Intel's deal to buy Classiq, the Tel Aviv quantum computing software company, is not only the largest acquisition in the history of the quantum computing industry, but also a major financial event for the people who built the company. According to Calcalist, each of the three founders, Nir Minerbi, Amir Naveh and Prof. Yehuda Naveh, is expected to receive between $80 million and $100 million.
Employees benefit too
Classiq employs about 150 people, who together hold about 10% of the company. At the deal price, that is about $230 million, though the amount each employee receives will vary with their options. In addition, according to reports, Intel has set aside more than $100 million for retention grants to persuade employees to stay after the acquisition.
$2.2 or $2.3 billion
Reports on the deal value range from $2.2 billion to $2.3 billion in cash and stock. According to Globes, the difference reflects the cash in Classiq's coffers, which lowers the effective price. Intel confirmed the acquisition but did not disclose financial terms. In an interview with Globes, Minerbi said the company had considered a New York IPO or a SPAC merger until talks with Intel began.
Why it matters
Unlike deals in which most employees are laid off after the acquisition, as in the case of XM Cyber, here Intel is spending money to keep the team. That reflects the real value of the deal: not just technology, but people with rare knowledge in a field with very few experts in the world.
