Quarkitech Raises ₹2 Cr in Pre-Seed Round From Artha Access and Finvolve
The startup has also secured a ₹1.5 crore grant from the IITM-CDOT Samgnya Technologies Foundation under India's National Quantum Mission (NQM).
Chennai-based deeptech startup Quarkitech has raised ₹2 crore in pre-seed funding from Artha Access, a programme of Artha Venture Fund II, and Finvolve.
The startup has also secured a ₹1.5 crore grant from the IITM-CDOT Samgnya Technologies Foundation under India’s National Quantum Mission (NQM).
The fresh capital will be used to develop a sensor-data compression algorithm library designed to reduce the volume of data at the source before it is stored, processed or transmitted.
Founded in January 2025 by Rajesh Narayanan, Sanyam Parashar, Shashikant Singh Kunwar and Vishnu P.K., Quarkitech develops simulation and quantum-inspired algorithms aimed at solving large-scale combinatorial optimisation problems.
According to Quarkitech, its algorithms can achieve between 10X and 100X compression depending on the type of sensor data, while retaining information relevant to the underlying application.
The company says that in laboratory testing, its technology achieved 26X compression on drone-captured data while retaining 98% of mission-critical information. These figures are company-reported and have not been independently verified.
The startup is targeting environments where the amount of sensor data generated by a platform can exceed available bandwidth or onboard processing capacity. By compressing information closer to the point where it is generated, the company aims to allow platforms to transmit more useful data without requiring proportional increases in communication infrastructure.
Quarkitech is now working to validate the technology in real-world operating conditions, including moving platforms exposed to heat and vibration, limited onboard power and intermittent connectivity.
The ₹1.5 crore grant brings Quarkitech into the startup-support ecosystem of the National Quantum Mission. The IITM-CDOT Samgnya Technologies Foundation, based at IIT Madras and established under the NQM, serves as India’s Quantum Communication Thematic Hub and supports early-stage startups working on quantum-technology applications.
The National Quantum Mission was approved by the Union Cabinet in April 2023 with an outlay of ₹6,003.65 crore for 2023–24 to 2030–31. The mission covers quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum sensing and metrology, and quantum materials and devices, while also providing support for startups and technology commercialisation.