Nasdaq-listed Pasqal received a European Innovation Council (EIC) Fund Award at the 2026 TechEU Equity Summit in Luxembourg, recognizing its contributions to Europe’s deeptech ecosystem, the company says. The award acknowledges Pasqal as one of the first companies in the EIC Fund’s portfolio to successfully complete a business combination and begin trading on Nasdaq on August 28.
“That backing helped us grow from a research-driven start-up into a company now listed on Nasdaq,” said Wasiq Bokhari, CEO of Pasqal. Founded in 2019 on Nobel Prize-winning research, Pasqal builds neutral-atom quantum computers for industry, science, and governments.
Pasqal Receives EIC Fund Award at 2026 TechEU Equity Summit
The EIC Fund Award acknowledges Pasqal’s contribution to Europe’s deeptech industry and its successful transition from a research-focused start-up to a publicly traded company, a milestone the EIC Fund highlighted as significant for its portfolio. The TechEU Equity Summit, organized by the European Investment Bank, brought together investors and tech leaders to discuss trends in deep tech, security, cleantech, and life sciences, providing a platform for recognizing companies like Pasqal driving innovation within the region, according to the company.
The award acknowledges a trajectory supported by early European investment, a point emphasized by Pasqal CEO Wasiq Bokhari. “As a French company active in a strategic technology sector, Pasqal received early support from European institutions, both for its research and its growth, particularly through the EIC Fund,” Bokhari said. This backing facilitated expansion beyond initial research phases, culminating in the Nasdaq listing and positioning Pasqal as a key player in the global quantum computing arena.
Pasqal currently maintains systems deployed across France, Italy, Saudi Arabia, and Canada, demonstrating a growing international footprint. The company’s approach centers on neutral-atom qubits, a technology that allows for both current analog workloads and a planned evolution toward fault-tolerant quantum computing, the company says. Beyond receiving the award, Bokhari actively participated in the TechEU Equity Summit, moderating a panel discussion focused on exit strategies and initial public offerings.
The session, titled “Exploring Exit Strategies and IPOs – Access to Capital Markets,” featured speakers from the European Investment Bank, Headline Fund, Atlantic Bridge, and Euronext, addressing the challenges and opportunities for scale-ups seeking investment and aiming to remain headquartered in Europe. This engagement underscores Pasqal’s commitment to not only advancing quantum technology but also contributing to the broader European innovation ecosystem.
The company’s customers, including Saudi Aramco, Crédit Agricole CIB, and LG Electronics, are using the company’s quantum computing systems to tackle complex problems in areas like energy, financial services, and advanced materials. These partnerships and collaborations demonstrate Pasqal’s strategy of building a comprehensive quantum computing ecosystem, extending beyond hardware to encompass software, applications, and strategic alliances, the company states.
The company’s listing on Nasdaq as PSQL, following the completion of its business combination with Bleichroeder Acquisition Corp, provides access to US public markets, a relatively rare achievement for a European quantum computing firm. Pasqal’s headcount currently stands at approximately 275 people, and the company has secured over €440 million in total funding, including a €340 million initial public offering on March 7, 2026.
This financial backing is enabling Pasqal to scale its operations, expand its research and development efforts, and accelerate the deployment of its quantum computing systems to a wider range of customers. The company’s ambition, as stated by Bokhari, is to continue scaling from Europe while extending its impact and partnerships worldwide, solidifying its position as a global leader in neutral-atom quantum computing.
As a French company active in a strategic technology sector, Pasqal received early support from European institutions, both for its research and its growth, particularly through the EIC Fund.
Wasiq Bokhari, CEO of Pasqal
Nasdaq: PSQL Completes SPAC Transaction, Public Listing Milestone
The award acknowledges Pasqal’s contribution to strengthening Europe’s deeptech innovation ecosystem, a sector increasingly vital for economic competitiveness and technological sovereignty. This milestone is considered significant within the EIC Fund, demonstrating the potential for European deeptech companies to achieve successful exits and attract further investment. Pasqal’s listing on Nasdaq, under the ticker symbol PSQL, provides increased access to capital markets and positions the company for continued growth and expansion.
“We are deeply grateful for the EIC Fund’s confidence in our team, and very proud to receive this award,” said Wasiq Bokhari, CEO of Pasqal, emphasizing the importance of early European support in the company’s trajectory. Pasqal’s experience is a case study for other European deeptech companies seeking similar pathways to growth and public listing. The TechEU Equity Summit itself focused on connecting private capital with high-growth companies, particularly those operating in artificial intelligence, deeptech, fintech, and climate tech.
Pasqal’s systems, available both on-premises and through the cloud, are already being utilized by organizations across energy, financial services, and advanced materials to address complex computational challenges. Founded in 2019 on research stemming from Nobel Prize-winning work, Pasqal’s technology utilizes neutral atoms as qubits, the fundamental building blocks of quantum computers. This approach offers a unique pathway towards scalable and fault-tolerant quantum computing, a critical requirement for tackling real-world problems beyond the capabilities of classical computers.
The company’s hardware platform is designed to support both analog workloads currently and to evolve towards more advanced quantum computations in the future. Pasqal’s commitment to a full software stack further simplifies access to quantum computing for organizations lacking in-house quantum expertise. The EIC Fund Award not only recognizes Pasqal’s past achievements but also signals confidence in its future potential.
By successfully completing a SPAC transaction and public listing, Pasqal has established itself as a leader in the emerging quantum computing landscape and a beacon for European innovation.
See today’s quantum computing news on Quantum Zeitgeist for the latest breakthroughs in qubits, hardware, algorithms, and industry deals.
