Harvard’s Forever Machine, Google’s Big Buy, and Denmark’s War Chest - The Week in Quantum Computing, October 6th, 2025
Issue #254
This wasn’t just another week of incremental qubit counts. The signal from the noise was deafening, and it all pointed directly at neutral atoms. In a stunning convergence, we saw the platform’s biggest historical hurdles—longevity and scale—get bulldozed. A Harvard-MIT team unveiled a “forever machine” that effectively solves atom loss by running for hours, while Caltech dropped a 6,100-qubit behemoth that didn’t sacrifice quality for quantity. As if that wasn’t enough, QuEra, Harvard, and Yale published a paper that provides a massive algorithmic shortcut for fault tolerance, potentially slashing runtimes by up to 100x and cutting the time to crack RSA-2048 to under a week. The takeaway is clear: the theoretical path to fault tolerance just got a lot shorter, and the hardware best suited to walk it just took a giant leap forward.
The market responded in kind, proving this isn’t just lab talk anymore. The industrialization flywheel is spinning faster. PsiQuantum is now officially digging in Chicago, starting construction on what’s billed as America’s first million-qubit machine. IBM is pushing on two fronts, deploying its latest hardware in Japan alongside the Fugaku supercomputer and demonstrating portfolio optimization with Vanguard. Meanwhile, the money spigot is wide open, with 55 North launching the world’s largest quantum-dedicated VC fund, and the consolidation continues with Google snapping up Atlantic Quantum. From tangible hardware sales at Rigetti to quantum-safe banking trials in Singapore, the message is the same: the industry is shifting from promises on a roadmap to real-world deployment, commercial traction, and serious capital.
The Change
This week I am testing a new format, as you can see below. I’d really appreciate if you could tell me which format of the newsletter is more useful to you.
As an example of the traditional format, you can look at last week edition:
The Week(s) in Quantum:
The Main Broadside: The Neutral Atom Race Heats Up - Longevity vs. Scale
The quantum hardware landscape was jolted these last weeks by two monumental breakthroughs that have firmly established neutral atoms as a top-tier contender in the race for fault-tolerant quantum computing. In a stunning display of engineering prowess, a Harvard-MIT collaboration effectively solved the platform’s Achilles’ heel—atom loss—by demonstrating a machine capable of continuous operation. Simultaneously, a team at Caltech shattered records for scale, unveiling a massive, high-quality qubit array that pushes the boundaries of what was thought possible. Together, these developments signal a new era of maturity for the modality, tackling its core challenges of longevity and scale head-on.
Harvard’s “Forever Machine”: Continuous Operation Becomes Reality
For years, the promise of neutral atom quantum computers has been tempered by a stubborn bottleneck: “atom loss”.1 The very qubits that form the processor are fragile and prone to escaping their traps, limiting experiments to brief, “pulsed” efforts that often last mere seconds before the system must be halted, reloaded, and restarted.2 This week, that fundamental limitation was overcome.
In a landmark paper published in Nature, researchers from Harvard and MIT unveiled the first-ever continuously operating quantum computer.1 Their system, comprising over 3,000 qubits, ran uninterrupted for more than two hours—an eternity in quantum computing terms—and in theory, could operate indefinitely.1 The core innovation is a sophisticated, high-rate reloading method that functions like a pit crew for the quantum processor. Using “optical lattice conveyor belts” and “optical tweezers,” the system can inject up to 300,000 fresh atoms per second back into the quantum circuit. Crucially, this replenishment happens without destroying the delicate quantum information already stored in the system’s surviving qubits, a non-trivial feat essential for any long-running computation.
The implications are profound. Mikhail Lukin, the senior author of the paper, stated that with this breakthrough, it is now possible to “really see a very direct path towards realizing” quantum computers capable of executing billions of operations and running for days on end. Team members have even suggested that practical machines capable of running forever are no longer a distant dream, but potentially just three years away.3
Caltech’s Qubit Onslaught: Pushing the Boundaries of Scale and Quality
As Harvard was rewriting the rules on longevity, physicists at Caltech were redefining the limits of scale. Also published in Nature, their work detailed the largest neutral-atom qubit array ever assembled: a staggering 6,100 qubits.8 This represents a greater than five-fold leap over the previous record of approximately 1,180 qubits, demonstrating the incredible scalability inherent to the neutral atom approach.12
What makes this achievement particularly significant is that the massive scale did not come at the expense of quality—a common trade-off in quantum hardware development. The Caltech team reported a record-breaking coherence time of around 13 seconds for their hyperfine qubits held in an optical tweezer array.8 Furthermore, they achieved an exceptional 99.98% accuracy while manipulating individual qubits, proving that quantity and quality can coexist.9 As researcher Gyohei Nomura aptly summarized, “Qubits aren’t useful without quality. Now we have quantity and quality”.11
The team also demonstrated the ability to shuttle atoms across the array while preserving their superposition, a critical capability for advanced, zone-based quantum computing architectures.12 This mobility allows for dynamic reconfiguration of the processor during computation, a feature that could enable more efficient error correction schemes compared to platforms with fixed connectivity, such as superconducting circuits.14
Table 1: The Neutral Atom Heavyweights: Harvard vs. Caltech
The work out of Harvard introduces a potential paradigm shift in the quantum scalability debate. Much of the industry’s focus has been on modularity—building small, high-quality quantum processing units (QPUs) and then linking them together via complex interconnects, a strategy pursued by companies like IonQ and Rigetti.15 This approach, however, introduces its own immense engineering hurdles, including the need for high-fidelity, low-latency links and the challenge of managing errors that propagate across module boundaries (and frankly speaking huge quantum datacenters with massive footprints required to get millions of error corrected qubits). Harvard’s demonstration of a self-healing, continuously operating system suggests an alternative path: a “monolithic” architecture where a single, coherent processing space can theoretically grow to massive sizes without physical partitions. This could fundamentally alter the calculus for fault tolerance, shifting the primary engineering challenge from “how do we connect modules?” to the potentially simpler problem of “how do we control an ever-larger, single array?”
Taken together, the Harvard and Caltech results signal that the neutral atom modality has reached a new level of maturity. For years, different quantum platforms have presented a series of trade-offs: superconducting qubits are fast but noisy, while trapped ions offer high fidelity but face challenges with gate speed and scaling into large arrays. Neutral atoms promised scalability and reconfigurability but were historically plagued by the critical flaw of atom loss.2 In a single week, the platform has demonstrated a definitive solution to its biggest historical weakness (longevity) while simultaneously setting a new benchmark on its greatest strength (scale), significantly elevating its competitive standing in the race to build a useful quantum computer.
The Quantum Signal: Money, Mergers, and Milestones
While hardware developers were breaking records, the business side of the quantum ecosystem was buzzing with activity that points to a clear trend: serious capital is flowing in, and the industry is beginning to consolidate and commercialize in earnest.
The Money Flow: Europe and the US Double Down on Quantum Hubs
A major signal came from Europe, where Copenhagen-based 55 North announced the €134 million first close of its inaugural €300 million fund, making it the world’s largest venture capital fund dedicated purely to quantum technologies.17 This is not just another VC fund; it is a strategic instrument of national and continental policy. Anchored by Denmark’s sovereign wealth fund (EIFO) and life sciences investment firm Novo Holdings, the fund’s explicit goal is to establish Europe as a “producer, not just a buyer” of quantum technologies, ensuring the continent’s technological sovereignty in a critical future industry.19 The fund is taking a stage-agnostic approach and has already made strategic investments in European quantum computer manufacturer IQM and cryogenics firm Kiutra.17 This move represents a new phase in the global quantum race, evolving beyond government research grants to government-backed, commercially-focused venture capital designed to build and own the future quantum supply chain.
Meanwhile, in the United States, the state of Connecticut committed $10 million to QuantumCT, a statewide initiative co-led by Yale University and the University of Connecticut.8 The funding aims to build out quantum computing infrastructure and a testbed, accelerating research and commercialization. This state-level investment is particularly strategic as the initiative is also a finalist for up to $160 million in additional federal support from the National Science Foundation’s Regional Innovation Engines Program, showcasing a powerful public funding model to cultivate regional quantum hubs.21
Corporate Maneuvers: Google Consolidates, Rigetti Commercializes
The week also saw significant moves from major corporate players. Google Quantum AI announced it has acquired Atlantic Quantum, an MIT spin-out specializing in superconducting quantum hardware.8 The strategic rationale is clear: integrate Atlantic Quantum’s innovative modular chip stack technology to accelerate Google’s own roadmap toward a large, error-corrected quantum computer.22 The acquisition is as much about acquiring top-tier talent as it is about technology, deepening Google’s formidable bench of quantum expertise.22
In what may be the week’s most significant commercial news, Rigetti Computing announced it had secured purchase orders for two of its 9-qubit Novera™ on-premises quantum systems, totaling approximately $5.7 million.24 While the absolute dollar amount is modest, its impact is monumental. This single deal represents roughly 72% of Rigetti’s entire revenue over the past 12 months, providing powerful commercial validation for its technology and business model.25 The buyers—an Asian technology manufacturer and a California-based AI startup—signal a growing market for hands-on R&D systems that can be installed on-site.24 The news sent Rigetti’s stock soaring, with its price up 127% year-to-date, underscoring a pivotal market shift.25 For years, quantum stock valuations have been driven by technical roadmaps and qubit counts. Rigetti’s sale, however, is tangible revenue from real customers for a complete product. This suggests the investment community is beginning to shift its valuation criteria from future promises to present-day commercial traction—a sure sign of a maturing industry.
So, a price undisclosed acquisition by google and selling to computers, send the stock roaring…Only a quantum god may understand the capital markets…
Elsewhere, news from early October also highlighted IonQ’s continued strategic expansion, with an investment in autonomous freight technology company Einride and a new memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Department of Energy to advance quantum-secure networking via satellite assets.15
From the Crow’s Nest: Research, Resources, and Roles
Beyond the headline-grabbing hardware and business deals, the underlying ecosystem of research, talent, and community events continues to thrive, providing the foundational support for the industry’s growth.
Fresh Off the ArXiv: Algorithms Bite Back
While hardware progress is often visible and incremental, algorithmic breakthroughs can be sudden and disruptive. A notable pre-print that appeared on arXiv (arxiv:2509.05010v1) describes a “Modular, Adaptive, and Scalable Quantum Factoring Algorithm”.27 The research suggests a method to dramatically reduce the qubit overhead for Shor’s algorithm by breaking the problem into smaller, parallel blocks of just 3-4 qubits. This implies that the hardware barrier for breaking current encryption standards might be significantly lower than widely assumed, challenging the “we’ll have plenty of warning” narrative that often surrounds the transition to post-quantum cryptography.27 This highlights a critical, asymmetric risk: while the world tracks the public hardware roadmaps of companies like IBM, a single clever paper could rewrite the threat timeline overnight.28
Another significant paper (arXiv:2510.01319) details the discovery of a robust phase of continuous transversal gates in quantum stabilizer codes. This highly technical result in quantum error correction is important because it offers a more efficient, fault-tolerant protocol for performing the continuous-angle logical rotations that are essential for many quantum simulation algorithms, potentially lowering the immense overhead required to run them on future fault-tolerant machines. Other interesting pre-prints from the week include novel approaches to using classical chaos to improve the parameter optimization for the Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) and the development of hybrid quantum-classical walks for graph representation learning.
The Final Grog: The Signal is Getting Stronger
Looking back, the week ending October 5th, 2025, may be remembered as a significant inflection point for the quantum industry. The disparate news items—from foundational physics breakthroughs in university labs to sovereign wealth fund investments and tangible hardware sales—are not isolated events. They are interconnected data points on a single, accelerating curve that marks the transition of quantum computing from a research-centric field to a commercially-driven ecosystem.
A positive feedback loop, or flywheel, is beginning to spin. Foundational research breakthroughs, like those from Harvard and Caltech, de-risk the technology. This de-risking attracts massive, strategic capital, exemplified by the 55 North fund. This capital then funds companies like Rigetti to turn research into viable products. Finally, early product sales, like Rigetti’s Novera deal, generate revenue and validate the market, which in turn justifies and fuels further investment in foundational research, starting the cycle anew with greater momentum. This week, every stage of that flywheel activated simultaneously. The signal is no longer faint or intermittent; it is strong, clear, and growing louder.
Works cited
Clearing significant hurdle to quantum computing - Harvard Gazette, https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2025/09/clearing-significant-hurdle-to-quantum-computing/
Harvard cracks quantum computer that can run ‘forever’ - Digit.fyi, https://www.digit.fyi/harvard-cracks-quantum-computer-that-can-run-forever/
Harvard researchers hail quantum computing breakthrough with machine that can run for two hours — atomic loss quashed by experimental design, systems that can run forever just 3 years away | Tom’s Hardware : r/Physics - Reddit, https://www.reddit.com/r/Physics/comments/1nyccpo/harvard_researchers_hail_quantum_computing/
Toward a Quantum Computer That Never Stops - ENGtechnica, accessed, https://engtechnica.com/toward-a-quantum-computer-that-never-stops/
Harvard Researchers Develop First Ever Continuously Operating Quantum Computer, https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2025/10/2/quantum-computing-breakthrough/
Harvard Researchers Develop First Ever Continuously Operating Quantum Computer, https://quantumzeitgeist.com/harvard-researchers-develop-first-ever-continuously-operating-quantum-computer/
Harvard physicists build first continuous quantum computer | Digital Watch Observatory, https://dig.watch/updates/harvard-physicists-build-first-continuous-quantum-computer
News - Quantum Computing Report, https://quantumcomputingreport.com/news/
Caltech Team Sets Record with 6100-Qubit Array, https://www.caltech.edu/about/news/caltech-team-sets-record-with-6100-qubit-array
Caltech Team Sets Record With 6,100-Qubit Array - Quantum Zeitgeist, https://quantumzeitgeist.com/caltech-team-sets-record-with-6100-qubit-array/
6100-Qubit Processor Shatters Quantum Computing Record - Science Alert, https://www.sciencealert.com/6100-qubit-processor-shatters-quantum-computing-record
6,100 Qubits and Counting: Physicists Shatter Quantum Computing Record - ZME Science, https://www.zmescience.com/tech/6100-qubits-and-counting-physicists-shatter-quantum-computing-record/
Caltech Team Sets Record with 6100-Qubit Neutral-Atom Array, https://quantumcomputingreport.com/caltech-team-sets-record-with-6100-qubit-neutral-atom-array/
From The California Institute of Technology: “Caltech Team Sets Record with 6100-Qubit Array” - sciencesprings, https://sciencesprings.wordpress.com/2025/09/24/from-the-california-institute-of-technology-caltech-team-sets-record-with-6100-qubit-array/
IONQ: Quantum Leap or Speculative Bet? - Stock Market | FinancialContent, https://markets.financialcontent.com/wral/article/predictstreet-2025-10-3-ionq-quantum-leap-or-speculative-bet
Rigetti Computing’s Upside Potential Remains Intact | Trefis, https://www.trefis.com/stock/rgti/articles/576638/rigetti-computings-upside-potential-remains-intact/2025-10-03
55 North Announces First Close For €300 Million Quantum Technology Fund, https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/10/02/55-north-announces-first-close-for-e300-million-quantum-technology-fund/
Denmark launches the world’s largest quantum fund - Tech.eu, https://tech.eu/2025/10/02/denmark-launches-the-worlds-largest-quantum-fund/
Copenhagen-based 55 North announces €134 million first close for record €300 million quantum technology fund - BeBeez International, https://bebeez.eu/2025/10/02/copenhagen-based-55-north-announces-e134-million-first-close-for-record-e300-million-quantum-technology-fund/
Quantum investor 55 North holds first close for debut fund - Venture Capital Journal, https://www.venturecapitaljournal.com/quantum-investor-55-north-holds-first-close-for-debut-fund/
State Backs QuantumCT With $10 Million as Part of New Haven Innovation Plan, , https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/10/03/state-backs-quantumct-with-10-million-as-part-of-new-haven-innovation-plan/
Atlantic Quantum Joins Google Quantum AI - The Quantum Insider, https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/10/03/atlantic-quantum-joins-google-quantum-ai/
Google Quantum AI Brings Atlantic Quantum into Its Team - HPCwire, https://www.hpcwire.com/2025/10/03/google-quantum-ai-brings-atlantic-quantum-into-its-team/
Rigetti Announces Purchase Orders for Two Quantum Computing Systems Totaling Approximately $5.7 Million, https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/09/30/rigetti-announces-purchase-orders-for-two-quantum-computing-systems-totaling-approximately-5-7-million/
Quantum Leap: Rigetti Computing Shares Soar to Record High on Novera System Orders and Mounting Hype - FinancialContent, https://markets.financialcontent.com/wral/article/marketminute-2025-10-2-quantum-leap-rigetti-computing-shares-soar-to-record-high-on-novera-system-orders-and-mounting-hype
Why Rigetti Computing Stock Keeps Going Up | The Motley Fool, https://www.fool.com/investing/2025/10/02/why-rigetti-computing-stock-keeps-going-up/
New Research on the quantum computing timeline! : r/QRL - Reddit, https://www.reddit.com/r/QRL/comments/1nhyf1s/new_research_on_the_quantum_computing_timeline/
IBM lays out clear path to fault-tolerant quantum computing, https://www.ibm.com/quantum/blog/large-scale-ftqc
How this newsletter has been crafted?
If you have read this far, you deserve to read this! Every week I curate (what I consider) the most pieces of information related to the quantum field. Then I use an algorithm to craft the newsletter for me and I write the intro and synopsis. For this edition I have used a deep research LLM to change the format, but using my data sources. And I have reviewed and edited myself afterwards. So you are still reading the same old-Sergio content. But (hopefully) improved with AI. Let me know what you think!