Fujitsu, SC Ventures, Launch Quantum Initiative

Standard Chartered’s venture arm, SC Ventures, and Fujitsu, have launched Qubitra Technologies, formed out of the two firm’s Project Quantra, which commenced in September 2025 to accelerate quantum capability and value in financial markets and other parts of the business.

Qubitra will operate in the UK and is tasked with delivering high-performance applications, spark collaboration, and accelerate innovation in quantum computing and other frontier technologies, the firms state.

Initial work includes developing proprietary solutions in areas such as fraud detection and financial markets trading, that will leverage quantum and quantum-inspired algorithms along with various machine learning methods to achieve step-change performance today, while remaining future-ready for quantum hardware as it matures.

The two firms say that initial implementations with financial institutions, hedge funds and family offices are already underway, with the first go-live expected in early 2026.

Qubitra is also building an ecosystem platform that connects quantum software providers, quantum hardware providers, and end users across the quantum community. The marketplace platform will integrate multiple software and hardware technologies and enable users to experiment, test, and deploy solutions across the full quantum stack. The platform will feature Qubitra’s proprietary applications as well as third-party offerings, and will incentivise innovation through a usage-based compensation model and support open-source collaboration. The firm says it is in active discussions with several quantum software and hardware providers about joining the platform.

In addition to components sourced from across the ecosystem, the platform will include access to Fujitsu’s quantum hardware, Fujitsu’s Digital Annealer and Fujitsu’s proprietary quantum applications. It will launch with a pilot group of users in 2026, with a full launch to follow, Qubitra says.

A leadership team has also been unveiled for the business, with Vishal Shete, formerly managing director at Terra Quantum, named as CEO; Daniel Wynne, previously founding COO at Carbonplace, as COO; and Kugendran Naidoo as chief scientific officer (CSO). Naidoo joins from JP Morgan where he was executive director, AI and ML platform innovation.

“We use modern and at times frontier technologies to re-invent financial services,” says Alex Manson, CEO, SC Ventures. “Qubitra, with access to Fujitsu’s quantum software and hardware, will leverage quantum technology across a number of use cases to rewire the DNA in banking and beyond.”

Vivek Mahajan, CTO, in charge of system platform at Fujitsu, adds, “Qubitra’s applications for financial institutions, in the areas of fraud detection, derivatives pricing and in financial markets trading, will utilise novel machine learning and optimisation techniques which harness the latest quantum and quantum inspired computing devices. Qubitra is already working with financial institutions including Standard Chartered Bank, to deploy advanced solutions in these areas. These approaches are designed to deliver measurable improvements over conventional methods used today, paving the way for broader adoption of quantum technologies in financial services and beyond.”