TQI QuickBits: OQC Sees Series B! AWS Announces Error Correction Advance. And More News In Quantum
The Quantum Insider
Making Quantum Technology accessible through media, news, insights and data
Capital markets, which had turned a little cool over the summer and early fall of 2023, have begun to -- in reverse meteorological fashion -- heat up as the northern hemisphere drifts closer and closer to winter.
Oxford Quantum Circuits (OQC) -- OQC -- announced a $100 million Series B and revealed the public availability of OQC Toshiko, an enterprise-ready quantum computing platform. I'm very sentimental about this news. It just seems like yesterday that I and some colleagues at our then brand new "blog" were on a conference call with Ilana Wisby , who had only been at the helm as OQC's CEO for a bit over six months. She graciously (and patiently) explained superconducting circuits to us.
And many posts, many news stories, a few funding rounds, and some serious scientific advances later... here we are.
As then, we are inspired by that team's commitment to the broader quantum community and their growth.
Our friends at 2xN also announced that they led a $2.5 million round for Quantum Simulation Technologies, Inc. — QSimulate . QSimulate will use funds to grow its quantum physics-based drug-discovery platform.
Finally, interesting news from Amazon Web Services (AWS) . They announced a new quantum computing chip, which registered a significant -- 100 times -- boost in error correction. Lots of work ahead, but that's a firm step toward quantum computing that can tackle real-world problems.
By the way, it wasn't lost on me that the AWS announcement came in Las Vegas. Can you imagine the people who would want an error-corrected chip in Las Vegas?
And have a great weekend!
And don't forget to subscribe to?TQI's official weekly newsletter?for a complete wrap up of?all the?news in?quantum!
Quantum Quotes
As if on queue, last week's UK Autumn Statement, which touted the nation's collective quantum muscle, was answered when OQC announced a $100 million Series B. It also revealed the public availability of OQC Toshiko, an enterprise-ready quantum computing platform
“To solve the world’s most pressing challenges – from climate change to accelerated drug discovery – we need to put quantum computers in the hands of humanity and at the fingertips of our most brilliant minds. We’re proud to be pioneering enterprise ready quantum with our customers, partners and investors.” -- Ilana Wisby, Chief Executive Officer at OQC
AWS revealed the features and implications of its new quantum computer chip at AWS’s re:Invent conference. The team believes this is an important step for error correction -- and a leap toward practical quantum computing.
“This step taken is an important part of developing the hardware efficient and scalable quantum error correction that we need to solve interesting problems on a quantum computer." -- Peter DeSantis, Vice President of Global Infrastructure and Customer Support at AWS
Insider's Look
I'm paraphrasing, but investor Benjamin Graham said that in the long run, the market is a weighing machine, but in the short run, it is a crazy roller coaster operated by some deranged carnie. Paraphrasing, of course. Paraphrasing. The last few years have demonstrated the difficulty of trying to predict how capital markets will respond to quantum. Just in the last few months, we've seen a sudden turn-around in the investment climate for quantum technology, which came after a very slow summer. Rather than try to predict, you can use The Quantum Insider's Intelligence Platform to carefully monitor the market. In all likelihood, it will still be a roller coaster, but at least you'll be ready for the dips and loops.
You can find out more at The Quantum Insider's Intelligence Platform
QuickBits -- Spotlight Story
OQC, the global leaders in quantum compute-as-a-service (QCaaS), today announced the public availability of OQC Toshiko, the world’s first enterprise ready quantum computing platform, and that SBI Investment, Japan’s premier VC fund, is leading OQC’s $100m round. OQC Toshiko is a powerful next generation 32-qubit platform, deployed to commercial data-centres, enabling businesses to tap into ground-breaking technology from anywhere in the world, seamlessly and securely.
QuickBits Business
Quantum Simulation Technologies, Inc. — QSimulate — announces that it has closed a $2.5 million financing round led by quantum technology investment firm 2xN. The other investors in this round are UTokyo IPC and Kyoto iCAP. The proceeds will support QSimulate’s rapidly expanding business centered on its quantum physics-based drug-discovery platform, QSP Life. QSP Life currently includes QUELO, QuValent, and QuantumFP, spanning small-molecule lead optimization to covalent inhibitor design, and to ultra-high-throughput molecular fingerprinting.
领英推荐
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has introduced a new quantum computer chip focused on enhancing error correction, a pivotal — if not the pivotal — aspect in the evolution of quantum computing. Peter DeSantis, Vice President of Global Infrastructure and Customer Support at AWS, detailed the features and implications of this development in a keynote address in Las Vegas at AWS’s re:Invent conference for the global cloud computing community.
Chinese media and anonymous industry insiders with connections to China are reporting that Alibaba’s quantum laboratory, which began with considerable fanfare about three years ago, has been closed down. DoNews reported this week that Alibaba’s DAMO Academy –Academy for Discovery, Adventure, Momentum and Outlook — has closed down its quantum laboratory due to budget and profitability reasons. The budget ax claimed more than 30 people — possible among China’s brightest quantum researchers — lost their positions, according to the news outlet’s internal sources.
November was an extremely busy – and by most indications – an extremely productive month for France’s quantum startups, businesses and research institutions. In probably the biggest news Quandela secured over €50 million from investors, the French government through the France 2030 Plan and banking partners. The company is considered a global leader in photonic quantum computing. Importantly the move shows the absolute necessity of a strong ecosystem, allowing the strengths of all the members – entrepreneurs, policy makers and scientists – to work together to build companies in this growing, but complex industry.
BioInnovation Institute (BII), an international non-profit foundation incubating and accelerating world-class life science research, announces the first cohort of companies to enter the new accelerator start-up program at Deep Tech Lab – Quantum, to propel emergent and disruptive quantum science solutions.
QuickBits Research
BosonQ Psi’s Quantum-Inspired Design Optimization (QIDO) Solver has been validated as an effective solution for topology optimization in the aerospace and automotive industries, overcoming challenges faced by classical topology optimization methods in large-scale design problems. The study involved using the QIDO Solver to optimize airfoil structures, demonstrating its ability to efficiently handle complex design problems, such as weight minimization.
There are different ideas about how quantum computers could be built. But they all have one thing in common: you use a quantum physical system – for example individual atoms – and change their state by exposing them to very specific forces for a specific time. However, this means that in order to be able to rely on the quantum computing operation delivering the correct result, you need a clock that is as precise as possible.
Multiverse Computing, a global leader in value-based quantum computing and machine learning solutions, has used a digital twin and quantum optimization to boost the efficiency of green hydrogen production. This work could change the economics of hydrogen production and reduce a significant source of greenhouse gas.
Interested in Deep Tech? Check out?The?Metaverse?Insider,?Climate Insider,?AI Insider?and?Space Impulse?to take your knowledge of deep tech farther and even deeper.