Miraex: The Venture Leader developing photonic sensing and quantum solutions

07.03.2025 10:00, Rita Longobardi

Meet Daniel Brau, CEO of Miraex. The engineering startup plans to connect thousands of Quantum Processing Units via optical networking. Daniel and the other nine Swiss National Technology Team members will fly to Silicon Valley in April.

Name: Daniel Brau
Location: Ecublens
Nationality: French
Graduated from: University Paris Sud - Imperial College London - Ecole Management Lyon
Job title: CEO
Number of employees: 9
Money raised: Last round in April 2024 - CHF 729k
 

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Can you tell us who your product or solution helps, and how?
NVidia enabled the emergence of AI by interconnecting 10s of thousands of Graphical Processing Units through optical networking. We are planning to do the same except that we will be connecting Quantum Processing Units instead. We design and manufacture quantum interconnects which will enable distributed quantum computing over optical data center networks.

What market are you addressing and what is the potential of your startup in that market?
Quantum is still an emerging market, its potential depends on the scalability of quantum resources, which our technology will enable. better to speak of valorization as opposed to market size in this context. The typical multiplier applied to quantum companies is well beyond 20x EBITDA. We are planning CHF 20/30M in 5 years.

How and where did you come up with the idea for your startup?
The idea for our startup originated in 2019 when our founder, a researcher from EPFL, was working on microwave-to-optical transduction. This research sparked the concept, leading to the development of our technology.

What do you expect from the Venture Leaders roadshow, and how do you think it will help you achieve your vision?
We see the roadshow as a valuable opportunity to reconnect with our key customers, especially those on the West Coast, and engage with new potential clients. Additionally, it provides an excellent platform to meet Corporate Venture Capitalists (CVCs) who could play a crucial role in supporting Miraex’s growth and strategic goals.

What are your team’s key achievements to date?
Our team’s key achievements to date include securing our first quantum orders, producing our prototypes, and receiving our first issued patents.

Is there a key principle or value that guides you as you build your company?
A key principle guiding us as we build our company is a focus on innovation and agility. These values drive our approach to problem-solving and product development, ensuring we remain adaptable and forward-thinking in a constantly evolving market.

What is the most important lesson you have learned as a founder?
Keep trying until you get there.

What is your favorite productivity hack or tool and why?
My favorite productivity hack is stand-up outdoor meetings. They tend to be shorter and more focused, as being outside and on our feet encourages efficiency and keeps the discussion on track.

What was your dream job when you were a child?
When I was a child, my dream job was to be a fireman.