTE:
“This is exactly the type of innovation and team we have been looking for, and we’re thrilled to be backing the Quantum Elements. Their first-of-its-kind software is laying the foundations to make quantum computing more scalable and accessible, helping accelerate use cases across industries such as finance, pharmaceuticals, and energy”.
Dr. Kris Naudts, Co-Founder Of Firgun Ventures
