Start-up · Oxford
Rather than develop its own qubits, TreQ builds quantum computers from processors, control electronics and software supplied by different companies. Mandy Birch founded the Oxfordshire firm, which raised a $5m seed round led by Lavrock Ventures in October 2024. It then led an Innovate UK consortium with Rigetti UK, Oxford Ionics, Q-CTRL and Qruise on the Open Architecture Quantum Testbed, deployed in Oxfordshire for the Quantum Missions pilot. Announced in April 2026, the testbed switches by software between eight combinations of processor, control system and calibration stack within three racks.
TreQ is an Oxford start-up working on quantum hardware, materials and systems, founded in 2023. It leads 1 UK project (OAQ Testbed) and is a partner in 1 more. Profiled here: Mandy Birch (Founder and CEO).
Sources: US Air Force reservist secures $5M for UK quantum startup | Quantum Zeitgeist · Open Architecture Quantum (OAQ) Testbed | UKRI Gateway to Research · TreQ builds multi-vendor quantum system in three months for pilot | Quantum Zeitgeist
OAQ Testbed
A TreQ-led consortium that built a modular quantum computing testbed in Oxfordshire that mixes processors, control systems and software from different suppliers.
Role: Lead
Themes: Computing
Quantum Missions pilot
An Innovate UK competition that funded industry projects in quantum computing and quantum networks towards the UK quantum missions.
Role: Partner
Themes: Computing, Networks
Recent articles from Quantum Zeitgeist that mention TreQ.
TreQ has developed and deployed an Open-Architecture Quantum (OAQ) Testbed, a multi-vendor system currently being used by partners as part of Innovate UK’s Quantum Mission Pilot. Built in three months, the system features independent processor, control, and software layers, enabling reconfiguration
Image © Quantum Zeitgeist
Innovate UK awarded TreQ and a consortium including Rigetti, Oxford Ionics, Q-CTRL, and Qruise £1.65 million to develop an Open Architecture Quantum Testbed, a modular system supporting multiple configurations of quantum processors and software stacks, aimed at accelerating advancements in quantum c
Image © Quantum Zeitgeist
A US Air Force Reserve brigadier-general, Mandy Birch, has secured $5 million in funding for her UK-based quantum computing start-up, TreQ. The seed funding round was led by Lavrock Ventures, a US-based venture firm focused on deep tech and national security, and included participation from the UK-b
Image © Quantum Zeitgeist
Research, commercial and investment relationships, by year. Partners with a profile here are linked.
George Mason University Commercial 2026
NASA Commercial 2022
Rigetti Computing Commercial 2022
Chosen by shared specialisms, then location and type.
Company · London · 2 shared specialisms
Company · Oxford · 1 shared specialism
University · Oxford · 1 shared specialism
Start-up · Glasgow · 1 shared specialism
Company data from Entangled Future. News from Quantum Zeitgeist. Last checked 2 October 2026.
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