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Quantum Computing Firm Infleqtion to Go Public via $1.8B SPAC Deal

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Infleqtion, a quantum computing and precision sensor company, announced Monday it will go public through a merger with Churchill Capital Corp X, a SPAC led by Wall Street dealmaker Michael Klein, valuing the startup at $1.8 billion pre-investment.

The transaction is expected to provide Infleqtion with over $540 million before costs, including $416 million from the SPAC’s trust account and more than $125 million in PIPE funding from investors such as Maverick Capital, Counterpoint Global, and Glynn Capital.

The merged company will list under the ticker “INFQ” on a North American exchange, with closing expected by late 2025 or early 2026.

Founded in 2007, Infleqtion has raised $283 million to date and employs about 185 staff. Its quantum systems and sensors are already in use by Nvidia, NASA, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the UK government. The company reported $29M in trailing 12-month revenue as of June 30 and projects $50M in booked and awarded business by end-2025.

Proceeds from the deal will accelerate product development and expand quantum applications in AI, national security, and space exploration.

Quantum peers IonQ, Rigetti, and D-Wave have also gone public via SPACs in recent years, though with mixed results amid challenges scaling the technology commercially. Infleqtion hopes its government partnerships and enterprise clients give it an edge in bridging R&D with practical deployment.

Space Startup Funding Set for Boost from US-China Rivalry in 2025, Report Says

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According to a report by Seraphim Space, space startups are expected to see increased funding in 2025, largely driven by the intensifying U.S.-China rivalry. In 2024, investments in the sector reached $8.6 billion, signaling a growing trend of capital flowing into space-based ventures.

U.S.-China Competition Fuels Space Industry Growth

China has been actively expanding its capabilities in satellite production, rocket launches, and other space technologies, aiming to compete with Western countries in areas like satellite-based imaging and data collection. As the demand for space-based intelligence continues to rise, the competition between the U.S. and China is expected to remain a significant factor propelling investment into space startups.

Lucas Bishop, Investment Associate at Seraphim Space, highlighted that these geopolitical tensions will likely continue to drive investments into the capital-intensive sectors of the space industry in 2025. As a result, startups focusing on areas such as satellite communications and space exploration are expected to see more funding opportunities.

Notable Deals and Growth in the Space Sector

The fourth quarter of 2024 saw several significant investments, including Apple’s acquisition of a 20% stake in satellite operator Globalstar for $1.5 billion. Another notable deal was a $1.25 billion secondary sale of SpaceX shares, which raised the company’s valuation to $350 billion from $210 billion earlier in the year.

Firefly Aerospace, a Texas-based rocket manufacturer, raised $175 million in a late-stage funding round, bringing its valuation to over $2 billion. These deals reflect the growing investor interest in the space sector and indicate that private space companies are becoming increasingly valuable.

Impact of U.S. Political Landscape

The funding boost for space startups could also be influenced by the political landscape in the U.S. under the incoming administration of Donald Trump. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s influence and the potential confirmation of Jared Isaacman, founder of Shift4 Payments, as the head of NASA, are seen as factors that could direct more funding toward private-sector space solutions. Isaacman’s leadership could align with the U.S. government’s goal to reduce costs and increase efficiency by relying on private space companies.

The U.S. Department of Defense is also expected to expand its Commercial Space Program, which would further boost investment in the sector.

Conclusion

With the rivalry between the U.S. and China continuing to escalate, the space industry stands to benefit from increased funding, particularly in sectors requiring substantial capital investment. The political landscape, both in the U.S. and globally, will likely shape the future trajectory of the space industry in 2025 and beyond.