Finnish AI Lab QuTwo Secures €25 Million Angel Round at €325 Million Valuation
The Helsinki-based company focuses on orchestration layers for classical and quantum computing, backed by a high-profile group of investors including Yuri Milner and Xavier Niel.
QuTwo, the Finnish artificial intelligence laboratory founded by Peter Sarlin, has successfully raised a €25 million angel round. The investment values the company at €325 million, or approximately $380 million. This funding structure is distinct from traditional venture capital injections, designed specifically to provide the organisation with long-term strategic freedom over a five to ten year horizon.
Sarlin, who previously founded Silo AI before its acquisition by AMD for $665 million in 2024, explicitly chose this measured approach. He noted that while some investors sought to transform his previous venture into Europe's OpenAI, he did not believe in that specific play. Instead, QuTwo aims to build the globally leading AI company for the next computing paradigm without the pressure of rapid scaling often associated with larger funding rounds.
Although the company's name references quantum computing, QuTwo currently prioritises quantum-inspired computing on classical hardware for immediate enterprise utility. Its core product, QuTwo OS, functions as an orchestration layer that directs tasks across classical, quantum, and hybrid architectures. The leadership views quantum as a future compute paradigm rather than an immediate product focus, with enterprise AI serving as the primary driver for current commercial operations.
The funding has supported significant operational expansion, including the recent move into Sweden and the recruitment of approximately 50 scientists. The team includes notable figures such as Kaj-Mikael Björk, Sarlin's former co-founder at Silo AI, and Kuan Yen Tan, co-founder of the Finnish quantum company IQM. Additionally, the company has secured committed revenue of roughly $23 million through design partnerships, including a collaboration with retail giant Zalando to develop AI assistants.
The investor group for this round comprises prominent figures from the European technology and business sectors. Key backers include Yuri Milner, Xavier Niel, Nico Rosberg, Dieter Schwarz, and Niklas Zennström. The capital also brings access to a network of founders from various European tech companies, including those from Hugging Space, Legora, Miro, Skype, Supercell, and Wolt.
This investment aligns with a broader trend of sovereign technology development in Europe, capitalising on a desire for local alternatives to US tech providers. The funding is expected to facilitate ambitious research and development initiatives in sectors where the region already holds strong expertise, such as automotive, life sciences, and gaming. Sarlin, who serves as executive chairman of both QuTwo and NestAI, remains committed to building the next generation of AI infrastructure out of Europe.
