
Investments
451Portfolio Exits
118Partners & Customers
10Service Providers
1About In-Q-Tel
In-Q-Tel operates as a non-profit organization that invests in technologies relevant to national security across sectors. The company partners with startups that develop technologies and evaluates their potential to meet government mission needs. In-Q-Tel serves United States (U.S). government agencies, including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and U.S. Cyber Command, by providing access to relevant technologies. In-Q-Tel was formerly known as Peleus and In-Q-It. It was founded in 1999 and is based in Arlington, Virginia. In-Q-Tel operates as a subsidiary of Central Intelligence Agency.
Expert Collections containing In-Q-Tel
Expert Collections are analyst-curated lists that highlight the companies you need to know in the most important technology spaces.
Find In-Q-Tel in 2 Expert Collections, including Store tech (In-store retail tech).
Store tech (In-store retail tech)
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Startups aiming work with retailers to improve brick-and-mortar retail operations.
Game Changers 2018
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Research containing In-Q-Tel
Get data-driven expert analysis from the CB Insights Intelligence Unit.
CB Insights Intelligence Analysts have mentioned In-Q-Tel in 4 CB Insights research briefs, most recently on Jul 10, 2025.
Latest In-Q-Tel News
Sep 17, 2025
The firm said in a statement on Tuesday that the Pre-Series A round was led by Paspalis and includes BHP Ventures, In-Q-Tel, Wavemaker, VU Venture Partners, SG Growth Capital, Alex Turnbull, among others, bringing a diverse mix of strategic expertise to Atomionics' global expansion efforts. In Australia, Atomionics will expand nationwide with the strategic backing of Paspalis, establishing an office and building capabilities across the country. Early deployments and test-bedding opportunities are already underway in the Northern Territory on behalf of Paspalis, which offers vast potential to support humanity's critical mineral needs but remains underexplored. The deployment of Gravio enables rapid, high-resolution mapping of these expansive terrains, positioning the Northern Territory as a vital launchpad for scaling the technology across the broader Australian market. In North America, Atomionics will also establish a US office to expand its capabilities, focusing on resource exploration and potential dual-use applications for both commercial and defence sectors. With backing from investors like In-Q-Tel, Atomionics will explore opportunities in national security and strategic resource applications, advancing both commercial and government partnerships. With this latest funding round, Atomionics is doubling down on global expansion and advancing the next generation of resource exploration. “We're taking a critical step towards scaling quantum-driven exploration at a country level, “The strategic capital from investors with an interest in both Australia and North America gives us a way to accelerate the deployment of our quantum gravity sensors,” said Sahil Tapiawala, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Atomionics. “We will further use this capital to use quantum sensors to help find copper, lithium and other critical minerals, providing the mining and energy industries with an unprecedented ability to locate and assess resources sustainably, “High-quality data is the foundation for artificial intelligence (AI)-powered decision-making, and our sensors have the potential to acquire the most detailed gravity datasets ever collected,” he added. Atomionics is a deeptech startup specialising in quantum sensing technologies. The firm's Gravio device is the size of a portable, basketball-sized sensor and works like a “virtual X-ray” for the Earth to identify what could lie beneath the ground without ever penetrating the earth or emitting any electromagnetic radiation. Their quantum gravimetry technology enables high-resolution subsurface mapping at speeds up to ten times faster than conventional methods by combining ultra-sensitive quantum sensors with AI-driven interpretation. “Supporting Atomionics aligns with our vision of fostering technological innovation in the Northern Territory, “Their quantum technology is set to revolutionize mineral exploration and strengthen Australia's role in securing global critical mineral supply chains,” said Harley Paroulakis, Chief Executive Officer of Paspalis. Laurel Buckner, Vice President Ventures at BHP, said Atomionics' portable, high-resolution gravimetric sensor could unlock the ability to explore large areas of subsurface terrain quicker and more accurately than previously possible. “Our investment in Atomionics supports BHP's goal of producing metals and minerals that are essential to the global economy, increasing the world's long-term supply of the essential resources needed to support global megatrends,” he added. Justin Wilder, Managing Director in Singapore for In-Q-Tel said quantum sensing has the potential to transform not just commercial mineral exploration but also broader strategic applications. “Atomionics' expansion into North America will unlock new frontiers in resource discovery and national security, and we are excited to support their journey,” he added. NUS Enterprise boosts deep tech growth through new co-investment framework with SG Growth Capital, Lotus One Investment Atomionics
In-Q-Tel Investments
451 Investments
In-Q-Tel has made 451 investments. Their latest investment was in CLIKA as part of their Seed VC - II on August 21, 2025.

In-Q-Tel Investments Activity

Date | Round | Company | Amount | New? | Co-Investors | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
8/21/2025 | Seed VC - II | CLIKA | Yes | Accenture Ventures, Golden Gate Ventures, milemark•capital, and Undisclosed Investors | 5 | |
8/12/2025 | Seed VC | Syenta | $5.7M | Yes | 3 | |
8/7/2025 | Seed VC - IV | Starcloud | Yes | 2 | ||
7/31/2025 | Seed VC | |||||
7/29/2025 | Seed VC |
Date | 8/21/2025 | 8/12/2025 | 8/7/2025 | 7/31/2025 | 7/29/2025 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Round | Seed VC - II | Seed VC | Seed VC - IV | Seed VC | Seed VC |
Company | CLIKA | Syenta | Starcloud | ||
Amount | $5.7M | ||||
New? | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
Co-Investors | Accenture Ventures, Golden Gate Ventures, milemark•capital, and Undisclosed Investors | ||||
Sources | 5 | 3 | 2 |
In-Q-Tel Portfolio Exits
118 Portfolio Exits
In-Q-Tel has 118 portfolio exits. Their latest portfolio exit was SingleStore on September 10, 2025.
Date | Exit | Companies | Valuation Valuations are submitted by companies, mined from state filings or news, provided by VentureSource, or based on a comparables valuation model. | Acquirer | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
9/10/2025 | Management Buyout | 2 | |||
9/9/2025 | Acquired | 4 | |||
9/8/2025 | Acq - Pending | Churchill Capital X | 4 | ||
Date | 9/10/2025 | 9/9/2025 | 9/8/2025 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Exit | Management Buyout | Acquired | Acq - Pending | ||
Companies | |||||
Valuation | |||||
Acquirer | Churchill Capital X | ||||
Sources | 2 | 4 | 4 |
In-Q-Tel Partners & Customers
10 Partners and customers
In-Q-Tel has 10 strategic partners and customers. In-Q-Tel recently partnered with KA Imaging on November 11, 2022.
Date | Type | Business Partner | Country | News Snippet | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
11/2/2022 | Partner | Canada | KA Imaging Announces New Strategic Funding Fueling Innovation `` We are pleased to be part of the In-Q-Tel , Inc. portfolio and look forward to expanding our relationship with IQT and its government partners , '' said Amol Karnick , President and CEO of KA Imaging . | 3 | |
11/2/2022 | Partner | United States | OpenFin Pushes Into Government Sector With In-Q-Tel Partnership OpenFin has entered into a strategic partnership with In-Q-Tel , the intelligence community 's venture capital arm , in a push to establish its presence in the government sector . | 1 | |
10/26/2022 | Partner | United States | Trust Lab to Help Federal Market Safeguard the Web from Misinformation and Harmful Actors. Trust Lab enters strategic partnership with In-Q-Tel . | 1 | |
5/17/2022 | Partner | ||||
9/1/2021 | Vendor |
Date | 11/2/2022 | 11/2/2022 | 10/26/2022 | 5/17/2022 | 9/1/2021 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Type | Partner | Partner | Partner | Partner | Vendor |
Business Partner | |||||
Country | Canada | United States | United States | ||
News Snippet | KA Imaging Announces New Strategic Funding Fueling Innovation `` We are pleased to be part of the In-Q-Tel , Inc. portfolio and look forward to expanding our relationship with IQT and its government partners , '' said Amol Karnick , President and CEO of KA Imaging . | OpenFin Pushes Into Government Sector With In-Q-Tel Partnership OpenFin has entered into a strategic partnership with In-Q-Tel , the intelligence community 's venture capital arm , in a push to establish its presence in the government sector . | Trust Lab to Help Federal Market Safeguard the Web from Misinformation and Harmful Actors. Trust Lab enters strategic partnership with In-Q-Tel . | ||
Sources | 3 | 1 | 1 |
In-Q-Tel Service Providers
1 Service Provider
In-Q-Tel has 1 service provider relationship
Service Provider | Associated Rounds | Provider Type | Service Type |
---|---|---|---|
Counsel | General Counsel |
Service Provider | |
---|---|
Associated Rounds | |
Provider Type | Counsel |
Service Type | General Counsel |
Partnership data by VentureSource
In-Q-Tel Team
60 Team Members
In-Q-Tel has 60 team members, including current Chief Executive Officer, President, Stephen C. Bowsher.
Name | Work History | Title | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Stephen C. Bowsher | InterWest Partners, E*TRADE, Individual, and FreeLoader | Chief Executive Officer, President | Current |
Name | Stephen C. Bowsher | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Work History | InterWest Partners, E*TRADE, Individual, and FreeLoader | ||||
Title | Chief Executive Officer, President | ||||
Status | Current |
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