Global Startup Heat Map highlights 10 Emerging Superconductor Startups to Watch in 2024
Through the Big Data & Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, covering over 3 790 000+ startups & scaleups globally, we identified 126 superconductor startups. The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights the 10 superconductor companies you should watch in 2024 as well as the geo-distribution of all 126 startups & scaleups we analyzed for this research. Based on the heat map, we see high startup activity in the US and the UK, followed by the rest of Western Europe. These superconductor startups work on solutions ranging from near-ambient and room-temperature superconductors to quantum computers and frictionless bearings. This article was published in February 2020 and updated in August 2023.
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As the world’s largest resource for data on emerging companies, the SaaS platform enables you to identify relevant technologies and industry trends quickly & exhaustively. Based on the data from the platform, the Top 5 Superconductor Startup Hubs are in London, Bangalore, Munich, Cambridge & Chicago. The 10 hand-picked startups highlighted in this report are chosen from all over the world and develop solutions for high-temperature and room-temperature superconducting materials, quantum chips, electric propulsion, and more.
10 Emerging Superconductor Companies to Watch in 2024
Innovations in superconductors have ushered in a new era of technological advancements, transforming various industries from energy to computing. The development of room-temperature or high-temperature superconductors (HTS) allows for more practical applications as they operate at more accessible temperatures. For example, superconductors in quantum computers enable the creation of more efficient and scalable quantum processors.
In the energy sector, superconducting cables are revolutionizing power transmission by allowing for zero electrical loss and carrying vast amounts of power over long distances. Furthermore, the use of superconducting magnets in medical imaging and transportation, such as in MRI machines and maglev trains, enhances their performance and efficiency. These innovations reflect the growing potential of superconductors to reshape technology and contribute to a more sustainable, efficient, and interconnected world.
- Orion Industries – Room-Temperature Superconductors
- Unearthly Materials – Ambient Temperature Superconducting Materials
- SuperQ Technologies – High-Temperature Superconductors (HTS)
- High Temperature Superconductors – Superconducting Wire Manufacturing
- Seeqc – Digital Quantum Computing System-On-a-Chip
- Zenno Astronautics – Superconducting Magnets
- Neutron Star Systems – Electric Propulsion Thruster
- Renaissance Fusion – Stellarators
- SuperNode – Superconducting Cable System
- Origin Quantum – Superconducting Quantum Computer
Orion Industries makes Room-Temperature Superconductors
Orion Industries is a US-based startup that fabricates room-temperature superconductors using an approach centered around diamond materials. The company’s utilization of these materials enables the production of practical, high-efficiency superconductors. It leverages the material properties of diamond — such as its high thermal conductivity and electrical insulation capabilities — to create advanced superconductors.
Incorporating the diamond material into the manufacturing process of superconductors aids heat management at room temperature, increasing efficiency. Orion Industries is thus advancing research in room-temperature superconductors for applications across energy, quantum technology, and more.
Unearthly Materials develops Ambient-Temperature Superconducting Materials
Unearthly Materials is a US-based superconductor company that creates ambient-temperature superconducting materials. Unlike traditional superconductors, the startup’s materials do not require extremely cold temperatures for operations. The near-ambient-conditions superconductor finds use in the energy, quantum electronics, and transport industries.
In energy, the superconductor reduces the energy required in fusion reactors and enables higher magnetic confinement, making nuclear fusion more viable. Similarly, integrating these materials in processors with superconducting circuits makes them more energy-efficient and improves performance.
SuperQ Technologies offers High-Temperature Superconductors
SuperQ Technologies is a US-based startup that makes high-temperature superconductors. The startup’s platform utilizes machine learning to predict material properties and automate material discovery. It also uses high-performance simulation models to develop materials.
The startup’s superconducting tape, 2G HTS Tape, conducts current at a much higher efficiency than copper. It finds use in power generation, grid interconnections, and propulsion systems.
High Temperature Superconductors makes Superconducting Wires
High Temperature Superconductors is a US-based superconductor startup that manufactures superconducting wires. The startup leverages a simplified, layered wire architecture-based pulse laser deposition (PLD) process. Its materials feature high in-field magnetic performance and critical current capacity.
The company’s high-temperature superconducting wire offers higher power density with zero resistance as well as reduced size, weight, and footprint. It finds applications in fusion, cables, energy storage, electric machines, and fault current limiters.
Seeqc provides a Digital Quantum Computing System-On-a-Chip (SoC)
Seeqc is a US-based startup that makes a digital quantum computing system-on-a-chip. It combines classical and quantum physics through digital readout and control technology and a proprietary chip-scale architecture. The startup’s patented Single Flux Quantum processors perform digital qubit control and classical data processing as well as error correction.
Moreover, Single Flux Quantum’s system architecture features proximal co-location and is integrated with qubit chips in a cryo-cooled environment. This reduces the complexity of input/output connections and maximizes the benefits of fast, precise, low-noise digital control and readout, and energy-efficient classical co-processing.
Zenno Astronautics makes Superconducting Magnets
Zenno Astronautics is a New Zealand-based startup that develops superconducting magnets. The startup high-temperature superconducting electromagnet replaces reaction thrusters and wheels, control gyro, and magnetic torquers in spacecraft attitude control systems.
The startup’s product, Z01, features a high dipole moment range and density as well as is lightweight and small in size. It ensures advanced attitude control in commercial and public sector spacecraft and maximizes economic returns for spacecraft production companies.
Neutron Star Systems creates an Electric Propulsion Thruster
Neutron Star Systems is a German startup that manufactures high-temperature superconductors. The startup develops a superconductor-based readiness-enhanced magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster – SUPREME. For this, it combines high-temperature superconductors and an applied-field MPD thruster.
SUPREME supports various propellants and is scalable with minimal mass penalties for a higher power. Moreover, it operates in a wide range of conditions. These features allow the thruster to reduce operational costs, support high-power operations, and accommodate different missions.
Renaissance Fusion develops Stellarators
Renaissance Fusion is a French startup that makes stellarators. The startup utilizes direct deposition at large surfaces like a cylinder to coat it with high-temperature superconducting films. It applies laser ablation on the surface to create 1D/2D coils and then a toroidal array of patterned cylinders generates the 3D stellarator field. The cylinders are also coated with flowing liquid metals.
The startup’s approach to manufacturing stellarators reduces the size and complexity of reactors while retaining the same amount of energy as conventional, large fusion reactors. Moreover, HTS is more efficient in generating stronger fields and confining plasmas.
SuperNode manufactures a Superconducting Cable System
SuperNode is an Irish startup that offers a superconducting cable system. Conventional cable technology is capacity constrained and needs high-voltage infrastructure to transmit power over large distances. Additionally, superconducting cable system power applications are restricted to lower distribution levels to increase power transfer capabilities in urban settings. The startup’s system, on the other hand, enables higher level, bulk power transfer.
The startup’s superconducting cable system allows energy companies and offshore energy generation plants to mitigate the footprint associated with power distribution systems. This, in turn, enables the cost-effective connection of remote renewables to markets, accelerating renewable energy integration.
Origin Quantum makes a Superconducting Quantum Computer
Origin Quantum is a Chinese startup that develops WY-SC24-100, a superconducting quantum computer. It is a 24-bit quantum computer that features a superconducting quantum chip system, Kuafu KF-C24-100, and a control system for governing quantum chip operations.
Further, the computer features an ultra-low temperature cooling system and an active damping system for the mainframe. It ensures a reliable operating temperature for the superconducting chip and, in turn, computer operations. The startup’s quantum computer finds use in engineering design, biochemistry, big data, fintech, and artificial intelligence.
Discover All Emerging Superconductor Startups
The 10 emerging superconductor companies showcased in this report are only a small sample of all startups we identified through our data-driven startup scouting approach. Download our free Industry Innovation Reports for a broad overview of the industry or get in touch for quick & exhaustive research on the latest technologies & emerging solutions that will impact your company in 2024!
