Danish Photonics Startup Sparrow Quantum Raises $32M
1 Dec, 2025 – Sparrow Quantum, a spin-out from the Niels Bohr Institute, has closed a €27.5 million (~$32 million) Series A round – the largest quantum-tech investment in the Nordic region to date. The funding, led by North Ventures and the European Investment Bank’s venture arm, will bankroll scaling up Sparrow’s production of deterministic single-photon chips and support global expansion. Sparrow’s core innovation, the Sparrow Core photonic chip, can emit identical single photons on demand, a crucial capability for optical quantum computers and quantum communication systems. Unlike superconducting qubits that require near-zero temperatures, Sparrow’s photonic approach operates at room temperature and is highly resistant to noise, making it attractive for practical deployment.
The infusion of capital will help the company transition from prototype to mass manufacturing of its photon-source chips. “Our focus now is on scaling and making the technology widely available,” said Founder Peter Lodahl, noting the Sparrow Core is already being evaluated by several European tech firms. By improving yield and integration, Sparrow aims to supply the “laser shoeboxes” that could enable scalable photonic quantum processors and quantum cryptography networks. The investment is also a strategic win for Europe’s quantum ecosystem. It strengthens Denmark and the EU’s position in the global quantum race, leveraging local scientific breakthroughs to build an industrial edge in photonics. The involvement of European funds signals policymakers’ support for homegrown hardware capabilities to complement the software and applications focus of many EU quantum startups.
Why it matters: This funding milestone highlights growing investor confidence in photonic quantum computing as a viable path alongside superconducting and ion-trap technologies. Deterministic single-photon sources are essential for photonic qubits (used by companies like Xanadu and PsiQuantum), and Sparrow’s technology directly addresses that need, potentially simplifying the architecture of optical quantum computers. If Sparrow can mass-produce reliable single-photon emitters, it could accelerate development of photonic quantum supremacy devices and distributed quantum networks (since identical photons improve interference and entanglement rates). More broadly, the round underscores Europe’s commitment to quantum sovereignty. Backing by the EIB and other EU investors is intended to ensure that critical components – in this case, quantum light sources – are developed within Europe, reducing reliance on foreign supply chains as quantum technologies commercialize. For Denmark, with its strong quantum research tradition, Sparrow’s rise also puts the country on the startup map in a field often dominated by US and Canadian firms. The funds will help Sparrow hire talent and possibly partner with semiconductor fabs, moving quantum photonics from lab demos toward real products that advance quantum computing and secure communications.
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