Atomionics

Atomionics is a Singapore-headquartered deep-tech company that builds quantum sensors for subsurface exploration and universal navigation. Its core technology is cold atom interferometry, in which atoms are laser-cooled to near absolute zero and used to measure very small variations in the Earth's gravitational field. The company describes two main products: GRAVIO, a portable cold-atom gravimeter capable of acquiring high-resolution gravity data from moving platforms such as SUVs (with drones described as a next step), and ORE-O, an AI modeling engine that converts raw gravity data into deterministic 3D geological models intended to indicate not only where resources may be located but also depth and likely volume.

The stated workflow is a three-step process: capture gravity readings in motion with GRAVIO, process them with ORE-O using models trained on physics and geology, and deliver predictions of resource continuity and volume to clients before drilling. Beyond mineral exploration, the company lists applications in gas and transition fuels, geologic hydrogen and geothermal assessment, groundwater, geodesy, environmental and geohazard monitoring, earthquake and volcanic activity detection, and defense uses including underground infrastructure detection and inertial navigation in GPS-denied environments.

The company positions the technology against conventional exploration methods, which it characterizes as low-resolution surveys and sparse drilling, and cites metrics such as 100x higher data fidelity than traditional gravity sensors and reduction of failed drilling. It operates entities in Singapore, Darwin (Australia), Mumbai (India) and San Francisco (United States).

Founding story

Atomionics was founded in 2018 by Sahil Tapiawala (Co-founder & CEO) and Dr. Ravi Kumar (Co-founder & CTO). Tapiawala previously worked on complex electronic systems including biomimetic robotic stingrays and multi-material 3D printers, and was a researcher at Singapore University of Technology and Design and Nanyang Technological University; he holds a Master's in Chemistry and a Bachelor's in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from BITS Pilani. Kumar has over a decade of research experience including six years in cold atom physics, built a cold-atom sensing system at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology during his PhD, and later worked as a post-doctoral researcher at the Centre for Quantum Technologies on cavity quantum electrodynamics; he holds a PhD in cold atom physics from University College Cork and a Master's in Photonics from Cochin University of Science and Technology [6].

Business model

Atomionics develops and operates its own quantum gravimetry hardware and AI interpretation software, delivering subsurface insight to resource and defense customers rather than, as described on its site, selling raw data alone; clients receive processed high-confidence predictions of resource continuity and volume prior to drilling. The company states it has signed contracts with major miners, and it has run partnered field programs and proofs of concept with operators and agencies [3][4][5].

Sources do not state pricing or contract structure beyond references to commercial surveys and signed contracts with major miners, with clients receiving processed subsurface predictions [3][5].

Traction

The company reports field testing across Singapore, Australia and the United States, including deserts, cities, rocky hills and remote sites; the world's largest commercial quantum gravimetry survey (reported December 2023) and the largest quantum gravimetry survey in oil and gas; a Rio Tinto Exploration test program in Arizona and Australia (February 2025); drone-based surveying near Tennant Creek, Northern Territory (January 2026); a partnership with Kincora at the Cowal East project (March 2026); and a completed urban quantum gravimetry proof of concept with the Quantum Sensor Centre in Singapore (March 2026). Its team page lists roughly 45 named staff plus advisors, and a third-party database lists headcount of 10-50 [2][3][4][5][7].

Latest developments

The most recent items on the company's news page are the July 2026 opening of what it describes as Asia's first integrated quantum sensing hub, supported by Enterprise Singapore and Cap Vista, to develop marine intelligence capability based on quantum gravimetry; advisor additions of Prof. Philippe Bouyer (physics advisor) and Sean Gerrish (lead AI advisor) in June 2026; a completed urban quantum gravimetry proof of concept with the Quantum Sensor Centre in Singapore in March 2026; a quantum gravity partnership with Kincora at the Cowal East project in March 2026; and the opening of its first US office in February 2026 [3].