Why I Founded Applied Quantum – The First Pure-Play, End-to-End Quantum Consultancy

Leaving the comfortable perch of a Big 4 partnership to start a new company is not a decision one makes lightly. Which is why many of you contacted me, confused after my recent announcement. Yet that decision is exactly what I did when I joined Applied Quantum, the first and only end-to-end professional services firm dedicated 100% to quantum computing, quantum tech, quantum security, and quantum readiness. Let me explain.

A Personal Journey on the Quantum Frontier

My journey with quantum computing began long before “quantum” was a business buzzword. I co-founded a startup called Boston Photonics, aiming to pioneer photonic quantum computing. In hindsight, we were way ahead of the market – an exciting vision launched far too early. While Boston Photonics didn’t become a billion-dollar success, the experience was invaluable. It taught me that timing and practicality are just as crucial as technical vision.

Moving on from that early venture, I went back to large consulting firms (IBM, Accenture, Big 4) where I focused on leading cybersecurity, tech risk and emerging tech practices advising (or serving as an interim CISO or CTO) in large enterprises and governments around the world. In each of these roles, quantum computing was a consistent thread – an area I followed closely and championed quietly. I would brief C-suite leaders on quantum breakthroughs, explore potential use cases for our clients, and push internal teams to consider post-quantum security. Quantum remained a passion project of mine, even as I managed broader technology and cyber portfolios.

However, throughout these years I felt a growing frustration. Whenever our clients wanted to learn more about quantum – whether to assess risks or explore opportunities – we struggled to find truly practical guidance in the market. We could hire generalist consultancies for a high-level presentation about “quantum someday,” or bring in academic experts to lecture on theory. But nowhere could we find a partner who understood both the deep science and the business reality – someone who could translate quantum’s esoteric concepts into concrete, actionable strategies for an enterprise. The consulting firms we worked with often either overhyped what quantum would deliver or dismissed it as too futuristic. Neither extreme was helpful. I remember thinking: there has to be a better way to help organizations prepare for the quantum future.

The State of Quantum Computing Today: From Science to Engineering

In the last few years, quantum computing has reached an inflection point. We have witnessed a clear shift from tackling purely fundamental science problems to now wrestling with engineering and scalability challenges (not that we are stopping fundamental science research). In practical terms, this means quantum computing is steadily moving out of the lab and into the realm of real-world implementation. And so do quantum communications, quantum sensing, and other quantum technologies. Leading tech companies and research labs have built prototypes with a number of logical (useful) qubits, with innovative error correction approaches, and have increasingly started claiming quantum advantage on specific tasks. The conversation has shifted to questions like How do we scale to more qubits? How do we correct errors faster? How do we fabricate stable qubit chips reliably? In other words, the question is no longer if quantum computers can work, but how soon they will be powerful enough to solve practical problems. We’ve moved from science fiction toward engineering reality. And that was very obvious with the five major announcements that happened over the last 4 months – AWS Ocelot, Microsoft Majorana 1, Google Willow, IBM Heron R2, and Zuchongzhi 3.0.

This turning point has not gone unnoticed. Global investments in quantum R&D have skyrocketed, and nations are launching ambitious programs to not fall behind. Analysts now project enormous economic impact from this technology – for example, McKinsey & Co. estimates that quantum technologies could create up to $2 trillion in economic value by 2035. In short, quantum computing is becoming a practical reality, one that big businesses and governments can no longer ignore.

And indeed, many large enterprises and governments are starting their quantum journeys. In boardrooms and government agencies alike, leaders are asking: What is our quantum strategy? Are we at risk if we don’t act? This is exactly the right mindset – yet answering those questions correctly is easier said than done. The quantum field today is rife with misinformation and mixed signals. On one hand, we have hype: breathless headlines that imply quantum computers will crack all encryption or revolutionize industry any day now. On the other hand, we have skeptics dismissing quantum as a distant pipe dream that won’t matter for decades. The truth lies somewhere in between. Quantum computing is coming, faster than many think, but it’s also true that significant technical hurdles remain. The challenge for organizations is separating the fact from fiction in this climate.

Unfortunately, the hype vs. reality problem is often made worse by the very advisors companies turn to for help (Disclaimer: I am not referring to particular firm and especially not to any of the firms I am or was associated with). I’ve seen this firsthand as a buyer of these services. Some large consultancies eager to sell “quantum readiness” services end up misleading clients with shallow assessments. One common example: firms offering to inventory all of an enterprise’s cryptographic assets (to assess vulnerability to quantum decryption) by simply conducting a few interviews with IT staff. This superficial, interview-based approach invariably misses the many places where cryptography lurks deep in systems and software – making the inventory incomplete and misleadingly reassuring. As I previously noted on my blog, relying on staff surveys to find every instance of cryptography “is not just impractical; it simply does not work.” Yet I have watched organizations pay for these so-called readiness assessments and come away with a false sense of security, thinking they’ve checked the quantum risk box when in reality they have barely scratched the surface. Such experiences were alarming to me, and they reinforced a core belief: enterprises need better guidance on quantum – advice that is rigorous, technically informed, and practically actionable.

Filling the Gap: Building a Pure-Play Quantum Services Firm

After years of witnessing this gap between what organizations need and what the market was offering, I decided to do something about it. This was the genesis of Applied Quantum. I envisioned a firm that for the first time would be 100% dedicated to quantum technology services – not as a sideline, not as one emerging tech practice among many, but as the entire mission of the company, and it would cover the field end-to-end. We founded Applied Quantum to be the first and only end-to-end pure-play quantum professional services firm precisely because generalist consulting firms were not cutting it. Enterprises and governments deserve a partner that lives and breathes quantum every single day.

What does it mean to be a pure-play quantum firm? It means we focus exclusively on quantum computing, quantum security, quantum technologies, quantum AI, and quantum readiness. Unlike a big consulting house, we’re not here to also sell you cloud migrations, ERP projects, GenAI projects, or digital strategy advice. We do one thing – quantum – and we strive to do it better than anyone else. To achieve that, I knew we had to assemble a team with deep, specialized expertise across all facets of the quantum ecosystem.

Today, the Applied Quantum team brings together a combination of talent as full-time employees and exclusive collaborators:

• Quantum PhDs and Researchers – Experts who have spent years pushing the boundaries of quantum computing and physics in the lab. They understand the science deeply and stay on top of the latest breakthroughs.
• Quantum Mathematics Specialists – Professionals adept in the complex math and algorithms underlying quantum computing, who can determine which algorithms might one day disrupt which industries.
• Cybersecurity and IT Infrastructure Veterans – Seasoned leaders who have managed billion-dollar IT transformations and enterprise security programs. This includes former CIOs, CISOs, and ex-Big 4 partners from tech risk practices. They know how to integrate new technologies into legacy environments securely and effectively, or managing transition of the whole infrastructure to quantum-safe solutions while managing impacts to operations.
• Policy and Law Experts – Individuals who have helped shape national technology policies and understand the regulatory landscape for emerging tech. They track things like national quantum initiatives, encryption standards (e.g. NIST post-quantum cryptography rollouts), and can advise on compliance and governance issues around quantum.
• Investment and Market Analysts – Experts who bridge the gap between deep technical understanding and market dynamics, helping investors separate hype from reality. They provide insights into the commercialization timelines of quantum technologies, assess the viability of quantum startups, and guide investment strategies in the quantum sector.

No other firm combines this breadth and depth of quantum-focused talent under one roof. We have people who can discuss cutting-edge research and people who have led large IT and OT transformations – and often our projects require both skill sets. For example, helping a government craft a national quantum strategy might involve our PhDs outlining what’s feasible in the next 5 years, our policy experts mapping the geopolitical landscape, and our IT experts planning how to upgrade infrastructure accordingly. This perfect blend of academic excellence and practical industry experience is what makes Applied Quantum truly different. We bridge the gap between groundbreaking research and real-world application.

Why Quantum Readiness Matters (and Why It’s Not a Checkbox)

Stepping back, one might ask: Is all this really necessary? Does quantum really warrant this level of specialized attention right now? The answer, in my view, is absolutely yes. The work we do – helping organizations with quantum readiness and strategy – matters enormously today, because getting quantum readiness right is not a simple checklist or a one-time task. It is a multifaceted transformation across technology, security, and business domains.

Consider the impact on cybersecurity. Within the next 7 years (in my estimate), large-scale quantum computers are expected to mature to the point of threatening current cryptography. Transitioning an entire enterprise (or government) to quantum-resistant cryptographic systems and/or various interim or hybrid approaches is a massive undertaking. It involves discovering everywhere you use cryptography (hundreds or thousands of applications and devices), replacing or upgrading systems, and doing so in a coordinated way so that nothing breaks. It’s a project that can span many years. Organizations that fail to start preparing now risk waking up one day dangerously behind – with vulnerable data and systems, scrambling to retrofit security at the last minute. In contrast, those who begin their quantum security roadmap today will be ready and resilient when the time comes.

Now consider competitive advantage. Quantum computing will enable new capabilities – from radically faster optimization and AI acceleration to molecular modeling breakthroughs in chemistry and pharma. These won’t all arrive overnight, but as the technology progresses, savvy companies will seize opportunities early. A bank that has experimented with quantum algorithms for portfolio optimization, or a pharmaceutical firm that has invested in quantum chemistry, will be poised to leap ahead when quantum hardware reaches sufficient power. Those who have done nothing will be left playing catch-up. In short, quantum technology is a looming disruptor. Forward-thinking organizations are treating it the way they would any potential game-changer: by monitoring it closely and strategizing proactively.

And it’s not just private sector. Governments around the world are formulating national quantum strategies, because they recognize both the opportunities and risks at stake. Quantum capabilities can confer strategic advantages in economics, intelligence, and military applications. At the same time, quantum threats (like cracked encryption) could impact national security and critical infrastructure. Crafting sound policy – investing in quantum R&D, updating security standards, developing a quantum-ready workforce – is an urgent priority. This is complex, interdisciplinary work. It requires balancing innovation with risk management at a national scale. Our team has been fortunate to advise on these big-picture questions, and we’ve seen how crucial it is to get them right.

The bottom line is: the future is quantum. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but inevitably, just as earlier computing revolutions (mainframes, personal computers, the internet) transformed everything, quantum technologies will reshape industries and security in the coming years. We can’t afford to either overestimate the short-term impact or underestimate the long-term consequences. That’s why organizations need real, practical guidance now. Not glossy hype brochures, not dismissive “wait 20 years” advice, and certainly not one-size-fits-all checklists masquerading as readiness. They need clear-eyed assessments, roadmaps, and concrete steps to take today, next year, and five years from now. Providing that clarity and reliability – and translating it into practical action – is exactly the mission that drives Applied Quantum.

Walking Away from a Big 4 to Pursue the Mission

So when people ask me: Why on earth would you leave a Big 4 partnership to start a niche consulting firm? I can only say that over time I came to realize that title and comfort weren’t my end goals. Impact was. And I hope I can make a bigger impact this way.

As a Big 4 Partner leading emerging tech advisory, I had a front-row seat to how enterprises were grappling (and often floundering) with quantum questions. I saw the gap between what they needed and what traditional firms were delivering. Inside a big firm, I tried to champion a more serious quantum focus, but large consultancies have many competing priorities – quantum was just one item on a long list of offerings. It became clear to me that a truly expert-driven quantum advisory practice would never flourish there in the way clients deserved. The only way was to build it from scratch: hand-picking the best experts, focusing exclusively on the topic, and unencumbered by legacy service lines or internal politics.

So I took the leap. I left behind the stability and prestige of my role, and poured my energy into Applied Quantum. Yes, it was risky and meant starting from zero again. But it is invigorating to work alongside colleagues who share the same passion and to engage with forward-thinking clients on a daily basis. We wake up every day laser-focused on quantum technologies and how to apply them responsibly and effectively. This isn’t just a business venture for me – it’s a mission-driven endeavor. I deeply believe that enterprises and governments around the world need a trusted, high-caliber partner in navigating the quantum revolution. Being that partner, and doing it right, is worth everything I left behind and more.

The Quantum Future Is Coming – Let’s Get Ready

If you’re an enterprise or government leader reading this, I urge you to consider where quantum fits into your strategic roadmap. You don’t need to be a physicist or start pouring billions into research, but you do need to start educating your team and preparing. Quantum readiness is about prudent, proactive steps: understanding which of your systems and data might be vulnerable to quantum attacks, tracking where quantum algorithms might impact your industry, and integrating quantum into your long-term innovation plans. The key is to separate the real opportunities and risks from the hype.

At Applied Quantum, our door is always open to have an honest conversation about what real quantum readiness looks like. No vague strategy decks, no sci-fi daydreaming – just facts, actionable insights, and a clear plan tailored to your organization’s context. I founded Applied Quantum because I truly believe in the transformative power of this technology and in the importance of navigating it with realism and integrity.

(This article was first published on my blog PostQuantum.com)