Meet the Company: DeteQt

The world has a way of hiding its most important signals—and DeteQt is building the tech to find them. DeteQt is a VC-backed spin-out from the University of Sydney developing magnetic sensors that reveal what today’s tools cannot: from critical minerals in the ground with minimal environmental impact, to navigation in GPS-denied environments like undersea and in warzones, and potentially even disease in the human body. Their diamond-on-chip, quantum-enabled technology maps the unseen with precision—even in the harshest conditions.

A quantum sensor/magnetometer created by DeteQT. Credit: Supplied.

Tell me about your interest in sensors and sensing technology. Why does DeteQt create quantum sensors and semiconductor technology, and how are these innovations used in the real-world?

The original interest in diamond stems way back to Co-Founder and CEO Jim Rabeau’s PhD studies growing and studying the optical properties of diamond thin films. This evolved into research in quantum technology, specifically based on the use of diamond. It was the combination of these ideas with Co-Founder and CSO Prof Omid Kavehei’s expertise in semiconductor technology that spurred the development of a diamond-on-chip quantum magnetometer. Quantum magnetometry using diamond offers a way to measure magnetic fields, anywhere, with high sensitivity, no drift and in a small and robust package. The potential application possibilities are vast, including areas we haven’t explored yet, such as in smart city applications where infrastructure blueprints are outdated and identifying microcracks in airplanes.

What’s been the company’s most rewarding achievement or moment?
One of the most pivotal and rewarding milestones was being awarded a contract with the Australian Defence Force’s Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator to develop a field demonstrator quantum magnetometer for navigation. It wasn’t just the funding that made a difference—though it did enable us to hire critical staff and accelerate growth. It was also the validation from a world-class end-user with a deep understanding of the problem space. Having an external partner of that calibre recognise both the promise of our technology and its real-world relevance was deeply motivating and sharpened our sense of what’s possible.

(From left) CEO and Co-Founder Jim Rabeau; Chief Operating Officer Rupal Ismin, Chief Scientific Officer and Co-Founder Omid Kavehei; Quantum Physicist Adam Stewart; Hardware Engineer David Katzmarek. Credit: Supplied

What’s next for the company?

DeteQt is really just getting started as a company, and we have made huge strides since CEO Jim Rabeau went full time at the end of last year and COO Rupal Ismin started in March. We’re on track to deliver a field-deployable demonstrator by September 2025, working alongside world-class partners like Fleet Space, who are pioneering space-enabled mineral exploration. A pilot program is planned for early next year, and our technical team is nearly fully in place. The next phase is all about proving performance in the field and preparing for scale.

Why does DeteQt’s work matter?

DeteQt’s work matters because it opens up entirely new ways to sense and understand the world around us. Imagine a future where we can electrify the planet thanks to better access to critical minerals with minimal environmental impact, detect Alzheimer’s early through magnetic signatures in the brain, enable people to travel safely in autonomous vehicles that never lose their way, or even conduct low-cost, non-invasive mineral exploration in space. By developing diamond-on-chip magnetic sensors that reveal what traditional tools can’t, DeteQt is helping build a safer, smarter, and more sustainable future—here on Earth and beyond.

Words by Rupal Ismin