Quantum computing is often associated with futuristic promises of solving problems beyond the reach of conventional machines, but French startup ColibriTD is taking a more practical route by targeting complex simulations already used across major industries. The company has raised €4 million in seed funding to advance its quantum simulation technology and expand its presence internationally.
The funding round was led by Earlybird Venture Capital, with participation from SymbiaVC and Medin VC. The latest investment follows a €1 million pre seed round previously raised from Earlybird, bringing additional capital behind ColibriTD’s effort to turn quantum algorithms into useful tools for industrial engineering and scientific applications.
Building Software for Complex Simulations
Founded in 2019 by Laurent Guiraud and Hacène Goudjil, ColibriTD develops quantum software aimed at solving complex simulation problems across sectors including aerospace, defence, semiconductors, energy, automotive and finance.
Many of these industries rely on multiphysics simulations to understand how different physical phenomena interact. Such simulations can involve fluid movement, electromagnetic behaviour, material deformation, combustion and financial risk.
These workloads can demand significant computing resources when handled using conventional methods. ColibriTD is developing software designed to introduce quantum computing into this process and potentially make parts of these calculations more efficient as quantum hardware continues to mature.
H DES at the Core
At the centre of ColibriTD’s technology is H DES, short for Hybrid Differential Equation Solver.
The company describes H DES as a proprietary variational quantum algorithm designed to solve partial differential equations. PDEs are fundamental mathematical tools used to describe how physical systems change and are widely used in engineering and scientific simulations.
Rather than developing software for a single quantum computer, ColibriTD has taken a hardware agnostic approach. Its platform is designed to operate across different quantum computing systems, allowing industrial users to access the technology without being locked into one hardware provider.
The company aims to provide an intermediate software layer connecting quantum hardware with the engineering and scientific applications already used by businesses.
Experience Across Six Industries
ColibriTD has already tested its technology through seven co development projects covering six different sectors.
Its work has included defence and aerospace applications, space and climate science, semiconductor design, nuclear energy, automotive engineering and quantitative finance.
Among the applications explored are radio frequency design and combustion modelling for propulsion systems, both of which involve complex calculations and simulation requirements.
These projects are giving the company an opportunity to test its quantum software against practical industrial problems rather than focusing solely on theoretical research.
Expanding Quantum Partnerships
The new investment will support continued research and development around H DES as ColibriTD works to improve its technology and expand its industrial applications.
The company plans to recruit additional quantum researchers and engineers who will work on technology development as well as customer projects.
ColibriTD also intends to strengthen partnerships with quantum hardware providers, academic institutions and industrial organisations. Such collaborations are expected to play an important role as the company expands its technology across different computing environments and application areas.
Taking Quantum Simulation Global
ColibriTD’s international expansion comes as businesses and research organisations increasingly explore how quantum computing could complement conventional high performance computing.
The company is focusing on areas where simulation is already a critical part of product development, engineering and decision making. By targeting existing industrial workloads, it hopes to create a clearer path from quantum research to commercial applications.
The €4 million seed round gives ColibriTD additional resources to deepen its technology, grow its specialist team and expand its international partnerships.
As quantum hardware continues to develop, ColibriTD is betting that the software layer connecting these machines with real world industrial problems could become just as important as the quantum computers themselves.
