From an IIT Madras-incubated venture founded around an emerging technology to a deep-tech company building quantum-secure infrastructure for enterprises and governments, QNu Labs has completed a decade of operations. QNu Labs, a deep-tech company specialising in quantum-safe cybersecurity and quantum communication technologies, celebrated its 10th anniversary today in the presence of senior government officials, technology leaders and industry stakeholders.
The anniversary gathering brought together Dr. Ajai Chowdhry, Chairman, Mission Governing Board, National Quantum Mission (NQM); Priyank Kharge, Minister for IT & BT and E-Governance, Government of Karnataka; Dr. Ajay Dharam Singh, Minister for Science & Technology and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Government of Karnataka; and Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Member, NITI Aayog, Government of India.
Speaking to Tech Achieve Media, Sunil Gupta, Co-founder and CEO, QNu Labs, reflected on the company’s journey from an academic and research-led venture to a deep-tech company focused on addressing some of the most complex challenges around cybersecurity and quantum technologies.
From IIT Madras incubation to a deep-tech company
Gupta said QNu Labs began its journey at a time when quantum technologies were still largely confined to research laboratories and academic discussions. “QNu Labs started as a small company incubated at IIT Madras, with ideas that were perhaps way ahead of their time. When we look back today, the journey has reached a scale that one could not have imagined when we started,” Gupta said.
Over the past decade, the company has built a team comprising around 160 people, including postgraduates, PhDs, Masters and B.Tech graduates from leading institutions across India. “I am extremely proud of the team we have built,” Gupta said. According to Gupta, building a deep-tech company in India has required long-term conviction, patience and a willingness to invest in technologies before their commercial potential became obvious.
Gupta said the company’s focus has remained on developing proprietary technology and creating intellectual property from India rather than simply adopting technologies developed elsewhere. “We have always believed that India needs to build its own capabilities in deep tech. The opportunity is enormous, and the country has the talent, the engineering capability and the market to build globally relevant technologies,” he said.
Also read: India Ready to Become Digitally Invincible: Sunil Gupta on the 500-km QKD Breakthrough
He pointed to the scale of digital infrastructure and financial systems being built and operated in India as an indication of the potential market for technologies designed to protect critical digital infrastructure. “The digital infrastructure being created today is humongous and complex. When you look at platforms handling billions of dollars of transactions and serving a population of 1.4 billion people, protecting this infrastructure becomes a critical requirement. If we can build technologies that can secure these systems, the opportunity is enormous,” Gupta said.
Gupta said the increasing focus on quantum computing has also changed the nature of the cybersecurity conversation, particularly around the long-term security of encrypted data. “The world is moving towards a point where quantum computing can potentially challenge the cryptographic systems that we rely on today. That makes quantum-safe security not just a technology discussion, but a strategic requirement,” he said. He added that organisations need to begin preparing for the transition rather than waiting for quantum computers to become commercially available at scale.
“The transition to post-quantum security will take time. Enterprises and governments cannot wait until the threat becomes immediate. They have to start preparing their infrastructure, their systems and their cryptographic environment today,” Gupta said.
India has an opportunity to build global leadership
Gupta believes India’s combination of engineering talent, a large digital economy and a growing policy focus on quantum technologies creates an opportunity for Indian companies to build solutions for both the domestic and global markets. “India has the talent, the population, the workforce and the digital infrastructure. Why should we always depend on somebody else for these technologies? We have the capability to build them here and take them to the world,” he said.
He added that government initiatives such as the National Quantum Mission have helped create greater momentum around quantum technology and deep-tech innovation. “The National Quantum Mission is an important step because it creates an ecosystem around quantum technology. It gives companies like us the confidence to think long term and continue investing in technologies that may take years to mature,” Gupta said.
QNu Labs has been working across both Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), two complementary approaches to preparing organisations for the quantum era. Gupta said the company has continued to invest in both areas because the future of cybersecurity will require multiple layers of protection. “QKD is our flagship technology, but post-quantum cryptography is equally important. We believe that organisations will need a combination of technologies as they move towards quantum-safe security,” he said.
According to Gupta, the company’s journey has involved significant experimentation and learning, with the team having to work through technical challenges that are inherent to deep-tech development. “You have to be prepared for failure. When something does not work, you take it in your stride, go back to the team and try again. That resilience is extremely important when you are building something as difficult as quantum technology,” he said.
From technology development to commercial deployment
Gupta said one of the biggest milestones for QNu Labs has been moving beyond research and prototypes to real-world deployments. “The biggest validation for us is when customers actually deploy the technology and use it in their operational environments. That is when you know that the technology is not just a laboratory experiment but something that can solve a real business problem,” he said.
He added that the company has been engaging with enterprises and financial institutions as the need for quantum-safe infrastructure gains traction. “The market is changing. Customers are increasingly asking questions around quantum readiness, post-quantum cryptography and how they can protect their data over the long term. That conversation has moved significantly compared to where it was a few years ago,” Gupta said.
Plans for the Second Decade
As QNu Labs enters its second decade, Gupta said the company’s focus will remain on building deep-tech capabilities from India and taking them to global markets. “We are celebrating 10 years, but for us this is not the end of the journey. It is the beginning of the next phase. We want to continue building products from India, solving some of the most difficult cybersecurity challenges and creating technologies that can compete globally,” he said.
Gupta said the company’s long-term ambition is aligned with the broader opportunity emerging around quantum technology and India’s growing role in the global technology ecosystem. “We have an extraordinary opportunity in front of us. If we stay patient, continue investing in technology and build with conviction, there is no reason why India cannot become a global leader in quantum technologies,” he said.
