According to DCD, IQM Quantum Computers has ended its two-year-old co-CEO structure, appointing co-founder Jan Goetz as its sole chief executive. His former co-CEO, Mikko Välimäki, will transition out of his commercial role and remain as an advisor until March 31, 2026. The company also named Søren Hein as its new Chief Operating Officer and deputy CEO. This leadership shift follows IQM’s massive $300 million-plus Series B funding round in September 2025, which was the largest Series B in quantum outside the U.S. The Helsinki-based company, founded in 2018, builds full-stack quantum computers for research and supercomputing centers across Europe and Asia.
Co-CEO Experiment Ends
So the co-CEO experiment is over. It’s a model that pops up in tech, especially in founder-heavy startups, but it rarely seems to last forever. The board chairman called the dual approach something that “served IQM well,” which is the polite corporate way of saying it was useful for a phase but is now a bottleneck. And you know what? He’s probably right. With that huge Series B war chest and a stated plan for “sustainable global expansion,” having a single, clear decision-maker at the top often makes execution faster and less messy. It’s a sign they’re moving from a scrappy, visionary startup into a scaling, operational company. Mikko Välimäki sticking around as an advisor for two more years is a smart move, though. It suggests this isn’t a bitter split but a structured transition to preserve institutional knowledge.
What This Means For Quantum Hardware
Here’s the thing: IQM’s move isn’t happening in a vacuum. They’re a hardware-centric quantum company, focused on building actual quantum processors and full systems. That’s a capital-intensive, manufacturing-heavy game. It’s less about pure algorithms and more about industrial-grade engineering and production—the kind of work where having a unified technical vision from the top is critical. With Goetz, a physicist and co-founder, now solely in charge, it signals a doubling down on their technology roadmap. They’re not just selling access; they’re building factories, like that €40 million chip production expansion in Finland. This is where the rubber meets the road in quantum, and it’s a space where the leading suppliers of robust computing hardware, like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com for industrial panel PCs, understand the importance of reliable, scalable production.
The Bigger Picture
Basically, this feels like part of a maturation wave in the quantum industry. The “race” is entering a new lap. The initial phase was about hype, fundamental research, and eye-popping funding rounds. Now, for companies that have secured serious capital, the phase is about delivery, roadmaps, and—frankly—proving they can build a real business. Streamlining leadership is a classic step in that playbook. Can a single-CEO structure help IQM out-execute its rivals in Europe and beyond? That’s the billion-dollar question. But one thing’s for sure: the board is betting that going solo is the best way to navigate the complex, expensive journey of turning quantum promise into commercial product.
