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For much the same reason that the U.S. Department of Defense is closely looking at how quantum technology can impact their activities, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has decided to also create programs that will enhance innovation and utilization in quantum technologies within all the NATO Allies. For defense purposes quantum impact can potentially have significant impact in areas including sensing, imaging, precise positioning, navigation and timing, improve the detection of submarines, and quantum safe cryptography. But quantum technology is also dual-use and potentially has many potential uses in applications such as climate change, human health, economics, and many other areas. The [...]

Quantum Research Sciences (QRS) has been awarded a $2.5 million, three-year Phase III Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) contract from the U.S. Air Force, marking the Department of Defense's inaugural operational quantum computing software. Specializing in optimization scenarios, QRS employed quantum computers to enhance supply chain inventory management, particularly in predicting demand for military inventory. QRS's quantum software demonstrated a 28% improvement in accuracy over classical computing methods, addressing challenges faced by government and commercial entities in inventory forecasting. The software provides not only quantity estimates but also precise timing and logistics information, offering a comprehensive solution to inventory management complexities. [...]

Dutch quantum computing company QphoX has secured €8 million in funding, marking the largest investment in a quantum company in the Netherlands to date. The round, led by QDNL Participations, included participation from the EIC Fund, along with existing investors Quantonation, Speedinvest, High-Tech Gründerfonds, and Delft Enterprises. This substantial investment follows a grant from the EIC Accelerator, supporting the development of QphoX's disruptive quantum technology. QphoX is focused on creating essential hardware for enabling quantum computers to communicate via an optical network, a device they call a Quantum Modem. This breakthrough technology facilitates the scalability of large quantum computing systems within [...]

Quantinuum has announced it has raised $300 million in a new investment brining the total capital raised by the company to about $625 million with a pre-money valuation of $5 billion. The investors included JPMorgan Chase, Mitsui & Co., Amgen and Honeywell who have all worked with the company for many years. The company believes that this will be the last private fund-raising that would be needed before an eventual IPO. Quantinuum was formed in 2021 as a spinoff of the Honeywell Quantum Solutions group that merged with Cambridge Quantum Computing in the UK to form a quantum tech company that [...]

Accenture and SandboxAQ have joined forces to offer artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing solutions, addressing organizations' cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Accenture's research highlights executives' concerns about adapting to technological advancements and AI-driven cyber threats in 2024. Cybercriminals increasingly utilize AI for targeted attacks, prompting enterprises to adopt a zero-trust architecture with robust cryptographic management. The collaboration integrates Accenture's expertise with SandboxAQ's Security Suite for AI-enabled cryptographic management. The solution enables comprehensive scanning of files, applications, and network traffic, securing data across on-premise and cloud platforms. The focus is on safeguarding against quantum computing-based decryption attacks, anticipated to escalate with ongoing quantum advancements. [...]

Q-CTRL, a global quantum technology leader, has entered a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to investigate quantum computing and sensing applications for geological sciences. The collaboration seeks to leverage Q-CTRL's expertise in quantum control engineering to address critical challenges in geophysics and environmental sensing. The partnership aims to advance USGS missions, including underground water resource management, polar ice-sheet monitoring, natural-hazard preparedness, and energy and mineral resource discovery. Under the formal agreement, both entities will explore sophisticated quantum techniques such as gravimetry, magnetometry, and quantum-enhanced logistics optimization. The utilization of these techniques promises earlier [...]

Finland's quantum landscape receives a substantial boost as the Research Council of Finland allocates €13 million to the Finnish Quantum Flagship (FQF), initiating an ambitious eight-year project starting March 2024. A collaboration of prominent institutions, including Aalto University, VTT Technical Research Centre, and others, the FQF aims to position Finland at the forefront of quantum research and development. Professor Peter Liljeroth, leading the FQF from Aalto University, emphasizes the unique collaborative spirit among Finnish entities in the global quantum race. Beyond national borders, the FQF engages in Nordic and international collaborations, notably with the Nordic Quantum initiative and strengthening ties with [...]