Tokyo quantum-algorithm startup Quemix Inc. announced on August 7 that it has received an investment from Honda Motor Co., Ltd. through Honda Xcelerator Ventures, Honda's global open-innovation program. The deal extends a research partnership that has already produced two world-firsts in applied quantum chemistry.
From Joint Research To Equity
Honda and Quemix jointly developed a world-first quantum state readout technique in May 2025 and, in June 2026, a quantum algorithm that exponentially accelerates Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations — a cornerstone method in computational materials science. The investment is intended to move those algorithms from research into practical materials-development workflows.
Aimed At Next-Gen Battery Chemistry
"Honda will continue to take on the challenge of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 through a multifaceted approach," said Mahito Shikama, Director and Executive Officer at Honda. Quemix, a consolidated subsidiary of TerraSky and led by CEO Yu-ichiro Matsushita, holds patents on Probabilistic Imaginary-Time Evolution (PITE), a quantum chemistry algorithm with mathematically proven acceleration. The company is targeting practical materials-simulation deployment by 2030.
Part Of A Wider Quantum Wave
The tie-up lands as Japan's quantum sector races to commercialize — see OptQC's alliance with NTT, Fujitsu's MoU with Monash and CSIRO and JIJ's $5.2M raise for quantum optimization — while automakers globally hunt for battery chemistry breakthroughs to feed the EV transition.
Reporting based on Quemix's August 7 press release and Quantum Computing Report coverage.