The German deep tech startup QuantumDiamonds has successfully closed a funding round, raising €91 million. These funds come from two sources: a Series A equity round of €15 million and additional state aid of €76 million, which does not dilute the founders' stake.
As demand for AI chips grows, QuantumDiamonds plans to use the capital to scale its quantum-principle-based semiconductor testing technology. This will allow the German manufacturer to avoid yield improvement issues faced by other AI hardware developers.
The capital injection will help the company build an advanced testing facility in Germany. Furthermore, over the next twelve months, the startup intends to double its engineering staff to meet growing international demand. QuantumDiamonds was founded in 2022 as a spin-off from the renowned Technical University of Munich (TUM) and has rapidly evolved from an academic project into a significant player in the global deep tech ecosystem.
The €15 million equity round was led by venture capital firm Climatetech World Fund. Regional venture fund Bayern Kapital, along with existing institutional investors including IQ Capital, Earlybird, and First Momentum, also participated in this round. The remaining €76 million came as state aid, officially approved by the European Commission, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, and the Free State of Bavaria.
Modern silicon microchips are extremely complex, as their production involves hundreds of chemically and physically precise layers. Even a single defect can ruin an entire batch of silicon wafers, leading to billions of dollars in losses due to scrap and supply delays for global chip manufacturers. QuantumDiamonds addresses this problem in heavy industry using quantum probing technology. The company integrates quantum sensors into specialized equipment for analyzing chips at the atomic level. This non-destructive testing method is capable of detecting structural imperfections that are completely missed by optical and electronic microscopes.
Early detection of defects in the manufacturing process gives semiconductor producers time to make timely adjustments to their machinery, significantly reducing production waste and accelerating the delivery times for new equipment. The €76 million state grant directly supports the strategic goals of the EU Chips Act. Europe aims to reduce its strong dependence on semiconductor supply chains from Asia and North America. The new facility in Munich is a cornerstone of these regional efforts. Under the state funding agreement, QuantumDiamonds will collaborate with European research universities and local small businesses, thereby creating a robust local semiconductor infrastructure in Europe.
The company is actively expanding its international presence. QuantumDiamonds currently employs 70 people, and its equipment has already been successfully installed in active semiconductor fabs in Taiwan and the United States. According to CEO and co-founder Kevin Berghoff, major chip manufacturers view this quantum diagnostic platform as an indispensable tool for next-generation equipment. The company is currently focused on accelerating the mass production of its testing equipment in Munich to support a growing list of international clients in major global technology hubs.
FORE Biotherapeutics has successfully raised $67.4 million to support the development of its lead targeted anti-cancer drug, plaxiorafenib. This funding round was co-led by SR One, Medicxi, and SymBiosis, and also attracted new investors, including TaiAx, LG Technology Ventures, Primer Ventures, and Axil.
Previously invested companies such as OrbiMed Advisors, HBM Healthcare Investments, Wellington Management, Cormorant Capital, Novartis Venture Fund, Windham Life Science Partners, Samsung, and 3B Capital also participated in the deal. Thanks to this new round, the total capital raised in Series D-2 reached $110 million. The Philadelphia-based firm focuses on developing targeted treatments for patients with types of cancer that are often difficult to treat.
President and CEO William Hinshaw stated that the additional funds will allow the company to successfully pass key clinical and regulatory milestones over the next few years to advance plaxiorafenib to more advanced stages of development. The funds are planned to be directed towards continuing the late-stage development of plaxiorafenib, also known as FORE8394.
The company has completed patient enrollment in the global FORTE study, which covers recurrent or progressive central nervous system tumors with the BRAF V600E mutation. Preliminary results from this study are expected by the end of 2026, and if favorable, the company aims to file for accelerated approval with the FDA in 2027. Previously, the FDA granted plaxiorafenib Breakthrough Therapy designation in April 2026.
The therapy is being evaluated in patients with BRAF-altered tumors, including certain types of brain and spinal cord cancer. Furthermore, the company continues to develop monotherapies in additional indications, targeting rare solid tumors with the BRAF V600 mutation and common solid tumors with BRAF fusions. The FORTE study is a global Phase 2 trial designed to evaluate plaxiorafenib in various patient groups. The company recently received approval to include patients aged eight and older in the study, expanding access for children and young adults with specific BRAF-altered CNS tumors. The dosing regimen was also updated to allow plaxiorafenib to be taken with food, eliminating the need for an additional pharmacokinetic boost previously used in the trial. According to the company, drug-related discontinuation remained below 2% across all tumor types.
Earlier studies have demonstrated encouraging activity of the drug. In a Phase 1/2 study with patients having recurrent primary CNS tumors with BRAF V600 who had not previously received MAPK inhibitors, plaxiorafenib showed significant response rates and a favorable safety profile. FORE Biotherapeutics positions plaxiorafenib as a next-generation BRAF inhibitor designed to address limitations associated with earlier treatment methods. The company asserts that its approach can reduce recurrence rates and decrease the need for combination therapies used with older BRAF drugs. This deal reflects sustained interest in the growing market of precision oncology—treatments tailored to individuals with specific genetic mutations. BRAF mutations occur in several types of cancer and remain a focus for drug manufacturers.
