QuantWare, Photonic Inc., OrangeQS , QuantumCTek, AWS and more - The Week in Quantum Computing – June 23rd 2025
Issue #241
Quick Recap
Microsoft made an amazing announcemnet with a new 4D error correcting code that reduces (again) the required physical qubits to create a logical one. On the investment front, QuantWare added $4.5M to its Series A (now totaling $27M) to scale its VIO QPU chips and global open architecture partnerships, while Photonic Inc. committed £25M for a UK R&D hub advancing error-corrected silicon spin qubits, and OrangeQS raised €12M to industrialize qubit testing and diagnostics. QuantumCTek launched China’s first domestically-developed control system for 1,000+ qubits—cutting costs below half of imports and supporting national error correction ambitions—with plans to deploy across leading institutions. IonQ and Kipu demonstrated the largest hardware-based quantum protein folding to date (up to 12 amino acids) and advanced non-variational quantum optimization using its 36-qubit trapped-ion platform. IonQ also updated its roadmap with the latest acquisitions and the plan to reach 2 million qubits by 2030. Academia Sinica opened Taiwan’s first eight-inch quantum chip foundry and test facilities, addressing reproducibility and fabrication scale, and AWS KMS rolled out FIPS 203 ML-DSA quantum-resistant signatures for critical digital security. IBM was recognized by IEEE for the FFT’s transformative impact—its legacy now reflected in hybrid quantum-classical algorithms unlocking quantum advantage. Flatiron Institute and Harvard employed IBM’s Eagle 127-qubit machine for quantum chemistry intractable classically, and OrangeQS and QuantWare both signal an industry-wide pivot to resolving bottlenecks around testing, yield, and error correction.
The Week in Quantum Computing
Paper: Protein folding with an all-to-all trapped-ion quantum computer
A team led by Sebastián V. Romero, with collaborators from IonQ and academic institutions, reports the largest hardware-based quantum protein folding simulations to date—modeling up to 12 amino acids on a tetrahedral lattice—using IonQ’s 36-qubit fully connected trapped-ion processor. Their bias-field digitized counterdiabatic quantum optimization (BF-DCQO) algorithm efficiently solved dense HUBO problems, including MAX 4-SAT and spin-glass benchmarks. “Our method consistently achieves optimal solutions, highlighting the powerful synergy between non-variational optimization and all-to-all connectivity of trapped-ion architectures,” the authors state. As trapped-ion systems continue to scale, this experiment indicates concrete progress beyond variational algorithms and points to tangible near-term industrial relevance for dense problems in quantum chemistry and beyond in 2025.
Academia Sinica Announces Advances in Quantum Chip Fabrication Science and Unveils Two Research Spaces Promoting Taiwan's Quantum Technology Research and Development
On June 10, 2025, Academia Sinica announced significant progress in superconducting quantum chip fabrication, notably achieving high-quality qubits with automated eight-inch wafer processing. President James C. Liao emphasized the dual importance of advanced infrastructure and talent development, stating their new research spaces aim to “accelerate Taiwan’s quantum technology development and attract outstanding talent.” The new Quantum Chip Fabrication Space (QC-Fab) and Quantum Computing Test Space (QC-Test), the first of their kind in Taiwan, will be open to nationwide academia.
QuantWare closes additional funding, oversubscribing its Series A to $27 Million
Delft-based QuantWare announced an additional $4.5M in funding, bringing its oversubscribed Series A total to $27M. The capital will expand their chip fabrication and talent recruitment, aiming to scale their proprietary VIO QPU technology. QuantWare claims VIO addresses scaling bottlenecks, stating it paves "the fastest way to quantum computers with over one million qubits," according to CEO Matthijs Rijlaarsdam. Active partnerships—including with Q-CTRL and Nano Vacuum—and a customer base in 20 countries highlight growing global traction. QuantWare continues to champion the Quantum Open Architecture model, focusing on rapid QPU scaling at a time when the quantum industry is under pressure to demonstrate real hardware progress beyond incremental qubit counts.
Celebrating the FFT and the Future of Computing | IBM Quantum Computing Blog
On June 11, 2025, the IEEE awarded IBM a Milestone for the first practical demonstration of the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), developed by James Cooley and John Tukey in 1965. The FFT’s key insight—changing mathematical representation for computational efficiency—reduced Discrete Fourier Transform complexity from O(N²) to O(NlogN), enabling breakthroughs in communications, imaging, and signal processing. IBM’s Alessandro Curioni, Jay Gambetta, and Ryan Mandelbaum suggest this lesson remains vital for quantum computing, where new abstractions enable fundamentally different computations. Algorithms like Shor’s (using Quantum Fourier Transform) and hybrid approaches (e.g., VQE, QAOA) highlight the power of combining quantum and classical paradigms. Richard Hamming once called FFT “the most important numerical algorithm of our lifetime,” a sentiment echoing as quantum-classical synergies promise to reshape computational frontiers.
AWS KMS adds support for post-quantum ML-DSA digital signatures - AWS
On June 13, 2025, AWS announced that its Key Management Service (KMS) now supports FIPS 203 Module-Lattice Digital Signature Algorithm (ML-DSA), a NIST-standardized, quantum-resistant digital signature scheme. This move directly targets the looming threat posed by quantum computers to conventional cryptography. ML-DSA is particularly crucial for long-lived digital signatures, such as those used in firmware and code signing, where cryptographic updates post-deployment are impractical. AWS KMS integrates three ML-DSA key specs and maintains compatibility with current KMS APIs, streamlining adoption for existing customers. Initially available in US West (N. California) and Europe (Milan), broader regional rollout is imminent.
Photonic to Open Quantum R&D Facility in the UK
Photonic Inc., a Canada-based quantum computing firm led by Dr. Stephanie Simmons, will invest over £25 million to establish a new R&D facility in the UK, creating more than 30 specialized jobs over three years. Supported by investors like Amadeus Capital Partners and the UK's National Security Strategic Investment Fund, the expansion bolsters transatlantic collaboration and talent pipelines. Simmons highlighted the “ambition laid out in the next phase of the UK Government’s National Quantum Strategy.” Photonic’s silicon spin qubit “Entanglement First” architecture and recent advances in quantum error correction (Quantum Low-Density Parity Check codes) position it as a significant innovator, as recognized by its inclusion in DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative.
Chinese start-up delivers 1st self-developed 1,000-qubit quantum system - Global Times
QuantumCTek Co, a Hefei-based start-up, has delivered ez-Q Engine 2.0, China’s first self-developed superconducting quantum control system supporting 1,000+ qubits. This tenfold increase in integration, achieved with key domestic components, addresses technical hurdles like RF direct sampling and large-scale clock synchronization, significantly lowering noise and improving precision. Tang Shibiao, director at Anhui Quantum Computing Engineering Research Center, asserts the new system is "less than half the price of similar products" from foreign rivals. Validated on a 504-qubit machine, ez-Q Engine 2.0 will control over 5,000 qubits across multiple institutions, including USTC and China Telecom Quantum Group.
Orange Quantum Systems raises 12 Million seed round to enable Moore’s Law scaling for quantum computing - OrangeQS
Orange Quantum Systems (OrangeQS) has secured a €12 million seed investment to advance scalable quantum computing, drawing a direct parallel to Moore’s Law for the classical semiconductor industry. The Dutch company, comprising experts from QuTech, aims to industrialize qubit testing and diagnostics, a bottleneck in quantum hardware scaling. CEO Garrelt Alberts states the funding will “accelerate our mission to make quantum hardware as testable and manufacturable as classical chips.” The round, led by DeepTech seed investors, demonstrates growing confidence in quantum hardware infrastructure rather than algorithms alone. In a year when the field is grappling with error correction and scaling, OrangeQS’s focus on practical hardware monitoring could help address reproducibility and engineering hurdles the industry faces as it pushes toward larger, error-corrected quantum devices.
Chemistry beyond the scale of exact diagonalization on a quantum-centric supercomputer | Science Advances
A team from the Flatiron Institute and Harvard, led by Michael Metcalf, Brian B. Zhou, and Yifan Sun, reports in Science Advances the simulation of molecular systems using IBM’s 127-qubit Eagle quantum processor. Their approach achieved quantum chemistry calculations for systems with up to 40 spin orbitals, moving beyond classical exact diagonalization, a long-standing bottleneck. This was enabled by new quantum algorithms and the integration of classical and quantum computation, resulting in what the authors describe as a “quantum-centric supercomputer.”
IonQ's Accelerated Roadmap: Turning Quantum Ambition into Reality
IonQ announced an accelerated quantum computing roadmap, highlighted by acquisitions of Oxford Ionics and` Lightsynq, aiming to scale to over 2 million physical qubits by 2030. Oxford Ionics brings 2D ion trap technology with up to 300x higher qubit density, while Lightsynq’s photonic interconnects promise a 50x speedup in ion-ion entanglement. Collaboration with AstraZeneca, AWS, and NVIDIA demonstrated a >20x speedup for quantum-accelerated drug development, validating real-world utility. “Our rapidly scalable architecture will enable a system with over 2,000,000 physical qubits… necessary to unlock the most powerful fault-tolerant applications,” IonQ stated. In 2025, scalable, interconnected, and modular architectures set the pace for achieving logical, fault-tolerant quantum computing.
Quantum startup Pasqal sells 100-qubit QPU, opens Canadian factory
Pasqal, a French quantum computing startup, has announced the commercial availability of a 100-qubit QPU and the opening of a manufacturing facility in Sherbrooke, Canada. CEO Georges-Olivier Reymond describes the move as "a leap toward delivering practical quantum advantage." The 100-qubit device leverages neutral atom technology, which Pasqal claims scales more efficiently than superconducting or trapped ion systems. While industry consensus remains cautious—no independently verified quantum advantage has been achieved—Pasqal’s expansion into North America signals increasing industrial momentum. In Reymond’s words, “We are building the foundation for scalable, real-world quantum computing.” As hardware capability expands, the scrutiny on claims of practical advantage and real-world use cases will only intensify in 2025.
Quantum’s commercial moment: Unlocking the UK’s next £13 billion industry
Dr Graeme Malcolm OBE, CEO of M Squared, argues that the UK is poised to unlock a £13 billion quantum technology industry, accelerated by the government’s £2.5 billion, 10-year investment initiated in 2023. Operational quantum devices—such as quantum clocks, accelerometers, and gravimeters—are already in deployment by UK companies, underpinning sectors from finance to defense. Malcolm warns, however, that wavering public commitment risks the UK’s momentum: “If we hesitate... we risk losing our ever-narrowing lead.” Spring 2025 budget improvements in procurement and defense R&D are positive, but he stresses urgent industrial-scale deployment, enhanced incentives, and policy commitment to prevent UK breakthroughs from benefiting overseas markets.
New USC study demonstrates unconditional exponential quantum scaling advantage
A team at USC Viterbi School of Engineering, led by Daniel Lidar, has demonstrated an “unconditional exponential quantum advantage” using a D-Wave quantum annealer. Their method involved a quantum algorithm that solved a specific computational problem exponentially faster than any classical algorithm. Lidar states, “This is the first experiment to show that quantum computers can solve problems not just faster, but exponentially faster, than classical computers, unconditionally.” This achievement is significant, as most quantum advantage claims have so far been conditional or limited to contrived problems. The result is critical for 2025’s ongoing debate about quantum practical utility, challenging skepticism and providing renewed evidence that quantum hardware can deliver fundamental breakthroughs beyond incremental improvements.
Microsoft advances quantum error correction with a family of novel four-dimensional codes - Microsoft Azure Quantum Blog
Microsoft introduced novel four-dimensional geometric error correction codes for quantum computing. These 4D codes, now part of the Azure Quantum platform, achieve a 1,000-fold error-rate reduction and require five times fewer physical qubits per logical qubit. Applicable to neutral atoms, ion traps, and photonics, the codes enable high-efficiency, single-shot error checks—a significant step in fault-tolerant quantum computing. Microsoft demonstrated entanglement of up to 28 logical qubits with Atom Computing’s neutral atoms, showing error detection and correction during computation. As the field races for reliable quantum hardware in 2025, the ability to maximize scarce qubit resources and suppress errors is pivotal for advancing practical quantum applications.
1 Km free space QKD Demonstration in India
DRDO and IIT Delhi have demonstrated quantum entanglement-based free-space quantum secure communication over more than 1 km with a secure key rate of ~240 bits/sec and quantum bit error rate under 7%. This experiment, led by Prof Bhaskar Kanseri’s group under the DRDO's Directorate of Futuristic Technology Management, is part of India’s push toward quantum cyber security and long-distance Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) without requiring optical fiber. “India has entered into a new quantum era of secure communication which will be a game changer in future warfare,” stated Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh.
Bell-1 by Equal1: An inside look at Ireland’s first quantum computer
Equal1, a University College Dublin spin-out, unveiled Bell-1—Ireland’s first quantum computer and, according to CCO Patrick McNally, the world’s first silicon-based quantum server for data centers. Bell-1 houses six qubits using silicon spin technology, aiming for rapid scalability and lower cost—priced at €2 million versus €5–100 million for rivals. CTO Brendan Barry notes the chip itself consumes less than 1W, leveraging off-the-shelf cryo-coolers and TSMC chips. The roadmap targets 17, 49, then 2,000 qubits by 2028, while IBM currently leads with ~140. CEO Jason Lynch envisions Equal1 as the "Nvidia of quantum." As quantum adoption inches forward, Equal1’s modular, data-center-friendly design proposes an accessible path amid Europe’s competitive investment environment.
Airbus and thales target quantum revolution to solve toughest aerospace challenges
At the Paris Air Show 2025, Airbus and Thales highlighted new efforts to leverage quantum computing for aerospace innovation. Sylvain Schwartz (Onera) and Isabell Grardet (Airbus) emphasized quantum’s potential to revolutionize simulations, navigation, and sensing, citing that 300 qubits could provide a solution space “larger than the atoms of the universe.” Early applications include fuel cell chemistry and non-linear aerodynamic modeling. Daniel Dolfi (Thales) discussed using quantum systems to improve GPS-denied navigation and electromagnetic sensor performance. While acknowledging slow progress and the shortage of quantum-savvy engineers, Grardet called for cross-industry collaboration, noting partnerships with firms like BMW.
Building a Quantum-Safe Internet: The IETF's Plan for TLS | Akamai
Rich Salz, Principal Architect at Akamai, details the IETF’s blueprint for post-quantum cryptography in TLS, emphasizing urgent standards work to counter the threat quantum computers pose to internet security. With NIST set to finalize post-quantum cryptography standards, Salz states, “Hybrid algorithms are the only way to ensure our TLS connections remain secure both now and in the quantum future.” Akamai’s phased deployment targets end-to-end protection: Akamai-to-origin, client-to-Akamai, and intra-Akamai links. The move is significant, as TLS secures nearly all critical web traffic. As Salz notes, global collaboration—including from Akamai Chief Architect Jan Schaumann and Senior Product Manager Tim Daffron—is vital, given that quantum attackers could retroactively decrypt today's intercepted data.
Polypus: Bahia software and CESGA launch a new framework for VQE and QAOA algorithms
Bahía Software and CESGA have released Polypus, a new open-source library designed to accelerate quantum computing by optimizing distributed quantum circuit execution. Early benchmarks, integrated with CESGA's HPC infrastructure via the CUNQA simulator, show Polypus achieving over 90% execution time improvements for variational QAOA circuits compared to standard libraries. This development, available on GitHub, is funded by EU and Spanish national innovation programs such as NextGenerationEU and QuantumSpain. “The results are extremely promising,” state project contributors, especially in advancing high-demand platforms like Qmio. With mounting pressure for practical quantum speed-ups, Polypus' distributed approach hints at how European collaborations are pushing quantum computing from promise to palpable progress in 2025.