The week in Quantum Computing - November 30th
Quantum Internet, network consolidation, investment, machine learning, QRAM...
The Week in Quantum Computing. Brought to you by Sergio Gago and The Quantum World Association.
Do you like this Newsletter? Like, share and subscribe! :) (or do the three things in superposition :) ). You can also follow the news in real time by following me on Twitter: @piratecto
Quick Recap
I hope everyone in North America had a great Thanksgiving holiday and that you did not buy too many things on black friday. Unfortunately nobody had any good deals on cheap quantum computers his past friday, so we will continue using the offer on the cloud :)
This week we have seen advances on the research side. On one hand new discoveries in nodes for a Quantum Internet. On the other potential uses of graphene as well as Molecular spins. On the public side, we saw movements associations / networks / consortiums / conglomerates working together in Canada, Netherlands, Scotland and Paris. Is this pointing towards a consolidation in the industry?
Featured Content
QuantumBarcelona has kicked off a couple of great sessions online. The first one
Qiskit for Dummies:And Quantum Machine Learning. Unfortunately AWS had a massive outage that affected the whole worlds, and many attendees could not connect. So here is the full video.
Great infography by Interference Advisors on the sate of the investment on Q4.
In Interference Advisor’s words:
Interim report on global investments 2020 (as of Nov 15th) into QIS ventures 👇
😀 Record investments globally into #quantum#tech for 2020.
🤒 Driven by two large deals PsiQuantum & XtalPi Inc. - the data paints a much more modest success for the rest of the ecosystem without them (remember those down-rounds?). Time to check our temperature.
🤔 Overall, deal count and average deal size is trending upwards. We see fewer grants and seed rounds, with a lot more A and B round raises. #venturecapital is getting professional.
😀 #QuantumComputing HW & SW takes the bulk of the money. If you separate algorithm focused ventures out they take the top spot, which is important for our overall success.
😢 All other QIS apps, even #qkd are being eclipsed. Hype alert?
😢 Top sources of capital are the USA, Japan, Europe and UK, with Israel rising fast. More depth and diversity needed.
🤔 Top targets of capital are the USA, China, UK, Finland and Israel as runner up. Europe lacking due to fewer, mature startups.
The Book of the Week
Programming Quantum Computers by O’Reilly. This is a great intro tailored to software developers. It has no mathematics or physics and a very interesting notation that helps build the intuition on phases, superposition, interference, etc.
The Summary of the Week
Upcoming Video Game Will Generate New Levels Using Qiskit and a Quantum Simulator
This history and the importance of these early video games was not lost on Qiskit’s James Wootton. In 2017, he created the world’s first video game for a quantum computer, Cat-Box-Scissors, based on Rock-Paper-Scissors. He continued creating other quantum games, in the process attracting quantum enthusiasts and video game developers who wanted to try something new. And soon, games incorporating quantum computing concepts will be available for anyone to play.
Link: https://ift.tt/3fpvtIh
November 23, 2020 at 06:33PM
Scientific discovery must be redefined. Quantum and AI can help
COVID-19 has been a gut punch. Our response? Largely frantic, like deer caught in the headlights. Researchers are racing to find a vaccine, as we pause in lockdown mode.
Link: https://ift.tt/3kRmlxl
November 23, 2020 at 09:33PM
Quantum Memory Milestone Boosts Quantum Internet Future
An array of cesium atoms just 2.5 centimeters long has demonstrated a record level of storage-and-retrieval efficiency for quantum memory. It’s a pivotal step on the road to eventually building large-scale quantum communication networks spanning entire continents.
Link: https://ift.tt/2UW0Dxi
November 23, 2020 at 11:33PM
To do in 2021: Get up to speed with quantum computing 101
The first step is to understand qubits and superposition. The next one is to get a handle on the business advantage that this technology represents. If "figure out quantum computing" is still in your future file, it's time to update your timeline.
Extra: What CIOs need to know about Quantum Computing
Link: https://ift.tt/3m1Yigu
November 24, 2020 at 12:33PM
Molecular spins show promise as quantum bits – Physics World
The states of molecular spins in a crystal can be detected optically using the polarization of the photons they emit, researchers in the US have shown.
Link: https://ift.tt/3kUVeS0
November 24, 2020 at 06:33PM
M Squared Financing Highlights Scotland Quantum Effort
The photonics and quantum technology firm M Squared, based in Glasgow, Scotland, U.K., has announced what it describes as “a significant new financing” of £32.5 million (US$43.4 million), to be used both for a strategic equity repurchase and to advance the company’s R&D effort.
Link: https://ift.tt/2J59fPW
November 25, 2020 at 08:33AM
Xanadu Announces Canada's First Quantum Network Designed for Innovation and Collaboration
The Canada Quantum Network (CQN) will advance potential applications in secure quantum communications and quantum computing with partners MaRS and Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) TORONTO, /CNW/ - Xanadu, the world leader in photonic quantum computing, announced today the creation of the Canada Quant
Link: https://ift.tt/39eBzu4
November 25, 2020 at 10:33AM
Is quantum computing pharma's next big disruptor?
The next cutting-edge innovation in computing and IT is venturing into the quantum realm. Quantum computers leverage the capabilities of quantum physics and mechanics to solve problems that classical computers would never be able to.
Link: https://ift.tt/3l1XgzD
November 25, 2020 at 01:33PM
GENCI Announces €1.5M for Paris Region Quantum Computing Program, Plans Quantum Partition for Exascale
Nov. 24, 2020 — The Paris Region quantum ecosystem is extremely rich in academic groups, startups, expertise and talents, and also global companies that are prospective customers for technologies that have the potential to disrupt many sectors, be it Finance, Automotive or Biopharma.
Link: https://ift.tt/39ipRyo
November 26, 2020 at 01:33PM
6 experts share quantum computing predictions for 2021
More companies will look for specific use cases that can be leveraged sometime in the next decade, as computers improve and the number of qubits available continues to grow.
Link: https://ift.tt/2JcPjug
November 26, 2020 at 01:33PM
Quantum Landscape
The increase of quantum activity in the UK and the push of the national strategy to commercialising quantum sciences and technologies has led to the development of a large number of industrial and research capabilities. The Quantum Technology Innovation Network at KTN has recently gathered these capabilities in the form of an interactive, searchable and open access tool, mapping the existing businesses, publicly funded projects and research groups, the UK national centres and the available postgraduate training programmes. The quantum team at KTN is aspiring for this tool to become a point of reference for quantum capabilities in the UK, allowing every user to find a suitable contact point from academia and/or industry.
Link: https://ift.tt/2V6TFWs
November 26, 2020 at 06:33PM
Consortium puts Quantum Computer in cloud
Quantum Inspire – the Dutch Quantum Computer in the cloud
The ultimate platform to connect quantum computers to society is the internet. Online access to quantum technology allows society and industry to come to grips with the counterintuitive aspects of quantum mechanics and to explore the potential of quantum algorithms. In the Netherlands, QuTech, a joint initiative by Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) and the Netherlands Organisation of Applied Scientific Research (TNO), has taken first steps to develop the first European quantum computer in the cloud, named ‘Quantum Inspire’.
Link: https://ift.tt/3fF6elf
November 27, 2020 at 10:33AM
Twisted graphene will revolutionize quantum computing
Bringing the promise of a new base of electronic equipment, researchers from MIT and the giants Google and IBM were able to transform twisted graphene into functional devices, including superconducting switches like those used in various quantum machines.
Link: https://ift.tt/39uvr0C
November 28, 2020 at 09:33AM
Quantum Computing hardware — who’s building what
(source: Quantum London)
Following the recent overview of quantum computing gives by Simon McAdams of Cambridge Quantum Computing we were inspired to produce a similar summary chart of some key quantum computing hardware players.
Link: https://ift.tt/2V8HqZy
November 28, 2020 at 12:33PM