VTT Info: S-Transistors raises €2.6 million pre-seed round to introduce a unique superconducting transistor platform for scalable orchestration of quantum computers
ESPOO, Finland, Aug. 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The new Finnish startup is disrupting the ways of controlling large-scale quantum computers by delivering a completely new class of electronic devices - superconducting transistors. These novel devices combine the computational power of transistors with the ultra-low power dissipation of superconductors. S-Transistors is developing first-of-its-kind quantum motherboards that will provide energy- and cost-efficient orchestration of cryogenic quantum computers at scale.
Newly launched Finnish startup S-Transistors, originating from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, has raised €2.6 million in pre-seed funding to pioneer a fundamentally new class of integrated circuits based on superconducting transistors. The technology has several promising applications, from energy-efficient classical computing to spacecraft electronics, but quantum computing, in particular, stands to benefit most.
Today's cryogenically cooled superconducting quantum computers need a paradigm-changing solution to break the scaling limit of the quantum processing unit (QPU) - the array of quantum bits that, by analogy to a conventional CPU, does the quantum computing. That limit comes from the power-hungry, poorly scalable way quantum processors are controlled today: multiple expensive, bulky cables per qubit, running from the processor inside the cryostat out to room-temperature electronics. This is exactly where S-Transistors' superconducting transistor technology, which is already available at wafer scale, offers a solution that is radically more energy-efficient and compact than existing alternatives.
The funding round was led by Lifeline Ventures, a leading Nordic investor, and joined by an angel investor. S-Transistors is going to use the pre-seed funding to develop several product prototypes for cryogenic signal control and handling, set up its own cryogenic laboratory, establish a manufacturing pilot line for its unique integrated circuits based on superconducting transistors, and grow the team.
"Today's efforts in scaling cryogenic quantum computers have delivered tremendous progress, with several practical use cases already demonstrated. However, further scaling is approaching a hard wall, as it still relies on power-hungry room-temperature electronics and separate wiring for each quantum bit (qubit) - both used to operate the quantum computer and link it to the outside world. The clearest path forward, for superconducting quantum computers in particular, is to bring the classical control and interface hardware down into the cryostat, right next to the quantum chip kept cold to protect its fragile quantum states. The catch is that such integration is extremely demanding in power dissipation, speed, and energy efficiency," says Dr. Heorhii Bohuslavskyi, Co-founder and CEO of S-Transistors. "Superconducting transistors are exactly that missing piece of hardware for large-scale, energy-efficient quantum computing."
Cryogenic quantum computers, including those based on superconducting quantum bits, are considered among the most promising platforms for scaling quantum computing. Unlocking their full potential will require quantum machines with hundreds of thousands of qubits, along with new technologies capable of supporting such computing systems at that scale.
One key challenge is the electronics used to control the qubits and transmit signals to and from the quantum processor. Today, much of this equipment operates outside the cryogenic environment that hosts the quantum-processing chip. Moving it closer to the quantum processor and operating it at extremely low temperatures could significantly improve scalability.
However, this is not simply a matter of placing conventional chips in the cold. Although some industrial silicon transistors can operate at deep cryogenic temperatures, they struggle to combine the performance needed to control large numbers of qubits with extremely low power consumption. Excess heat can disrupt the cryogenic environment and interfere with the quantum processor's fragile operations.
Superconducting transistors offer a promising solution to this very problem. They combine ultra-low power consumption and high-speed performance with compatibility with the quantum processor's cryogenic environment.
"When you think about it, the transistor is the most mass-manufactured device in human history. By combining the transistor functionality, with its unparalleled computing potential, and the superconducting property of near-zero power dissipation in a single device, we can reach a completely new level of energy-efficient cryogenic computing. In the near term, this already solves the cryogenic signal routing and delivery problems the superconducting quantum computer, but the real vision is the quantum motherboard: a completely new platform for scaling quantum computers, operating at mK temperatures, and controlling the operation of qubit-based QPU," says Dr. Andrey Generalov, Co-founder and CTO of S-Transistors.
S-Transistors' first product is a superconducting-transistor-based multiplexer that plugs into existing cryogenic setups and speeds up the development and prototyping of various quantum devices. It will ship to early customers and strategic partners within the company's first year of operation. The multiplexer is the first logical step toward the quantum motherboard and, according to prospective customers and collaborators, it addresses one of the most acute pain points in scaling today's superconducting quantum computers.
The potential reaches well beyond quantum computing and sensing. First theorised in the 1980s, a scalable and reproducible superconducting transistor technology today has strong potential across classical and quantum computing, artificial intelligence and high-performance computing hardware, spacecraft electronics, and fundamental particle detectors. S-Transistors intends to be the one to take that first step from lab to fab, toward customer adoption of superconducting transistor technology.
"S-Transistors is one of those rare companies built around a genuinely new piece of fundamental technology that could become an enabling layer for an entire industry. As quantum computers scale from hundreds or thousands of qubits toward commercially useful machines, we believe superconducting transistors can become a critical part of the hardware stack that makes that scaling possible," says Jyri Engeström, Partner at Lifeline Ventures.
"Our strategy at VTT is to shorten the journey from idea to pilot, from pilot to commercial solution. We will continue to be a part of S-Transistors' journey as the company approaches the manufacturing phase. S-Transistors' superconducting transistor technology will allow us to reach the point where quantum computers finally provide real-world value," says Erja Turunen, Executive Vice President at VTT.
MEDIA MATERIAL: https://vtt.contenthub.fi/ui/shares/w20275311/7GpG281ad1/en/
For additional information:
S-Transistors
Heorhii Bohuslavskyi, Co-founder and CEO of S-Transistors
heorhii@s-transistors.com
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
Eija Tuominen, Research Team Leader
eija.tuominen@vtt.fi, tel. +358 503 296 207
S-Transistors
S-Transistors is pioneering a new class of transistors for scalable, energy-efficient classical and quantum computing. The company combines patent-pending fabrication and early-product circuit architectures with 50+ years of combined experience across microelectronics, cryogenics, quantum electronics, and advanced manufacturing. Guided by the pain points of academics and industry quantum computing players from Europe to North America and Asia, S-Transistors is on a quest to build the world's first quantum motherboard - and unblock the scaling of quantum computers into the quantum-utility era.
https://s-transistors.com, LinkedIn
Further information on VTT:
Paula Bergqvist, Communications Manager
+358 20 722 5161, paula.bergqvist@vtt.fi
www.vttresearch.com
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