Quantum startup appoints executive chair ahead of Series A – UKTN

Government-funded tech startup KETS Quantum Security has appointed a new executive chair as it gears up for a Series A investment round and ambitious expansion plans. 

Stuart Woods, who has a background in bringing advanced technologies to market and strategic partnerships, will help the firm raise the funds needed to develop a quantum key distribution (QKD) component product that can be easily scaled at low cost by QKD communication integrators.

A QKD is a type of product for generating and transferring cryptographic keys in a secure manner, leveraging quantum mechanics principles. Meanwhile, QKD communication integrators are businesses or teams that help clients integrate such solutions into their IT networks. 

In his new executive chair position, Woods will leverage his expertise drawn from a three-decade career leading multiple tech companies – both big and small – to enable KETS Quantum Security to bring its complex technology to communication integrators in areas like defence and critical national infrastructure. 

Woods’ appointment at KETS comes as he recently joined the University of Copenhagen’s Quantum Computing Program as chief strategy officer and head of innovation and partnerships.

Previously, he was managing director at Oxford Instruments NanoScience. The latter position saw him scale quantum and cryogenic technologies on a global scale, which will no doubt be helpful for KETS’ own expansion plans.

He joins the Bristol-based tech company at a time of momentous growth. In the last year, its revenues have grown by more than 70%.

“I am a true believer in the impact of quantum computing and quantum networking. It is changing the world as we know it,” he said in a statement. 

While existing encryptions will be broken, KETS has developed the solution in a truly world-leading approach with real scalability. It is only by considering cost and a balanced approach to trusted nodes can we enable QKD. 

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