Accrington tech entrepreneur Ilyas Khan, founder of Quantinuum, has become a billionaire after the quantum computing company listed on the US stock exchange.

Khan, 63, who helped rescue Accrington Stanley FC in 2009, saw Quantinuum valued at more than $15.6bn after it sold 28m shares at $60 each on June 3.

The shares opened at $58 on June 9, and Khan, who owns about 15% of the company, is now estimated to be worth $2.2bn (£1.6bn).

Based in Cambridge and Colorado, Quantinuum is the world’s largest quantum computing company.

Khan founded Cambridge Quantum Computing in 2014, which later rebranded as Quantinuum after merging with Honeywell’s quantum business in 2021.

He remains the largest individual shareholder in the company.

Posting on social media, Khan said: “When I founded Cambridge Quantum 12 years ago, it was an adventure in conviction and trust.

“That conviction and trust have grown and blossomed due to the hard work, commitment, and support of my colleagues, my shareholders and family.”

The listing, which had also considered a float in London before choosing Nasdaq, places him among the UK’s wealthiest tech entrepreneurs, according to The Times.

Quantinuum was formed in 2021 when Honeywell’s quantum unit in Broomfield, Colorado, merged with Khan’s startup Cambridge Quantum Computing, which developed software for quantum computers.