Investor Insights: Alex Leigh, Investment Director at Future Planet Capital
A TFD Investor Insights interview with Alex Leigh, Investment Director at Future Planet Capital
Interviews with Global VCs on technology, trends, and turbulence
23 July 2025
For the latest interview in our Investor Insights series, we sat down with Alex Leigh, Investment Director at Future Planet Capital (FPC), to discuss the quantum startup investment landscape.
With over a decade of experience in venture capital and private equity, Alex has led or supported more than thirty investments and five exits. He’s also held over twenty-five board roles across start-ups, scale-ups, and corporate turnarounds. At FPC, he’s focused on deploying their Defence & Security fund into deep tech startups like Aquark Technologies.
We recently had the opportunity to catch up with Alex to chat about how quantum technology startups can stand out in a crowded market, showcase credibility, and avoid potential pitfalls when going out fundraising.
Given the growing number of quantum startups launching, what advice would you give to companies looking to stand out to investors in an increasingly crowded market?
There are a few factors that will catch investors' attention:
- Companies that can prove they will receive substantial non-dilutive funding without being sidetracked by unrelated projects.
- Commercially focused teams that can simultaneously execute the technology.
- A clear commercial roadmap and go-to-market strategy.
- Companies with a strong appreciation for the role marketing and PR play in scaling.
- Having accurate online records so that data-driven investors can easily find them.
How much of a problem is hype?
The problem is that quantum technology alone doesn’t make a good investment. It is important that quantum companies highlight how their technology is targeted towards solving a clear customer problem. And that’s not specific to quantum, it’s common across all deep tech investments.
With quantum often talked about in terms of ‘potential’, how do investors verify companies’ claims and determine credibility?
It’s a relatively small ecosystem, so if you have an existing quantum portfolio company, they can help with diligence. If you don’t, numerous individuals at the PhD level in quantum can quickly discern what’s real and what’s a fallacy.
Team references are also key with such nascent technology. Commercial credibility will be validated by investors/ NEDs/consultants who understand the competitor landscape. Then, overlaying their assessment of the commercial roadmap and ideally, diligence calls with potential end customers.
What mistakes do quantum companies make when looking to communicate with investors?
There are a few critical mistakes we often see that ultimately influence our investment decisions:
- Focusing too much on the technology rather than the customer problem it will solve.
- Making pitches overly technical - it alienates investors, even in deep tech, as most investors won’t have a quantum specialist on the team.
- Ignoring the market size for their specific application or the competitive rivalry in the sector, particularly for quantum computing.
What role can external communications play in helping quantum companies reach investors?
TFD’s take
Our conversation with Alex reinforced a crucial point: the quantum industry, despite its groundbreaking potential, often struggles to communicate its value to the wider market and public.
For quantum startups looking to attract investment and build credibility in an increasingly saturated market, the ability to articulate their vision and impact in layman's terms isn't just a nice-to-have; it's business-critical
Whether speaking to investors or the media, by focusing on real-world applications, companies can bridge the gap between complex theory and practical benefits. This approach demystifies quantum technology, moving it from the realm of "sci-fi fantasy" to a present-day reality with clear and tangible benefits.