Pasqal, a quantum‑computing company based in France, saw its shares climb roughly 60% when it began trading on the Nasdaq on Friday. The surge followed a merger with the special‑purpose acquisition company Bleichroeder Acquisition Corp II, which valued Pasqal at about $2 billion before the new capital infusion.

Funding and expansion plans

The transaction left the previously loss‑making firm with approximately $360 million in cash. Pasqal plans to use the funds to expand manufacturing capacity, deploy additional quantum processors, and advance research into fault‑tolerant quantum computing.

U.S. policy backdrop

The listing comes as President Trump has directed federal agencies to accelerate development of quantum technologies. The Commerce Department recently signed preliminary agreements for roughly $2 billion in incentives for nine quantum companies, though Pasqal is not among the recipients.

French support

France’s state bank Bpifrance is backing Pasqal, having participated in financing linked to the merger. The French government’s involvement underscores a broader European interest in securing a foothold in the emerging quantum sector.

Industry outlook

Quantum processors are being pursued for specialized tasks such as drug discovery, materials science, and financial modeling. While the technology promises transformative capabilities, persistent error rates continue to limit reliability at scale.

Pasqal’s successful Nasdaq debut highlights growing investor appetite for quantum ventures and reflects the intersection of U.S. policy encouragement and international innovation in this cutting‑edge field.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.