TQI QuickBits -- Quantonation Celebration, World Quantum Day And More News in Quantum
The Quantum Insider
Making Quantum Technology accessible through media, news, insights and data
It was great to hear that Quantonation announced the first closing of its new €200 million fund dedicated to quantum technologies.
We have heard a lot about VC winter, a term that reflects the diminishing amount of venture capital firms that are backing technology startups and particularly deep tech startups, such as quantum. For Quantonation, it seems as if it has always been VC spring. (Maybe the headline should have been It's Always Sunny in Quantonation"?) They have been "all-in" on quantum from the beginning and news about the new fund should bolster the entire industry.
Good luck, Quantonation team!
And now for something completely different. I may have mentioned this before but I'm always a little hesitant to celebrate social media holidays. You know, National Glazed Spiral Ham Day (which is April 15 and I haven't even finished addressing my cards!). International Talk Like a Pirate Day -- I abstain from celebrations only because my pirate imitation quickly turns Irish, quick turns to Scottish and then ends somewhere in the West Indies... arrrr. National Poptart Day. Etc. Etc.
But, I intend to hold forth on World Quantum Day this Sunday -- it's a much needed grassrootsy awareness-raising event. And while so many in this community fret over quantum hype, quantum indifference and full-blown quantum ignorance are equal, if not greater threats to quantum science and our quantum-powered future.
So, I invite you all to send out some tweets, or whatever they're called now; post on LinkedIn, add a meme to Facebook, or engage in however you choose to celebrate social media holidays to call attention to the legacy of quantum science's fascinating past and its potentially transformative future.
And May the 4th be with you.
Have a great weekend!
Quantum Events!
Mark these quantum events on your calendar:
Quantum Week 2024 Scotland will be held April 15 - April 19 in Edinburgh.?Quantum Software Lab hosted at the School of Informatics at the University of Edinburgh that is one of the largest of its kind, ranked 1st for research power in Computer Science in REF2021.
The third annual?Commercialising Quantum Global 2024?will be held June 5-6 2024 in London.
Quantum.Tech?Europe will return to Twickenham Stadium on Sept. 23 – 25, 2024.
Want more important information on quantum? Don't forget to subscribe to?TQI's official weekly newsletter?for a complete wrap up of?all the?news in?quantum!
QuickBits Spotlight
A research team led by Chinese scientists has provided the first experimental evidence hinting at the existence of gravitons, theoretical particles believed to mediate the force of gravity, according to the South China Morning Post (SCMP). This discovery marks a significant step towards bridging the gap between quantum mechanics and general relativity, two pillars of modern physics that have remained largely incompatible.
Quantum Quotes
Quantonation Ventures announced the first closing of its second early-stage fund dedicated to Quantum Technologies, Quantonation II, at €70 million of the €200 million target. Quantonation is at the center of the emerging Quantum Tech industry, and is already investing globally in new companies from this second fund.
"This successful first closing shows, in addition to excellent funding rounds from our first portfolio, a remarkable dynamic in the quantum industry. With these resources, we can pursue scouting for the best quantum companies in the world and support a fantastic roster of founders in their entrepreneurial journey, including in new geographies for us. This will also be a great opportunity to expand the team and deepen our scientific expertise beyond our current focus. We’re looking forward to a bright future for the quantum industry." -- Christophe Jurczak, Managing Partner, Quantonation
Congresswoman Elise Stefanik and Senator Marsha Blackburn introduced the Defense Quantum Acceleration Act, legislation that would supercharge the Department of Defense’s (DoD) approach to quantum technology and advance U.S. national security.
“The Defense Quantum Acceleration Act is landmark legislation. For the first time it makes sure the most important advances in quantum information science, from quantum computing and quantum sensing to the latest developments in quantum communication and hybrid technologies, become part of our national defense arsenal. At a time when our race for quantum supremacy against China is crucial to the security of America, the DQAA will empower the Department of Defense to find the applications of quantum technology that best serve its needs and requirements, today and far into the future." -- Arthur Herman Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute & Director, Quantum Alliance Initiative.
Insider Look
We are excited to announce a new feature for the Quantum Insider's intelligence platform – a comprehensive view of quantum patents.
We track tens of thousands of patents updated in the platform with details such as the inventor, organization, related patents, and more.
Our comprehensive stats view lets you get a bird's-eye view of the patents landscape.
Business QuickBits
Infleqtion, the world’s leading quantum information company, today announced the appointment of Matthew Kinsella as its new Chief Executive Officer. Kinsella replaces Scott Faris, who has stepped down to focus on quantum industry policy and investments in national security and defense. Kinsella joins from Maverick Ventures, where he served as a senior managing director, and led investments across the technology industry, including Maverick’s investment in Infleqtion. Maverick is one of the company’s earliest investors and Kinsella has served on Infleqtion’s board since June 2018.
A national security expert predicts practical quantum computing tools are just three to five years away from integration into the workforce, NextGov is reporting.
Neal Ziring, the Technical Director of the National Security Agency’s (NSA) Cybersecurity Directorate, made the forecast during a recent public sector cybersecurity event hosted by Palo Alto Networks in Palo Alto. As reported by NextGov, Ziring expects the devices to be accessible predominantly through cloud-based platforms.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and IBM officially unveiled the world’s first-ever IBM quantum computer on a university campus. Building on RPI’s bicentennial celebration of 200 years of firsts, IBM Quantum System One will significantly enhance educational and research opportunities for the university, as well as with other academic institutions and organizations across the New York region that wish to partner with RPI. Faculty, researchers, students, and collaborators accessing the system will aim to advance quantum computing research, including the search for quantum algorithms that could lead to quantum advantage, while also actively building the next generation of the quantum workforce alongside IBM.
Daniel Volz and Kike Solano from Kipu Quantum . We discuss their focus on achieving quantum advantage, the significant progress they are seeing, their hardware-dependent approach and application-specific strategies. Daniel and Kike predict that optimization and machine learning will be among the first areas to demonstrate practical quantum advantage, describe their geopolitical approach and much more.
Research QuickBits
A research team led by Chinese scientists has provided the first experimental evidence hinting at the existence of gravitons, theoretical particles believed to mediate the force of gravity. This discovery marks a significant step towards bridging the gap between quantum mechanics and general relativity, two pillars of modern physics that have remained largely incompatible.
Scientists, policymakers and technologists are struggling to wrestle with the ethical and economical implications of artificial intelligence, another technological tsunami is rapidly approaching shore. A team of scientists are warning that as quantum applications appear ready to transform fields from healthcare to finance, science and society need to take proactive steps to ensure this powerful technology benefits humanity and the planet. In a recent article in Nature’s comment section, the team outlines a framework for responsible quantum technology (QT) development.
美国德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校 is boosting its commitment to research and education in quantum science and engineering by establishing the Texas Quantum Institute. This expanded investment reflects the University’s recognition of the vast potential that quantum science and engineering hold to benefit society through new approaches to computing, energy-efficient electronics, secure communications, ultrasensitive sensors for medical diagnostics, semiconductor quality control and observing climate processes from space.
In the big money world of college athletics, it’s not often that university sports take a back seat to academics and research. Quantum may be forcing a change-up. 美国普林斯顿大学 announced recently that it is preparing for a transition that will sees its baseball and softball fields traded for the cutting edge of quantum research. The university has been leaning heavily into quantum science.
Interested in Deep Tech??Resonance?is connecting the world's most innovative technologies with the marketplace through its media and intelligence platforms, including?The?Metaverse?Insider,?Climate Insider,?AI Insider?and?Space Impulse?.