Applied Ventures

Investment thesis

Applied Ventures is the corporate venture arm of Applied Materials, the world's largest semiconductor equipment company, investing in startups that intersect with Applied's materials engineering and fab roadmap. Quantum is a declared focus area, anchored by its 2025 Series A investment in Qolab (superconducting qubit manufacturing co-founded by Dr John Martinis), coupled with a deep Applied Materials technical collaboration on qubit scaling. Applied's broader quantum ecosystem engagement spans Nu Quantum, MemQ, Oxford Ionics, Oxford Quantum Circuits, SemiQon, QuantrolOx and Riverlane, though not all are confirmed equity investments. The strategic thesis: superconducting, photonic and ion-trap qubits all require materials and fab innovations at the nanometer scale, which is exactly Applied Materials' home turf. Portfolio companies gain access to Applied's Maydan Technology Center for process development and the company's global tool base.