Quantum News Briefs October 2: Pioneering Quantum Computer Research Continues in Baden-Württemberg • Infleqtion and Thorlabs Partner to Accelerate Innovation in Quantum Applications • Japan Tobacco Inc. and D-Wave Announce Collaboration Aimed at Accelerating Innovative Drug Discovery with Quantum AI • IBM Debuts Quantum Data Center in Germany, Expanding European Access
Pioneering Quantum Computer Research Continues in Baden-Württemberg
The goal of utilizing the potential of quantum computers and achieving a real advantage for practical applications is being pursued worldwide. In Baden-Württemberg, the Competence Center Quantum Computing Baden-Württemberg (KQCBW) has dedicated itself to this goal over the past four years. Great progress has been made in various areas of quantum computing in successful joint projects. The success of the KQCBW is now to be continued and the unique quantum computing ecosystem in the state further expanded. The expansion is discussed at length in an October 1 news announcement summarized here.
The KQCBW will be continued in a ten-month transfer project “Competence Center Quantum Computing Baden-Württemberg: Transfer Project (KQCBW24),” which was launched in September 2024. The transfer project will continue the research work started in the previous projects and carry out important preliminary work for follow-up projects, which are scheduled to run for three years. The KQCBW is funded by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor and Tourism.
Baden-Württemberg International hosting Pavilion at Quantum + AI in NYC, October 29-30
The KQCBW pursues an interdisciplinary and systemic approach that includes the development of alternative hardware platforms as well as targeted and application-oriented hardware/software co-design. The expertise that has been built up over the last four years in Baden-Württemberg within the KQCBW will be further expanded in the coming years. The research topics range from quantum simulation in materials and natural sciences to requirements for powerful and reliable hardware environments and the programming of quantum algorithms for industrial needs.
Infleqtion and Thorlabs Partner to Accelerate Innovation in Quantum Applications
Infleqtion and Thorlabs announced a new agreement on October 1 to commercialise Infleqtion’s highly integrated optical fibre collimation package.
The fibre collimation package delivers a linearly polarized collimated beam with high extinction ratio and integrated power monitoring. By simplifying the design and enhancing performance, this package offers a compact, robust solution tailored to the stringent demands of quantum technology applications. Reliable and more cost-effective solutions like these are aiding the commercial readiness of QT and are increasing the likelihood of its economic impact across a wide spectrum of industries.
At the core of Infleqtion’s engineering philosophy is the belief that the highest-quality components are essential to producing reliable quantum solutions. The licensing agreement with Thorlabs gives more researchers and product development teams access to advanced collimation capabilities, accelerating the development of quantum technologies.
Thorlabs, a vertically integrated photonics products manufacturer, was founded in 1989 to serve the laser and electro-optics research market. Thorlabs has extended its core competencies in an effort to play an ever-increasing role to serve the Photonics Industry at the research end, as well as the industrial, life science, medical, and defense segments. The organisation’s highly integrated and diverse manufacturing assets include semiconductor fabrication of Fabry-Perot, DFB, and VCSEL lasers; fibre towers for drawing both silica and fluoride glass optical fibres
Japan Tobacco Inc. and D-Wave Announce Collaboration Aimed at Accelerating Innovative Drug Discovery with Quantum AI
D-Wave Quantum Inc. (D-Wave), a leader in quantum computing systems, software, and services, and the pharmaceutical division of Japan Tobacco Inc. (JT) announced on October 1 plans to collaborate on a joint proof-of-concept project that will leverage quantum computing technology and artificial intelligence (AI) in the drug discovery process.
Supported by D-Wave’s team of professional services experts, the AI team in JT’s pharmaceutical division will utilize D-Wave’s annealing quantum computing solutions as accelerators in the speed and quality of training JT’s novel AI-driven analysis systems, aiming to extend the applicable range of such AI systems in the drug discovery field (AI-driven Drug Design). The goal of the project is to pioneer a new process for discovering ‘first-in-class’ pharmaceutical small compounds.
“In our development of AI-driven drug discovery systems, we have been focusing on and researching quantum computing technologies as a speed and quality accelerator in the drug design process,” said Dr. Masaru Tateno, Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) of JT’s Pharmaceutical Research Center. “In this context, we examine our novel theory and systems in our joint proof-of-concept project, and thus we have high expectations for the effectiveness of D-Wave’s annealing quantum computing solutions. By utilizing D-Wave’s quantum technology, we aim to pioneer a new standard that significantly accelerates the speed and quality of drug discovery and expands the exploration space for pharmaceutical small compounds.”
IBM Debuts Quantum Data Center in Germany, Expanding European Access
IBM cut the ribbon for Europe’s first IBM Quantum Data Center with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and representatives from partners across Europe in attendance October 1. In this blog post published today, IBM’s Scott Crowder and Steffen Thoß discuss how the new center will provide European organizations with direct access to advanced quantum systems, strengthening local research and industry efforts while ensuring compliance with regional data regulations.
European organizations have long represented an important component of the IBM Quantum Network and the global quantum computing community. With the launch of Europe’s first IBM Quantum Data Center, IBM is providing more options to access cutting-edge quantum computing for companies, research institutions, academia and government agencies.
Users will be able to execute workloads on utility-scale systems based in Europe, supported by a Europe-based team, using IBM Quantum Platform. Europe-based QPUs are accessible through IBM Quantum Platform via the Premium Plan, as well as through Qiskit Runtime on IBM Cloud through Pay-as-you-go, and IBM is collaborating with regional business partners for third-party offerings.
