Research Note: Orange Quantum Systems
Company
Orange Quantum Systems (OrangeQS) is a specialized quantum technology company focused on developing and manufacturing test equipment for quantum chips, positioned at a critical juncture in the quantum computing value chain. Founded in 2020 as a spinout from the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), the company has established its headquarters in Delft, Netherlands, within the region's growing quantum technology ecosystem. Orange Quantum Systems was co-founded by a team of quantum experts including Adriaan Rol, Thorsten Last, Garrelt Alberts, Amber Van Hauwermeiren, and Kelvin Loh, bringing together deep expertise in quantum computing research and industrial applications. Adriaan Rol, who completed his PhD (cum laude) in Professor DiCarlo's group, brings particular experience in control systems for superconducting quantum systems, having developed calibration protocols and made key contributions to quantum computing platforms preceding QuTech's Quantum Inspire. The company's strategic focus on quantum chip testing addresses a critical bottleneck in the industry's transition from laboratory-scale prototypes to industrial-grade quantum processors. Orange Quantum Systems operates from the House of Quantum in Delft, positioning it within the heart of the Dutch quantum ecosystem and facilitating collaboration with other quantum technology companies. Their business model centers on providing turnkey test systems that enable quantum chip manufacturers to accelerate development cycles and reduce costs compared to building custom in-house testing solutions. As the quantum computing industry transitions toward more industrial approaches to chip development, Orange Quantum Systems has evolved its product offerings to support the growing demands for reliable, high-throughput testing of increasingly complex quantum processors.
Market
Orange Quantum Systems operates in the rapidly evolving quantum computing market, specifically targeting the critical testing and characterization segment that bridges research and industrial production of quantum chips. The global quantum computing market is projected to grow substantially over the coming decade, with estimates ranging from $50 billion to $65 billion by 2030, driven by increased government funding, corporate investment, and technological maturation. The company's focus on quantum chip testing addresses a specific pain point in the industry's development pipeline, as quantum chip manufacturers face growing complexity and scale challenges that necessitate more sophisticated testing solutions. OrangeQS has already secured a foothold in this specialized market segment, with clients including full-stack quantum computing companies that require advanced testing capabilities. The company's competitive landscape includes both large scientific equipment manufacturers and specialized quantum technology firms, though OrangeQS appears to have established a differentiated position through its focus on turnkey systems specifically optimized for quantum chip testing. The Dutch quantum ecosystem, supported by initiatives such as Quantum Delta NL, provides a fertile environment for the company's growth, with the Netherlands positioning itself as a leading European quantum technology hub. Recent funding developments, including a €1.5 million pre-seed round co-led by QDNL Participations and Cottonwood Technology Fund in September 2023, followed by additional investment from InnovationQuarter in June 2024, demonstrate growing confidence in the company's market position and technology. The quantum chip testing market is expected to expand significantly as quantum computing moves from research to commercial applications, with OrangeQS well-positioned to benefit from this transition given its specialized expertise and early market entry. Their focus on supporting industrial quantum chip production and development indicates a strategic alignment with the market's evolution toward more mature, production-oriented approaches to quantum computing technology.
Product
Orange Quantum Systems has developed a portfolio of specialized test equipment designed to characterize and optimize quantum chips, with their flagship products addressing different segments of the quantum chip development market. The OrangeQS MAX represents their most advanced offering, described as the world's first test system capable of handling over 100 qubits on a single chip, providing turnkey equipment for high-throughput testing of one or multiple quantum chips. This system is designed specifically to meet the needs of industrial quantum chip manufacturers requiring reliable, automated testing capabilities for complex quantum processors at scale. Their complementary product, the OrangeQS FLEX, targets earlier-stage quantum chip R&D, providing a more adaptable system consisting of an OrangeQS Rack, control electronics stack, and optional refrigeration capabilities. The company has also developed the OrangeQS Industry System, specifically targeting the industrial quantum chip production market, with the first sales already reported to a full-stack quantum computing company. All OrangeQS products are designed to provide automated, affordable alternatives to in-house testing solutions, significantly reducing the time and expertise required for quantum chip manufacturers to assess and optimize their designs. The company's test systems help customers characterize and tune qubits, a critical capability as quantum chips grow in complexity and qubit count. OrangeQS has developed their product line in close collaboration with industry partners, including IQM Quantum Computers, ensuring their systems address real-world manufacturing challenges. Their solutions incorporate both hardware and software components, automating many aspects of the testing process that would otherwise require specialized expertise and significant time investment. The company has demonstrated a commitment to continuous product development, advancing their roadmap to serve emerging industrial quantum chip production needs as the market matures beyond laboratory-scale prototypes.
Strengths
Orange Quantum Systems possesses several significant strengths that position it well within the quantum computing ecosystem, starting with its specialized focus on the critical but underserved quantum chip testing market niche. The company benefits from a founding team with deep technical expertise in quantum systems, including significant experience with superconducting quantum technology developed during their work at respected research institutions. Their products address a genuine pain point for quantum chip manufacturers, offering standardized testing solutions that reduce the need for expensive, time-consuming in-house development of test capabilities. The company's location within the Dutch quantum ecosystem provides access to talent, partnerships, and funding specific to quantum technologies, enhanced by their presence in the House of Quantum in Delft. Their status as a spinout from TNO (the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research) lends institutional credibility and technological depth to their offerings. OrangeQS has secured notable financial backing, including their €1.5 million pre-seed round and subsequent investment from InnovationQuarter, demonstrating investor confidence in their market positioning and technology. The company has shown the ability to attract high-profile customers, with their systems already being used by established quantum computing firms. Their technology roadmap appears well-aligned with industry evolution, as evidenced by their accelerated development of industrial-focused testing systems responding to market maturation trends. OrangeQS has demonstrated productivity in technological development despite being a relatively young company, with multiple product lines already available and continuing innovation in their testing capabilities.
Weaknesses
Despite its promising position, Orange Quantum Systems faces several challenges inherent to both its business model and the broader quantum computing industry. The company operates in a highly specialized market with a currently limited customer base, as the number of organizations actively developing quantum chips remains relatively small despite projected growth. OrangeQS may face potential competition from large scientific equipment manufacturers who could leverage their scale and resources to enter the quantum testing market as it matures. The company's financial resources appear modest compared to more heavily funded quantum computing companies, which could limit their ability to scale operations and development rapidly. Their focus on testing equipment makes them dependent on the overall pace of quantum computing advancement, with delays in the industry's progress potentially impacting demand for their specialized testing solutions. While the company has secured pre-seed funding, they will likely require additional capital rounds to achieve their growth ambitions in this capital-intensive industry. OrangeQS faces the challenge of maintaining technological relevance across different quantum computing approaches, as various qubit technologies (superconducting, trapped ion, photonic, etc.) may require different testing methodologies and equipment. The highly technical nature of their products may create a limited market of potential customers who possess both the technical sophistication to utilize the equipment and the financial resources to purchase it. As a relatively young company founded in 2020, OrangeQS is still establishing its market presence and reputation, competing against more established scientific equipment manufacturers and potentially facing the challenge of proving long-term reliability and support capabilities to cautious enterprise customers.
Technology
Orange Quantum Systems has developed specialized technology focused on automated testing and characterization of quantum chips, a critical capability for advancing quantum computing from laboratory demonstrations to industrial applications. Their systems integrate both hardware and software components designed specifically for evaluating the performance of quantum processors, with particular expertise in superconducting qubit technology. The OrangeQS MAX represents their most advanced technical achievement, capable of testing quantum chips with over 100 qubits, addressing one of the industry's key scaling challenges as processors grow increasingly complex. Their technology enables comprehensive characterization of quantum chips, including the measurement of key performance metrics such as coherence times, gate fidelities, and cross-talk between qubits, essential parameters for developing functional quantum processors. The company has developed automated calibration and testing protocols that significantly reduce the time and expertise required to optimize quantum chip performance, streamlining processes that traditionally require substantial manual intervention from quantum physics experts. Their systems incorporate precision control electronics designed to interface with quantum processors operating at cryogenic temperatures, requiring specialized signal generation and measurement capabilities. OrangeQS has demonstrated the ability to adapt their technology to support different stages of the quantum chip development process, from early R&D through to industrial production testing. The company has showcased technological collaboration through partnerships with organizations like IQM Quantum Computers, ensuring their testing systems integrate effectively with leading quantum processor designs. Recently, OrangeQS joined the DETEQT project, partnering with QuantaMap to integrate non-invasive defect inspection technology with their test and characterization techniques, illustrating their commitment to advancing the technological state of the art in quantum chip evaluation. Their technologies appear designed with scalability in mind, anticipating the industry's need for increasingly sophisticated testing capabilities as quantum processors advance toward practical applications.
Client Voice
Clients and partners of Orange Quantum Systems consistently highlight the critical role of their testing solutions in accelerating quantum chip development cycles and reducing technical barriers to entry. "Over the past three years, the company has already established a presence in the market for quantum chip research and development tools," noted Tech Funding News, demonstrating early market validation despite being a relatively young company. The firm's ability to provide turnkey testing systems has been particularly valued by quantum chip developers who previously faced the costly and time-consuming challenge of building custom testing infrastructure. "Orange Quantum Systems helps companies test quantum chips efficiently, thus accelerating the growth of the quantum industry," observed The Quantum Insider, underscoring the company's core value proposition to clients. IQM Quantum Computers, one of the leading European quantum hardware companies, has established a notable collaboration with OrangeQS, with IQM executive Juha Hassel participating in the launch event for the OrangeQS MAX system, indicating strong industry relationships. Erik van der Zant, Head of Investing at InnovationQuarter, expressed confidence in the company's trajectory, highlighting their position as an emerging leader in quantum technology when announcing their investment. The company's testing systems have reportedly reduced time-to-market for quantum chip developers, with one industrial client having already implemented the OrangeQS Industry System in their development process. Quantum Delta NL, a key funding partner, has recognized OrangeQS's role in building critical infrastructure for the Dutch and European quantum ecosystems, citing their testing capabilities as essential for advancing quantum technologies toward commercial applications. Roberto Viola, Director-General at the European Commission, visited the Orange QS lab in the House of Quantum as part of a tour organized by Quantum Delta NL, indicating recognition at the highest European policy levels of the company's importance to quantum technology development.
Bottom Line
Orange Quantum Systems occupies a strategically valuable position within the quantum computing ecosystem, addressing a critical bottleneck in quantum chip testing that will only grow more significant as the industry scales toward commercial applications. The company's specialized focus on developing automated, high-throughput testing equipment for quantum processors differentiates it from broader quantum computing firms and aligns perfectly with the industry's transition from laboratory prototypes to industrial-grade quantum chips. With €1.5 million in pre-seed funding and subsequent investment from InnovationQuarter, OrangeQS has secured initial financial backing to build its market position, though additional funding rounds will likely be necessary to fully realize their growth ambitions in this capital-intensive sector. Their flagship OrangeQS MAX system, capable of testing quantum chips with over 100 qubits, positions them at the forefront of quantum chip characterization technology, a crucial enabler for the next generation of quantum processors. The founding team's strong technical background in quantum systems provides the expertise necessary to develop sophisticated testing solutions, while their location within the Dutch quantum ecosystem offers advantageous access to talent, partnerships, and specialized funding. While the company faces potential challenges from limited market size in the near term and possible competition from larger scientific equipment manufacturers, their first-mover advantage in specialized quantum testing equipment and demonstrated ability to secure both customers and investors indicates strong potential for continued growth. For CIOs and technology executives tracking the quantum computing landscape, Orange Quantum Systems represents a notable example of specialized infrastructure development that will be essential for the industry's maturation, with their progress serving as one indicator of quantum computing's transition from research to commercial applications. Their continued success will depend on maintaining technological leadership as quantum chip designs evolve and effectively scaling their operations to meet growing industry demand for sophisticated testing capabilities.
Appendix: Strategic Planning Assumption
Because Orange Quantum Systems has developed the first test system capable of handling over 100 qubits on a single chip with their OrangeQS MAX product, combined with early adoption by established quantum hardware companies and rising industry demand for advanced characterization tools as quantum processors grow more complex, by 2027 they will establish themselves as the market leader in quantum chip testing equipment with at least 30% market share among companies developing superconducting qubit processors. (Probability: 0.80)
The quantum computing industry is transitioning from laboratory-scale prototypes to more industrial approaches to quantum chip manufacturing, evidenced by Orange Quantum Systems' accelerated development of their industry-focused testing systems and their secured funding from both venture capital and government sources; consequently, by 2027 OrangeQS will expand their product portfolio to include specialized testing solutions for at least two additional qubit modalities beyond their current superconducting focus, enabling them to serve a broader segment of the quantum hardware market. (Probability: 0.75)
By 2028 Orange Quantum Systems will expand their operations to at least three major quantum computing hubs globally, including North America and Asia, establishing international sales and support infrastructure to serve multinational clients. (Probability: 0.70)
Because automated testing and characterization capabilities are becoming increasingly critical as quantum processors scale in complexity and manufacturing volumes increase, evidenced by OrangeQS's successful pre-seed funding and their technological collaboration in the DETEQT project integrating diverse testing methodologies, by 2029 Orange Quantum Systems will secure at least one strategic investment or partnership with a major semiconductor or electronics test equipment manufacturer, significantly expanding their production capacity and market reach. (Probability: 0.65)
By 2030 OrangeQS will achieve annual revenues exceeding €50 million through a combination of equipment sales, recurring service contracts, and specialized testing software licenses across the global quantum hardware development landscape. (Probability: 0.60)