Quantum technology has crossed a threshold. What was once an academic frontier is now a strategic imperative. Owen Lozman, Managing Partner of 55 North, has emerged as one of the central figures shaping how that future will be financed.
From Copenhagen, Lozman is leading what is widely regarded as the world’s largest dedicated pure-play quantum venture capital platform. Long known as the birthplace of quantum science, the city is now being recast as a center of quantum commercialization, where capital, talent, and policy converge to move technologies from the laboratory into the real economy.
But the significance of 55 North lies not only in its scale. It lies in the credibility of the capital behind it, the discipline with which it is being assembled, and the leadership guiding it at a moment when global quantum leadership is still being defined.
Why 55 North Matters
55 North was conceived as a purpose-built institution for the quantum era. With a $350 million target and a landmark first close, the fund immediately set a new global benchmark for quantum investing. Its mandate spans the full quantum stack, from core computing platforms to enabling infrastructure, with the capacity to lead meaningful growth-stage rounds rather than remain confined to early experimentation.
In a field defined by long timelines, technical risk, and capital intensity, 55 North fills a structural gap long acknowledged by governments, corporates, and researchers, but rarely addressed at scale.
A Leader Built for This Moment
Lozman’s ability to lead 55 North is rooted in a career that uniquely bridges frontier science and institutional capital. Trained as a scientist, he began inside advanced R&D environments, developing a first-principles understanding of how complex technologies move from discovery to application. That foundation later became a defining advantage as he transitioned into venture capital at the highest levels of deep-tech investing.
Before founding 55 North, Lozman served as Managing Director of M Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of Merck KGaA, where he led investments across quantum technologies, semiconductors, advanced materials, displays, and next-generation computing. He oversaw a portfolio exceeding $1 billion in assets and helped build one of Europe’s most respected corporate venture platforms, working closely with founders, governments, and global corporates operating at the edge of scientific possibility and commercial viability.
Earlier roles within Merck’s innovation and performance materials businesses further deepened his experience in translating advanced research into scalable, real-world applications. Across both science and investing, Lozman has built a reputation for technical rigor, long-term conviction, and disciplined decision-making.
That combination is rare. He understands quantum not simply as an investor, but as someone fluent in its science, timelines, and institutional realities. It is this blend of technical depth, capital discipline, and ecosystem leadership that enabled him to assemble an elite partner team, secure sovereign and institutional anchor backing, and set the strategic tone for 55 North at precisely the moment quantum investing demands experienced leadership.
A Partner Team Forged Inside the Quantum Revolution
Lozman has assembled a partner bench that reflects the seriousness of that mission.
Helmut Katzgraber, Chief Science Officer and General Partner, brings more than two decades at the forefront of quantum science and applied computation. His career spans leading academic institutions and senior roles at Microsoft and Amazon Web Services, where he helped launch and scale early enterprise-grade quantum platforms. He is widely respected for translating theoretical breakthroughs into deployable systems.
Alongside him is Kai Hudek, General Partner, whose background is rooted in building quantum hardware at scale. As a key early leader at IonQ, Hudek worked across R&D, engineering, and production as the company evolved from laboratory roots into a publicly traded quantum computing firm. His experience spans the full lifecycle of quantum systems, from prototype to industrialization.
Together, the team represents a rare full-stack combination of deep science, real-world system building, and institutional venture execution.
Anchor Capital That Changed the Market
Equally defining was who backed the fund first.
55 North is anchored by EIFO, Denmark’s sovereign export and investment fund, alongside Novo Holdings, one of the world’s most respected long-term institutional investors. EIFO’s commitment marked the first time sovereign-scale capital made a concentrated bet on quantum through a dedicated venture platform, while Novo Holdings brought deep institutional credibility and long-horizon conviction.
For many across finance and government, this pairing marked a turning point. It signaled that quantum technology had moved beyond speculative exploration and into the realm of strategic capital allocation. The precedent set by these anchors has since reshaped how global investors assess both the opportunity and the seriousness of quantum investing.
A Gravitational Pull, Built With Intention
Since that first close, 55 North has created a clear gravitational pull. Institutional investors, strategic corporates, and family offices from Europe, North America, and beyond have sought exposure through the platform.
Yet participation remains selective. Despite strong inbound demand, the priority is alignment rather than volume. Investors are expected to understand the long arc of quantum development, recognize the historic nature of this inaugural fund, and commit to building enduring value rather than chasing near-term signals.
The Bigger Picture
Quantum technologies will shape future economies, security architectures, and scientific discovery. The race to lead has already begun, but until now, the market has lacked a platform capable of bridging science, sovereignty, and capital at scale.
With 55 North, Owen Lozman is helping build that bridge deliberately and with intent. The decisions being made today, about partners, capital, and long-term conviction, will influence not only financial returns, but the trajectory of quantum commercialization itself.
This is not a race to invest in quantum. It is a race to shape it. And 55 North is where the most consequential capital is beginning to converge.
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