Before quantum computing arrives, this startup wants enterprises already running on it

Eighteen months after selling his startup to chipmaker AMD for $665 million, Finnish entrepreneur Peter Sarlin has left his role as CEO of the unit now known as AMD Silo AI. He is now chairman at two new ventures: physical AI lab NestAI, and QuTwo, an AI startup aimed at helping companies prepare for the era of quantum computing Currently fully funded by Sarlin’s family office, PostScriptum, QuTwo describes itself as “an AI lab for the quantum era.” Rather than waiting for quantum computing to mature, however, it is already working with enterprise customers — including European fashion retailer Zalando, with which it is developing what the two companies call “lifestyle agents,” AI tools designed to go beyond product search and proactively suggest products and experiences. QuTwo is built on the premise that AI is hitting an efficiency wall that quantum computing may eventually help solve. But the company is not betting on when that will happen, Sarlin told TechCrunch. Instead, the startup is building QuTwo OS as an orchestration layer that allows companies to shift from classical to quantum computing — making use of hybrid computing along the way. Sarlin invested in Finnish quantum companies IQM and QMill through PostScriptum, and is one of a growing number of investors who believe it will eventually outperform classical computers in a wide range of industry applications while easing AI’s energy demands. But he also thinks that initial use cases will require mixed hardware environments, and that enterprises would rather focus on their business problems while QuTwo OS takes care of the routing. In that respect, the potential advantage of the middle ground known as “quantum-inspired” computing is that it is already viable today, because it uses classical hardware while simulating quantum behavior, working around the hurdles that still hinder quantum hardware. Meanwhile, QuTwo OS is designed to be flexible, supporting quantum or non-quantum algorithms and chips alike. QuTwo’s team brings experience on both sides of the quantum-AI divide. On the quantum side, there’s IQM cofounder Kuan Yen Tan and board member Antti Vasara, also chair at SemiQon, a Finnish semiconductor startup focused on quantum chips. The enterprise side is equally represented, by Sarlin himself and Kaj-Mikael Björk, one of his former cofounders at Silo AI. Pekka Lundmark, the former CEO of Finnish telecom giant Nokia, also joined QuTwo’s board. Across both areas, the team counts over 30 quantum and AI scientists, and Sarlin is clear where the company stands. “We’re building for the quantum world, but QuTwo is an AI company,” he said, meaning that QuTwo is “pushing AI workloads from classical to quantum.” Techcrunch event Disrupt 2026: The tech ecosystem, all in one room Your next round. Your next hire. Your next breakout opportunity. Find it at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, where 10,000+ founders, investors, and tech leaders gather for three days of 250+ tactical sessions, powerful introductions, and market-defining innovation. Register now to save up to $400. Save up to $300 or 30% to TechCrunch Founder Summit 1,000+ founders and investors come together at TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 for a full day focused on growth, execution, and real-world scaling. Learn from founders and investors who have shaped the industry. Connect with peers navigating similar growth stages. Walk away with tactics you can apply immediatelyOffer ends March 13. San Francisco, CA | October 13-15, 2026 REGISTER NOW This also means that its customer base could be quite broad. Beyond Zalando, QuTwo also launched a joint quantum AI research initiative with OP Pohjola, a major Finnish financial services provider. From the outset, QuTwo has been commercially minded and already has “large design partnerships which are in the tens of millions,” Sarlin said. Design partnerships — in which a vendor co-develops its product alongside enterprise customers — are a way for QuTwo to learn what those customers expect as it builds its product. They are also a bet from enterprises looking to establish early footing when and if quantum computing does arrive. Topics AI, Europe, finland, peter sarlin, postscriptum, quantum computing, qutwo, Startups Anna Heim Freelance Reporter Anna Heim is a writer and editorial consultant. You can contact or verify outreach from Anna by emailing annatechcrunch [at] gmail.com. As a freelance reporter at TechCrunch since 2021, she has covered a large range of startup-related topics including AI, fintech & insurtech, SaaS & pricing, and global venture capital trends. As of May 2025, her reporting for TechCrunch focuses on Europe’s most interesting startup stories. Anna has moderated panels and conducted onstage interviews at industry events of all sizes, including major tech conferences such as TechCrunch Disrupt, 4YFN, South Summit, TNW Conference, VivaTech, and many more. A former LATAM & Media Editor at The Next Web, startup founder and Sciences Po Paris alum, she’s fluent in multiple languages, including French, English, Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese.

View Bio June 9 Boston, MA Actively scaling? Fundraising? Planning your next launch?TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 delivers tactical playbooks and direct access to 1,000+ founders and investors who are building, backing, and closing.Register by March 13 to save up to $300. REGISTER NOW Most Popular DOGE employee stole Social Security data and put it on a thumb drive, report says Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai Meta acquired Moltbook, the AI agent social network that went viral because of fake posts Amanda Silberling Google rolls out new Gemini capabilities to Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive Aisha Malik Yann LeCun’s AMI Labs raises $1.03B to build world models Anna Heim Anthropic launches code review tool to check flood of AI-generated code Rebecca Bellan A roadmap for AI, if anyone will listen Connie Loizos OpenAI hardware exec Caitlin Kalinowski quits in response to Pentagon deal Anthony Ha