QSimulate, a quantum-powered drug discovery technology provider, announced a new seed financing round that increases total capital raised to more than $11 million from investors including Embark Ventures. Along with the investment, QSimulate unveiled QUELO v2.3, the newest generation of the company’s quantum simulation platform.
Human biology presents a notoriously difficult challenge for molecular-level drug and protein interaction modeling, particularly through conventional AI systems. Founded by former Northwestern and Caltech professors Toru Shiozaki and Garnet Chan, QSimulate applies a quantum-physics-first methodology designed to accelerate and improve drug discovery by directly modeling molecular behavior based on the fundamental rules of the microscopic world.
“Quantum mechanics is the often-overlooked key ingredient, and we’ve pioneered a quantum mechanics approach to unlock molecular insights in drug discovery that conventional AI methods cannot reach,” said Toru Shiozaki, co-founder and CEO of QSimulate. “As AI continues to evolve, quantum mechanics will be more important than ever in the next frontier of drug discovery where both quantum and AI technologies will act as complementary forces.”
QUELO v2.3 introduces enhanced sampling techniques and expanded capabilities for larger molecules and peptide therapeutics. As the first quantum-powered system built for peptide drugs and other large molecules, this release expands the practical reach of quantum-based simulations in drug development. The update strengthens a platform already offering the industry’s first quantum-powered tools for lead optimization of covalent drug molecules and compounds interacting with metal ions — critical elements in targeting cancer, HIV, Alzheimer’s and other complex diseases.
Since launching a breakthrough quantum engine in 2024, QSimulate has experienced strong demand for real-time quantum simulations integrated directly into drug discovery workflows. The quantum mechanics engine delivers predictive molecular simulations at speeds up to 1000× faster than traditional approaches — milliseconds per snapshot — cutting timelines from months to hours. (Read more in posts from NVIDIA and Amazon.)
New capital will support operational scaling and platform expansion to meet rising demand from collaborators such as Google, Mitsui, JT Pharma, and five of the world’s top 20 pharmaceutical companies.