Doug Finke

Quantum Elements and the University of Southern California (USC) have published a peer-reviewed paper in Physical Review Letters (PRL) detailing a new Quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) algorithm that significantly lowers the classical computing power needed to simulate noisy quantum circuits. Traditional open-system simulations rely on direct density-matrix tracking, which scales exponentially quickly crippling classical hardware. The new paper titled Real-Time Sign-Problem-Suppressed Quantum Monte Carlo Algorithm for Noisy Quantum Circuit Simulations co-authored by Dr. Tong Shen and USC Professor Daniel A. Lidar, describes how the new algorithm suppresses the notorious quantum "sign problem." This new algorithm models noisy quantum-circuit behavior with a fraction [...]

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced Quantum Genesis, an ambitious initiative to build and deploy the world’s first scientifically relevant, fault-tolerant quantum computer by 2028. Operating under the broader AI and supercomputing-focused Genesis Mission, the program aims to integrate advanced quantum processors directly with the nation's leading supercomputing ecosystems. The initiative directly follows a pair of quantum-focused Executive Orders, including Ushering the Next Frontier of Quantum Innovation, which mandate accelerated American leadership in quantum information science (QIS) and establish the Quantum Computer for Application Development and Discovery Science (QC-ADDS) effort. In May, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued a [...]

By Mohamed Abdel-Kareem Moving to standard CMOS wafer manufacturing is very helpful for certain modalities but not all. The real competitive advantages come from fabrication throughput—measured in wafers per hour (WPH)—and cycle time (i.e. the time from design submission to tested device). This is where manufacturing economics meets quantum roadmaps. The IonQ-SkyWater Acquisition: A Case Study in Vertical Integration In January 2026, IonQ announced its intent to acquire SkyWater Technology, one of the largest U.S.-based pure-play semiconductor foundries, for approximately $1.8 billion. The transaction, which received shareholder approval in May 2026 and is expected to close in the second or third [...]

President Donald J. Trump has signed two Executive Orders aimed at cementing American leadership in the quantum era. Together with their accompanying Fact Sheets, the directives lay out a strategy designed to protect the nation from advanced cryptographic attacks while simultaneously encouraging commercial and scientific quantum innovation. Here is a breakdown of key provisions in the newly released directives. 1. Defensive Shield: Post-Quantum Cryptography Migration The first Executive Order 14412, "Securing the Nation Against Advanced Cryptographic Attacks," acknowledges the immediate threat of "harvest now, decrypt later" operations by foreign adversaries. It establishes a strict, legally mandated timeline for federal agencies to [...]

Yuval Boger interviews Helmut Katzgraber, general partner at 55North and former quantum leader at AWS. They discuss Helmut’s view that the most promising near- to mid-term quantum applications are in quantum simulation for materials, chemicals, and pharma, rather than optimization. They also explore European competitiveness, venture opportunities across the quantum stack, cloud and on-prem deployment models, and the workforce and product skills needed to turn quantum ideas into successful companies. Transcript Yuval: Hello, Helmut, and thank you for joining me today. Helmut: Hi, Yuval. Nice talking to you again. Yuval: So who are you and what do you do? Helmut: My name is Helmut Katzgraber. [...]

Guest post by Zeynep Koruturk, Dr. Kris Naudts, & Donald Harmitt of Firgun Ventures and Professor Bob Coecke of Relational Intelligence Limited Few questions in the quantum sector are asked more often, or answered more loosely, than how many qubits a useful quantum computer will require. Press releases announce systems with hundreds of qubits, then thousands, and the implicit suggestion is that the field is approaching a finish line. The reality is more nuanced, and arguably more interesting. It is not as black and white as saying there is a single number of qubits that makes a quantum computer "useful". The [...]

Oxford Quantum Circuits (OQC) has announced plans to establish its first European Union facility in Barcelona, Spain. Dubbed the OQC Global Quantum Development & Manufacturing Centre, the site will serve as the company's primary global hub for the design, development, and industrialization of its superconducting quantum hardware. The project represents a €92 million ($98M USD) investment and is projected to create 210 high-skilled jobs over the next five years—more than doubling OQC's current global headcount of 150 employees. Operations are slated to begin in Q4 2026. Transaction & Funding Details The expansion follows OQC's recent £260 Million ($350 Million USD) Series [...]

Australian headquartered quantum hardware company Diraq has opened its office in Palo Alto as part of its U.S. growth strategy. The office will serve as a key hub for product development and developing ecosystem partnerships. The company indicated it is planning further expansion with an additional offices in the Los Angeles area as well as operations in Chicago. The company’s architecture utilizes silicon spin qubits (quantum dots) fabricated via standard Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) processes on 300mm wafers. This approach enables the high-density integration of quantum and classical control electronics on a single silicon chip. Diraq’s qubits operate at a temperature of [...]

We had previously reported on a Boeing Q4S project to demonstrate entanglement swapping in space (see here and here). Now, Boeing has announced further progress with the completion of ground testing of the high-fidelity entanglement swapping in the compact, space-qualified Q4S payload. This milestone moves the company closer to realizing a space-based quantum network capable of linking quantum sensors and computers globally. The payload has previously passed environmental qualification and is now undergoing final spacecraft integration ahead of a planned 2027 launch. Q4S is a planned one-year, on-orbit demonstration mission designed to test quantum networking hardware in the harsh environment of [...]

Superconducting hardware developer IQM Quantum Computers has achieved its first physical installation on U.S. soil with the deployment of Pathfinder, a 20-qubit IQM Radiance system, at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The processor represents ORNL’s first-ever commercially procured quantum computer and has been installed directly within the facility's high-performance computing (HPC) ecosystem. By physically housing the machine alongside Frontier—the world’s most powerful supercomputer for open science—ORNL's Tech Integration Group can directly engineer and test low-latency, hybrid quantum-classical hardware connections.   The acquisition highlights IQM’s strict on-premises deployment model, distinguishing it from common cloud-only access patterns where hardware remains [...]