In a significant boost to India’s quantum technology ecosystem, Bengaluru-based startup QNu Labs has raised ₹60 crore (approximately $7 million) in a Series A funding round. The round was spearheaded by the National Quantum Mission (NQM) — a key initiative under the Department of Science and Technology — which alone contributed ₹25 crore to the fundraise.
Other notable investors in this round included Lucky Investment, Speciale Invest, Tenacity Ventures, and Singularity AMC, showing strong belief in the company’s vision for quantum-resilient cybersecurity.
Founded at IIT-Madras, QNu Labs is not your typical cybersecurity firm. It’s one of India’s few players working at the cutting edge of quantum-safe encryption — a rapidly growing field that’s becoming more relevant as quantum computing edges closer to mainstream adoption.
“Traditional encryption methods, which protect almost everything we do online today, won’t hold up in a quantum future,” said a spokesperson from QNu Labs. “Our mission is to ensure the world’s data — from banks to battlefields — remains secure when that day arrives.”
To date, QNu has raised $20 million, and the new funds will help the startup deepen its research and expand its suite of products. Its current portfolio includes Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) systems and Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) solutions — technologies designed to future-proof sensitive communications across sectors like finance, defence, and critical infrastructure.
With India placing increasing strategic importance on home-grown quantum capabilities, QNu’s progress marks a step forward for both national security and technological self-reliance. The company faces competition from a small but growing cohort of Indian startups in the space, including Qulabs, Scytale Alpha, and Qpi — all racing toward a future where cybersecurity must be fundamentally reimagined.
