Every investor and enterprise in quantum and AI faces the same problem: too many pitches, too many claims, and too little time to check which technology is real. Meanwhile, some of Europe’s strongest startups never reach London’s investors and corporates at all, because they’re based outside the usual hubs.
Q-AIM, a new EU-funded initiative, is built to fix both sides of that problem.
Instead of another pitch competition, Q-AIM starts with what investors actually need: their sector, stage, ticket size and use case. It then scouts quantum and AI startups across Europe, from Athens to Tallinn, and checks every one against the same due-diligence standard. Independent experts validate the technical claims. Each startup also gets a Regulatory Readiness Passport showing where it stands on the EU AI Act and export controls, so compliance questions are answered before the first meeting.
The result is a short, trusted pipeline of matched companies. Investors get dealflow they can compare across countries. Enterprises in finance, security, health and other sectors meet startups whose technology has already been tested. And Q-AIM goes further than introductions: it supports real co-investment deals, helping investors from different countries agree on valuation and terms together.
“Investors and enterprises don’t need more noise. They need vetted startups,” says Antti Heikkilä, CEO of Deep Tech Foundry and coordinator of Q-AIM. “We do the scouting and the checking, so they can focus on the deal.”
Q-AIM will scout up to 200 startups and work with more than 30 lead investors, with roadshows to London, Cambridge and Europe’s other investor hubs. The first open call for startups launches in early 2027. Investors and enterprises who want early access can follow Q-AIM on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/q-aim-investment-network-for-quantum-and-ai
Q-AIM is coordinated by Deep Tech Foundry with BGI, AI & Partners, Envolve, Frost & Sullivan, QBase and Reportly.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the granting authority. Neither can be held responsible for them.
