ETF Digest
Can quantum turn ‘magic’ into money?
Posted
2 October 2026
Categories
Quantum computing’s biggest question has shifted. It used to be “if”. Now, the question is “how can we benefit from it?”
The Financial Times’ Richard Waters and Michael Peel explore exactly that in the latest instalment of their Moonshot Capitalism series, and we’re pleased to see our portfolio company Riverlane featured.
Riverlane CEO Steve Brierley argues that using quantum machines to simulate nature “shouldn’t be mistaken for a narrow business opportunity.” The payoff could reach from new medicines to better batteries, and progress on discovering energy and climate related solutions for the biggest challenges of our day!
That last part is why we backed Riverlane. Many of the hardest problems in the energy transition are, at heart, chemistry and materials problems, and they’re the kind that classical computers struggle with.
Getting there depends on reliability. Riverlane’s error correction technology is what helps quantum hardware move beyond lab demonstrations and into useful, commercial applications.
Investor appetite is clearly growing. According to PitchBook data cited by the Financial Times, more than $4bn of venture capital has gone into quantum companies so far this year, almost matching the total for 2025.
Congratulations to Steve and the entire Riverlane team. Read the full piece HERE.