Quantum Startup Secures Venture Capital Backing For Diamond-on-Silicon Sensing Tech

Insider Brief

• Quantum sensing startup DeteQt has raised $750,000 in pre-seed funding from Main Sequence Ventures and the ATP Fund to commercialize its diamond-on-silicon quantum magnetometer technology.
• The company’s sensors are designed for scalable deployment in GPS-denied navigation, critical mineral detection, and portable medical imaging, leveraging semiconductor fabrication techniques.
• DeteQt, a University of Sydney spin-out, has secured early partnerships with defence, mining, and medical imaging sectors in both Australia and the US, including a $3 million ADF contract.
• Image: Professor Omid Kavehei (left) and Adjunct Professor Jim Rabeau, co-founders of DeteQt. (Stefanie Zingsheim)

PRESS RELEASE — DeteQt, a pioneering quantum sensing startup, has secured three-quarters of a million dollars in pre-seed funding from Australia’s Main Sequence Ventures and US deep-tech investor ATP Fund, positioning the company for rapid growth in the global quantum sensing market.

Using their patented ‘diamond-on-silicon’ approach, DeteQt is developing highly sensitive, portable, and scalable quantum magnetometers with applications spanning GPS-denied navigation, critical mineral detection and portable medical imaging. The company is a spin-out from the University of Sydney Nano Institute and has attracted strong interest from domestic and US partners in those sectors.

DeteQt’s CEO, University of Sydney Adjunct Professor Jim Rabeau, will announce the investment at this week’s Quantum Australia Conference. Professor Rabeau’s career spans leadership roles at Microsoft’s quantum computing program, Deloitte, CSIRO and, more recently, as president of the Australian arm of US-based quantum company Infleqtion.

He will tell the conference that DeteQt is a strong example of how Australia’s quantum investment is driving real-world impact – translating world-class research into a commercially viable deep-tech companies addressing critical market needs. 

Unlocking the Quantum Sensing Opportunity

Current sensor technologies in mining, health and navigation have hit fundamental limits. DeteQt’s diamond-on-silicon quantum sensors provide an entirely new paradigm, integrating nitrogen-vacancy diamond technology with traditional silicon chip fabrication.

By leveraging industry-standard semiconductor manufacturing processes, DeteQt ensures its sensors are not only highly sensitive but also low-cost, scalable, and manufacturable at volume – critical factors for real-world deployment in high-precision sensing applications.

“Our technology is designed to address some of the world’s biggest challenges – navigation in GPS-denied environments, more effective critical mineral exploration and next-generation medical imaging,” Professor Rabeau said. “By integrating quantum sensors with scalable semiconductor processes, we’re delivering the sensitivity of quantum with the manufacturability and low-cost of silicon.”

In 2023, the federal government released the National Quantum Strategy, boosting the ambitions started with the $70 million investment in the Sydney Quantum Academy and later the $18.4 million investment in Quantum Australia, a growth centre aimed at fostering collaboration between researchers, startups and industry.

With increasing support from both public and private sectors, DeteQt shows how Australia can turn cutting-edge quantum research into real-world applications – creating new industries, jobs, and sovereign capability.

Market Momentum and First Applications

DeteQt has secured partnerships in Australia and the US in its early stage, including:

• Defence & Navigation: $3million contract with the Australia Defence Force secured for GPS-denied navigation systems.
• Mining & Critical Minerals: Working with industry leaders to develop next-generation subterranean imaging tools. Partnership with Adelaide-based Fleet Space for better detection of critical minerals.
• Medical Imaging: Collaborating with US partner OneScan to assess the potential for portable MRI systems using quantum sensing.

From Lab to Scale-Up

DeteQt was founded by Adjunct Professor Jim Rabeau and Professor Omid Kavehei from the University of Sydney Nano Institute and Faculty of Engineering, bringing together expertise in diamond-based quantum sensing and semiconductor design. The team is expanding, with Chief Operating Officer Rupal Ismin joining in March 2025 bringing deep experience scaling startups in both the San Francisco Bay Area and Australia.

“With strong backing from investors, a growing ecosystem of partners, and a clear pathway to commercialisation, DeteQt is well-positioned to lead the next wave of quantum sensing innovation,” Professor Rabeau said.