SBI
Japanese financial services group and returning investor in Oxford Quantum Circuits.
Last refreshed: 7 June 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Timeline for SBI
OQC raises £260m in Europe's biggest quantum round
UK Startups and Innovation- What is SBI Group and how is it related to SoftBank?
- SBI Group is a Japanese financial conglomerate founded by Yoshitaka Kitao in 1999 as SoftBank Investment. It later separated from SoftBank Group and rebranded as SBI. It spans brokerage, banking, insurance, and venture investment.Source: SBI Group
- Why does a Japanese bank invest in UK quantum computing?
- SBI Group is a returning investor in Oxford Quantum Circuits, having backed OQC across multiple rounds including the £260m Series C in June 2026. Japan has designated quantum technology as a national strategic priority, and SBI's investment aligns with that policy goal alongside a commercial venture rationale.Source: event
Background
SBI Group (Securities and Banking Investment Group) is a Japanese financial conglomerate headquartered in Tokyo, with operations spanning retail brokerage, asset management, insurance, banking, and venture investment. Founded by Yoshitaka Kitao in 1999 as SoftBank Investment and later rebranded after separating from SoftBank Group, SBI has grown into one of Japan's largest financial groups with a significant focus on fintech, blockchain, and digital finance. Its venture Arm, SBI Investment, has backed hundreds of companies globally with a particular concentration in Japan, Southeast Asia, and deep-tech categories including Quantum computing.
SBI participated as a returning investor in Oxford Quantum Circuits' £260m ($350m) Series C in June 2026, alongside UTEC (also a returning Japanese investor), Bullhound Capital, the British Business Bank, COFIDES, and Chevron Technology Ventures. SBI's continued commitment to OQC through multiple funding rounds reflects Japan's national strategic interest in Quantum computing as a sovereign capability alongside its commercial investment rationale.
Japan has made quantum technology a pillar of its national industrial strategy, and SBI's sustained presence on OQC's cap table sits within that policy context. The group's global financial reach and Japan-based institutional networks also provide OQC with a bridge to Japanese enterprise customers in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, materials, and financial services.