Photonic, a quantum computing startup, just closed a substantial funding round hitting C$180 million (approximately $131 million USD). What's notable here is the caliber of new players joining the cap table—Royal Bank of Canada and Telus stepped in alongside existing heavyweight backers like Microsoft. This move signals growing confidence from traditional financial and telecommunications institutions in quantum tech's commercial potential. The backing from such established players suggests we're seeing a transition where quantum computing shifts from pure R&D play to something with real market momentum.