Quantum News Briefs: February 2, 2024: QuSecure contributes to White House Quantum Security Roundtable; PASQAL, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), and Daejeon City Forge a Tripartite Quantum Partnership; Quantum Industry Canada Welcomes 5 New Members in January 2024; Bauke van Rhijn joins Qblox as Chief Financial Officer; Qnami announces the commercial partnership with Quantum Design Japan and Quantum Design Korea; Swedish Company ConScience AB Launch First Generation Quantum Device; Quantum Computing Inc. Board of Directors Appoints Dr. William McGann as the Company’s CEO and Co-Founder Robert Liscouski as Chairman of the Board; and MORE!
Quantum News Briefs; February 2, 2024:
QuSecure contributes to White House Quantum Security Roundtable addressing the post-quantum cybersecurity threat
QuSecure, Inc., a pioneer in post-quantum cryptography (PQC), was recently spotlighted for its involvement in a White House Quantum Security Roundtable aimed at tackling the challenges quantum computing poses to information security. During the event, the company showcased its expertise in deploying PQC solutions across enterprise and government sectors, highlighting the urgency of addressing the threats quantum computing could unleash on encrypted data. Aaron Moore, QuSecure EVP of Engineering, emphasized the necessity for immediate action to overlay current PQC algorithms on existing cryptographic modules to safeguard against quantum vulnerabilities. Furthermore, QuSecure’s commitment to enhancing national security through quantum-resilient technologies was reinforced by its recent achievements in securing Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) awards from the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Army. The company’s QuProtect software, exemplifying QuSecure’s leadership in quantum-resilient cryptography, offers a comprehensive solution for protecting against both current and future cyber threats, catering to a wide range of digital ecosystems with its advanced, interoperable cybersecurity suite.
PASQAL, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), and Daejeon City Forge a Tripartite Quantum Partnership
PASQAL, a frontrunner in neutral atom quantum computing, has announced a pivotal partnership with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and the City of Daejeon, aiming to drive advancements in quantum science and technology globally, particularly within the Daedeok Quantum Cluster in Daejeon. This collaboration seeks to leverage PASQAL’s comprehensive quantum computing capabilities, KAIST’s renowned quantum research and education prowess, and Daejeon’s strategic vision to establish a leading quantum ecosystem. The partnership is set to enhance Korea’s quantum ecosystem through developing and selling quantum computers, research and development activities, and manufacturing quantum processing units. It also aims to solidify Daejeon’s position as a premier quantum hub, fostering technological advancements and economic growth while contributing significantly to the global quantum research network. This tripartite agreement underscores the collaborative effort to propel Korea into a central role in the quantum field, highlighting the synergy between academic excellence, industry leadership, and governmental support in nurturing quantum technology and education.
Quantum Industry Canada Welcomes 5 New Members in January 2024
Quantum Industry Canada (QIC) has strengthened its position as a key player in advancing the nation’s quantum technology sector by welcoming five new members, ranging from innovative startups to a leading international company. The January 2024 additions include Quantized Technologies Inc., a quantum communications startup from the University of Calgary; ForeQast and yiyaniQ, both spin-offs from the Perimeter Institute Quantum Intelligence Lab, specializing in logistics optimization and quantum intelligent optimization, respectively; Montreal-based Bita Quantum AI, which integrates quantum technology with AI; and PASQAL, a French-founded global leader in neutral-atom quantum computing establishing its North American operations in Quebec. This expansion reflects QIC’s commitment to fostering a vibrant quantum innovation ecosystem in Canada. It is recognized globally for its significant number of quantum-focused SMEs, ranking second only to the United States in the quantum startup arena. QIC’s CEO, Lisa Lambert, highlighted the consortium’s role in uniting diverse quantum capabilities across the country, aiming for long-term value creation and prosperity in the quantum community, aligning with predictions of the Canadian quantum industry potentially reaching a value of $139 billion and supporting over 209,000 jobs by 2045.
Bauke van Rhijn joins Qblox as Chief Financial Officer
Qblox, a frontrunner in the quantum control stacks sector, has enhanced its executive team by appointing Bauke van Rhijn as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective February 1st, 2024. With a robust thirteen-year background, van Rhijn brings extensive experience in strategic and operational financial guidance, particularly within scale-up environments. His previous tenure includes significant roles such as co-founder and CFO at LUMICKS, a life science tools company, and advisory positions for deep-tech scale-ups and the FORWARD.one venture capital fund. A graduate with an MSc in Applied Physics from TU Delft, van Rhijn’s comprehensive finance expertise and success in scaling deep-tech companies are anticipated to be invaluable to Qblox as the company aims for further growth and development. Niels Bultink, CEO of Qblox, expressed enthusiasm for van Rhijn’s joining, highlighting his strategic role in advancing the company’s financial and organizational maturation.
Qnami announces the commercial partnership with Quantum Design Japan and Quantum Design Korea to bring its quantum platform for sensing applications to East Asia.
Qnami, a leader in quantum sensing technology since 2017, has announced a strategic commercial partnership with Quantum Design Japan and Quantum Design Korea to introduce its innovative quantum platform, including the ProteusQ™, a nano-scale mapping microscope, to the East Asian market. This collaboration aims to expand the reach of Qnami’s Nitrogen Vacancy (NV) based quantum sensors, which have shown significant potential in diverse fields such as materials science, navigation, and life sciences. The ProteusQ™, launched in 2020 as the first commercial Scanning NV Magnetometer, utilizes Qnami’s patented Quantilever™ diamond scanning probes for probing magnetic properties at the nanoscale. Already in use by over 10 universities and research centers in Europe and North America, this expansion into Japan and South Korea is driven by the success of Qnami’s partnership with Quantum Design in the USA. It seeks to enable advanced research in spintronics and nanomagnetism within these vibrant scientific communities. The partnership underscores a shared commitment to supporting cutting-edge research with state-of-the-art quantum sensing instruments, highlighted by the enthusiastic response from the scientific communities in both countries.
Swedish Company ConScience AB Launch First Generation Quantum Device
ConScience AB, a pioneering Gothenburg-based company, has unveiled its first-generation quantum device, the Qubit-in-a-box 0 (QiB0), marking a significant milestone as the first commercial quantum device fully designed and manufactured in Sweden. The QiB0 is engineered to facilitate demonstrations of fundamental quantum processes such as decoherence and dephasing, alongside calibrating and verifying the performance of quantum computing test setups. This launch showcases ConScience’s capabilities in clean-room production and quantum device development. It highlights its commitment to advancing the quantum computing field with a robust pipeline of more complex quantum devices anticipated for release from 2024 onwards. Additionally, ConScience offers custom quantum processor foundry services to a growing clientele. The QiB0 device, featuring 4 single qubits and 2 coplanar waveguide resonators, is aimed at research groups, companies, and universities engaged in quantum science and engineering education. This development underscores the potential of quantum computers to transform various scientific and technological domains, supported by ConScience’s dedication to achieving high-quality and reproducible quantum computing devices, as emphasized by CEO Joachim Fritzsche.
Quantum Computing Inc. Board of Directors Appoints Dr. William McGann as the Company’s CEO and Co-Founder Robert Liscouski as Chairman of the Board
Quantum Computing Inc. (QCi), a key player in quantum optics and nanophotonics technology, announced a strategic shift in leadership to propel the company into a promising 2024, featuring a lineup of market-disruptive products. William (Bill) J. McGann, Ph.D., with a notable history of transforming innovative technologies into commercial successes, takes the helm as CEO, succeeding Robert Liscouski, QCi’s co-founder, who will continue as Chairman of the Board. Under McGann’s previous tenure as QCi’s CTO, the company launched several groundbreaking products in quantum optimization, AI, remote sensing, and random number generation. McGann, who co-founded Ion Track Instruments and later led initiatives at GE, United Technologies, and Leidos, brings much experience in innovation and technology commercialization. Liscouski praised McGann’s appointment, emphasizing the company’s mission to provide accessible and affordable quantum technology and expressing confidence in McGann’s ability to lead QCi through its next growth phase. McGann aims to leverage QCi’s technological foundation to accelerate growth and deliver transformative technologies for a global audience.
UC Irvine scientists make breakthrough in quantum materials research
Researchers at the University of California, Irvine, and Los Alamos National Laboratory have made an advancement in quantum computing materials, as detailed in Nature Communications. They’ve discovered a method to transform ordinary materials, like glass, into efficient conductors for quantum computers, akin to copper’s conductivity. This innovative process, led by UCI’s Professor Luis A. Jauregui, involves applying strain at the atomic level to alter the atomic structure of materials such as hafnium pentatelluride, turning them from poor conductors into materials suitable for quantum computing applications. The technique, which includes a specially designed “bending station,” enables the transformation of these materials’ conductive properties and introduces the potential for on-off switches in quantum computers. This development represents a significant advance in the quest for practical quantum computers, promising to help overcome the limitations of traditional silicon-based computers and potentially revolutionize various fields through quantum computing technology.
ETH Zurich Researchers Find Out How to make bright quantum dots even brighter
A new advancement in quantum dot technology has been achieved by a team led by Maksym Kovalenko at ETH Zurich and Empa, with their findings published in Nature. The research focuses on enhancing the properties of perovskite quantum dots, which are artificial atoms known for emitting light of specific colors or single photons, crucial for quantum technologies. The team’s innovation lies in applying a phospholipid protective layer around the perovskite nanocrystals, significantly improving their dispersion in non-aqueous solutions and ability to continuously emit photons by reducing “blinking.” Furthermore, by employing quantum mechanical effects to increase the speed of electron-hole recombination through superradiance, the quantum dots can emit photons at an enhanced rate, making them brighter and more efficient. This novel method promises improvements in light production and displays. It opens the door to potential applications in organic chemistry as light-activated catalysts, marking a significant leap forward in the development and application of quantum dot technologies.
In Other News: Investor Place article: “Looking for a Quantum Computing Play? IONQ Stock Deserves a Considered Look”
IonQ (NYSE:IONQ), a leader in quantum computing with its innovative trapped-ion technology, has surpassed expectations by achieving a significant technical milestone of 35 algorithmic qubits a year ahead of its planned schedule, showcasing the company’s rapid progress in the quantum computing field, says a recent Investor Place article. This achievement underlines IonQ’s commitment to advancing quantum computing and its potential to revolutionize various sectors, including machine learning and quantum chemistry. The company’s recent partnership with Rescale aims to fuse quantum computing with cloud-based high-performance computing, promising to accelerate R&D and innovation across engineering and life sciences fields. IonQ’s impressive revenue growth, with a 122% year-over-year increase reported in Q3, and its collaboration with notable companies and organizations highlight its strong market presence and investor appeal. Despite the speculative nature of quantum computing investments, IonQ’s achievements and strategic partnerships position it as a compelling consideration for investors looking at the quantum computing play. However, caution is advised, given the industry’s nascent stage and uncertain competitive landscape.
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry is the Managing Editor at Inside Quantum Technology and the Science Communicator at JILA (a partnership between the University of Colorado Boulder and NIST). Her writing beats include deep tech, quantum computing, and AI. Her work has been featured in National Geographic, Scientific American, Discover Magazine, New Scientist, Ars Technica, and more.
