News Brief

Horizon Quantum Computing is a Singapore based quantum software company that is developing software to allow users take programs written in a classical computer language and compile and convert them to run them efficiently on a quantum computer. They have a very unique goal to enable a much larger user base gain the performance advantages of quantum without having to learn quantum mechanics or a new programming language. The investors in this round include Sequoia Capital India, Tencent, SGInnovate, Pappas Capital and Expeditions Fund. This funding brings the total amount of capital raised to $21.3 million including the previous Seed and Seed+ [...]

Diagram of QuSecure/Accenture PQC Satellite Communications Configuration QuSecure and Accenture have demonstrated a space-based quantum-resistant post-quantum cryptography (PQC) using a network of both Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) and Geosynchronous Equatorial Orbit (GEO) satellites using QuSecure's QuProtect software based PQC solution. What is interesting about this demonstration is that a transmission is first sent to a LEO satellite from an earth station and then transferred to the GEO satellite for subsequent delivery to another earth station. No special software or hardware was required for the satellites because all the encryption and decryption activity takes place at the ground stations so the satellites were [...]

Alice & Bob is a French quantum processor startup that is pursuing a superconducting based quantum computer that uses a different type of qubit called a cat qubit. The potential advantage of this approach is that it may be able to eliminate one type of common error in a quantum computer called a Bit Flip. Although there is a second type of error still present called a Phase Flip, if a design doesn't have to be concerned about Bit Flips it can simplify an quantum error correction algorithm and significantly reduce the number of physical qubits to form one logical qubit. [...]

The Phase 1 STTR award will cover research to develop open-source software that can define, schedule, and executing automatic qubit calibration and benchmarking for quantum processors ranging from tens to hundreds of qubits. Atlantic Quantum will partner with the Engineering Quantum Systems group at MIT to develop the software and test it on a variety of platforms. The software will be designed to work with different types of quantum processors and can be modified to customize it for a particular machine. Additional information is available in a news release provided by Atlantic Quantum which is available here. March 28, 2023

The hub will collaborate with the University of Ottawa and the Université de Sherbrooke to study quantum-based algorithms for acceleration of processing in telecom networks and distributed quantum computing. Ericsson Canada's researchers will work with post-doctoral fellows at the universities and will provide telecom and networking competence and facilities for this research. In additions, the Mitacs organization will also support this effort through internships and professional skills development. Interns will work with researchers at Ericsson Canada and the universities. A press release from Ericsson announcing the establishment of this new Quantum Research Hub can be found here. March 25, 2023

IQM Quantum Computers has developed the free course aimed at high school and university students, educators, and enthusiasts who want to start learning about the fundamentals of quantum computing. The self-learning lessons are accessible worldwide and no prior quantum computing experience is needed to start using the modules in the course. It includes interactive web pages that cover the Foundations, Applications, Algorithms, and other modules that are sill in development. To learn more about the IQM Academy, a readers can access the press announcement about its formation here and the web pages for the IQM Academy here. March 25, 2023

The National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC) is a high performance supercomputing facility operated by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science for use by 9,000 scientists at national laboratories and universities around the country. Starting later this Spring, those scientists will have access to QuEra's Aquila neutral atom quantum processor which contains 256 qubits. The Aquila processor is currently programmed in an analog mode which QuEra indicates provides more robust characteristics against noise and has other advantages. The machine will be used by NERSC users to explore its ability to solve problems in quantum dynamics, chemistry, high-energy [...]

The purpose of this platform to give news users a sampling of what quantum computing is, how it works, and help a identify/prioritize user cases. As part of this program, Pasqal will be providing users access to Pasqal's quantum emulators and their 100 qubit neutral atom processor. It consists of three modules including an onboarding module to explain core concepts and present pre-recorded videos, an ability to adjust and run pre-determined algorithms on the quantum hardware and emulators, and help a user identify and prioritize potential use cases. It is designed to be the first level of interaction a user would [...]

Strangeworks has received $24 million in a Series A investment round led by  Hitachi Ventures, with additional investors IBM, and Raytheon Technologies (RTX Ventures) and follow-on investments from seed investors Lightspeed Venture Partners, Great Point Ventures, and Ecliptic Capital. The company will be using the funds to expand its employee base as well as expanding their product efforts to additional areas including quantum-inspired, high-performance computing, and artificial intelligence. Strangeworks has formed a syndicate of over 40 companies that they partner with to provide access to a large number of quantum, quantum-inspired, and software providers. They also provide a number of managed applications [...]

We had previously reported in June 2022, that OVHcloud, a leading European cloud provider, was partnering with Quandela to make available to its customers access to Quandela's photonic quantum computer emulator called Percival. This would allow OVHcloud's customer to start developing and subsequently emulate quantum programs that could eventually run on a future Quandela photonic quantum computer. OVHcloud has now gone to the next step and purchased a Quandela Mosaiq processor so that customers can try out their programs on real hardware. The Mosaiq is a modular and upgradeable platform which combines Quandela's eDelight sources with active demultiplexing from their DMX modules to create an [...]