From DeteQtReviewed by Lexie CornerMar 26 2025
DeteQt, a quantum sensing firm developed out of the University of Sydney, has raised pre-seed funding from some of the most well-known deep tech venture capitalists to expedite the development of its diamond-on-chip technology.
(L-R) Deteqt CEO Jim Rabeau, COO Rupal Ismin, CTO Omid Kavehei, Quantum physicist Adam Stewart, hardware Engineer David Katzmarek. Image Credit: DeteQt
The startup raised $750,000 from Main Sequence Ventures and the US-based ATP Fund following a $3.3 million deal with Defence last year, serving as a springboard for further funding.
According to co-founder and CEO Jim Rabeau, the company intends to utilize the financing to nearly double its size and move forward with a new prototype before raising another round next year.
It is ultimately to position us for a much bigger raise next year, where we’re going to be going from prototype to bigger scale.
Jim Rabeau, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, DeteQt
Dr. Rabeau and Professor Omid Kavehei formed DeteQt in 2023 to develop quantum magnetometers for real-world applications such as navigation, critical mineral detection, and medical imaging.
The company combines nitrogen-vacancy diamond technology (similar to Quantum Brilliance) with standard silicon chip fabrication through Global Foundries to develop a low-cost, scalable, and easy-to-manufacture solution.
Dr. Rabeau, the former President of Infleqtion’s Australian division and a former Director of Quantum Technologies at CSIRO, said the Defence Innovation Network grant funding was the result of this “unique value proposition.”
Dr. Rabeu added, “It was really bringing those two things together that positioned us to get the funding from the Defence Innovation Network and then to do something really pretty unique in having a silicon chip with a diamond sensor.”
With the initial Defence Innovation Network grant, DeteQt was able to develop the technology further, which was licensed by the University of Sydney and originated at the Nano Institute.
“Now we have a control and measurement chip, and we have our diamond quantum chip, and we basically put them together,” Dr. Rabeu talked about the technique developed with Professor Kavehei, the company’s chief scientific officer.
He added, “It is like a sandwich without anything in the middle. It is like two pieces of bread coming together, and they talk to each other.”
DeteQt is now looking ahead, with ambitions to have a prototype ready for demonstration by the end of the year, allowing it to expand into markets beyond navigation.
It also intends to establish a corporation in the United States, which Dr. Rabeau described as a “springboard for us to consolidate all the tech and customer conversations.”
“We have this technology which is very close to application-ready, and the wave of possibilities of actually deploying this to industries that are actually ready for the kind of tech that we are bringing,” the Adjunct Professor added.
“I think this wave of quantum sensing and near term applications, compared to quantum computing, is quite exciting, and we are in a really, really good place to do that,” he stated.
Dr. Rabeau further stated that having a “strong” contract with the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator reduced the company’s reliance on additional venture capital funding.
He concluded, “That is pretty unique for a small startup like ours, and so [with that investment] we are kind of going really hard to deliver what we said we’re going to do, get in front of customers and more investors, and really ramp up our next generation development and production.”