Berkeley Quantum Works (BQW) at the University of California, Berkeley has entered into a partnership agreement with IQM Quantum Computers (IQM), the global leader in building on-premise quantum computers, to usher in a new era of collaboration in quantum information science (QIS) through the development and operation of the next generation of advanced superconducting quantum processors.
As part of this collaboration, IQM and BQW will fabricate 3D-integrated versions of novel quantum processors which have high quantum coherence and minimal levels of unwanted crosstalk. Both teams have extensive experience in the design, modeling, and fabrication of quantum hardware.
IQM further announced that it plans to partner with the BQW team for the purposes of operating IQM’s state-of-the-art processors for executing fundamental cutting-edge scientific algorithms. These include quantum simulations of complex materials and quantum theories that describe the fundamental structure of matter, such as quantum chromodynamics on a lattice.
“We’re excited to take part in a new type of collaboration where we can combine fundamental new ideas from academia with dedicated commercial hardware on site, in an open collaborative environment. This will, no doubt, accelerate progress toward impactful quantum computations,” said Irfan Siddiqi, Professor and Chair of the UC Berkeley Physics Department.
“This partnership is an example of what can be achieved through the Berkeley Quantum Works model, leveraging complementary strengths from across the quantum ecosystem to achieve outcomes that were previously out of reach,” said Christopher Spitzer, Quantum Research Program Manager at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
“This marks a pivotal first step towards IQM’s stronger presence in the United States and a concrete milestone in our new bilateral cooperation on technology between the USA and Finland. In these critical technologies the need for closer international cooperation among reliable allies and partners is paramount.” Said Juha Vartiainen, co-founder and Global Affairs Officer of IQM Quantum computers.
BQW is a consortium founded by Professor Irfan Siddiqi that seeks to nucleate partnerships between quantum device fabrication and measurement facilities housed in the Physics Department of UC Berkeley and industry partners, both full-stack companies and startup-stage companies targeting key enabling technologies. BQW’s goals include the development of quantum integrated circuits to rapidly prototype emerging technologies for advanced computation.
IQM is a global leader in building quantum computers. IQM provides on-premises quantum computers for supercomputing centers and research labs and offers full access to its hardware. For industrial customers, IQM delivers quantum advantage through a unique application-specific, co-design approach. IQM’s commercial quantum computers include Finland’s first commercial 50-qubit quantum computer with VTT, IQM-led consortium’s (Q-Exa) HPC quantum accelerator in Germany, and IQM processors will also be used in the first quantum accelerator in Spain. IQM has over 280 employees with offices in Paris, Madrid, Munich, Singapore, Palo Alto and Espoo.