SINGAPORE: Interest in Singapore’s quantum technology sector is surging, with local startups seeing growing investor attention and global players taking notice.
Some companies say client interest has grown considerably over the past year, a sign that the country’s early investments in quantum research – more than S$700 million since 2002 – are starting to bear fruit.
Now, that momentum is set to accelerate even further with quantum technology firm Quantinuum, which has headquarters in the United States and United Kingdom, setting up in Singapore.
Under a new partnership with the National Quantum Office (NQO), Quantinuum will set up research and development facilities, launch talent development schemes and work with industry partners to expand the local ecosystem.
The move will also see Singapore host its most advanced quantum computer to date – the Helios.
This makes Singapore the first country outside the US to host Quantinuum’s general-purpose quantum computer.
The NQO, which leads Singapore’s national quantum strategy, said the partnership marks an important step towards the country becoming a global hub in the field.
“Quantum computing is still quite new. There's a lot of hand holding that's required,” said its executive director Ling Keok Tong.
“This partnership with Quantinuum will allow us to organise sessions to bring all these users on board onto the quantum computing journey.”
As part of the collaboration, there will be courses and workshops to introduce end-user companies to quantum computing.
Quantinuum CEO Rajeeb Hazra said that bringing end-user companies into the quantum era and into Singapore is a “critical part of our joint aspiration for success”.
He added: “In fact, one of the key indicators that we've succeeded is when there's an uptick in quantum computing by industries, and the world-class nature of the hub to attract companies to come here versus elsewhere.”
A quantum computer uses the principles of quantum physics to solve problems that classical computers struggle with.
For instance, if you use a regular computer like your laptop or phone to find a route through a maze, it will explore each potential route one by one.
A quantum computer, in contrast, can assess all routes simultaneously.
This is because regular computers are built on transistors, essentially having many switches that collectively go “yes” or “no” – or, ones or zeros – billions of times in a second.
Quantum computers use qubits – units of information that can exist in multiple states at once – allowing them to represent both “yes”, “no” and everything in between simultaneously.
It can evaluate countless possibilities and identify a likely solution within hours – a task that would take a traditional computer hundreds or even thousands of years.
Such systems are expected to have transformative applications in sectors that have many variables to optimise for, including finance, life sciences, advanced materials research and supply chain management.
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Hosting Helios locally offers two major advantages – it provides a significant upgrade over Singapore’s existing systems and gives researchers direct, high-speed access to the machine.
“Owning the technology … attracts companies that know for sure there will be access to the machine, that they can explore the discovery of drugs, that they can analyse optimisation problems like never before,” said Professor Jose Ignacio Latorre, director of the Centre for Quantum Technologies.
He added that bringing a world-class machine like Helios to Singapore, and attracting companies to use it, helps lay the foundation for a stronger local ecosystem.
While quantum computers can be used remotely, having one on-site is a major advantage.
Many experiments require coordination between quantum and classical systems – and if the two are too far apart, communication delays can make calculations impractical.
An undisclosed site has already been identified to house Helios close to GPU infrastructure, ensuring seamless integration.
The growing excitement around quantum technology is not limited to just global players.
At Entropica Labs in Telok Ayer, employees are working on a specific and crucial problem in quantum computing: Figuring out a way to reliably track particles that are even tinier than atoms.
“The stack is starting to get more modular in nature, and we see more companies tackling specific problems and specific aspects of the stack,” said its CEO and co-founder Tommaso Demarie, referring to the quantum computing tech stack – the set of technologies the field is built on.
“(It) is a very good sign of the ecosystem growing, becoming healthier and also becoming more established overall.”
Similarly, QAI Ventures, a venture capital fund with its regional headquarters in Singapore, has observed mounting global interest.
Its CEO Alexandra Beckstein said established startups have put the country on strong footing.
“We see quantum computing startups that develop hardware and software. We also see quantum communication startups, and quantum sensing startups. We have all the technologies covered, which is a very good sign,” she said.
“(This) shows how Singapore is positioning itself – as an enabler of the whole value chain of quantum technology.”
Despite strong momentum, experts say talent shortages remain a challenge.
"You can upskill people in more traditional fields. But in quantum … the slope is bigger – it takes (more) time, initiative and programmes,” said Professor Angelakis Dimitrios, founder of AngelQ Quantum Computing.
Still, industry players said Singapore’s initiatives to invest in the field and groom talent will strengthen the nation’s position in the global quantum landscape
“The creation of a national strategy, a centre of excellence in Singapore, is a clear sign that the country and the government are very interested and have intentions to accelerate the country's progress,” said Quantinuum’s Hazra.
“That was music to our ears, because what we would need in our partners is that ability to stay the course with us."
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Some companies say client interest has grown considerably over the past year, a sign that the country’s early investments in quantum research – more than S$700 million since 2002 – are starting to bear fruit.
Now, that momentum is set to accelerate even further with quantum technology firm Quantinuum, which has headquarters in the United States and United Kingdom, setting up in Singapore.
Under a new partnership with the National Quantum Office (NQO), Quantinuum will set up research and development facilities, launch talent development schemes and work with industry partners to expand the local ecosystem.
HELIOS: A FIRST OUTSIDE THE US
The move will also see Singapore host its most advanced quantum computer to date – the Helios.
This makes Singapore the first country outside the US to host Quantinuum’s general-purpose quantum computer.
The NQO, which leads Singapore’s national quantum strategy, said the partnership marks an important step towards the country becoming a global hub in the field.
“Quantum computing is still quite new. There's a lot of hand holding that's required,” said its executive director Ling Keok Tong.
“This partnership with Quantinuum will allow us to organise sessions to bring all these users on board onto the quantum computing journey.”
As part of the collaboration, there will be courses and workshops to introduce end-user companies to quantum computing.
Quantinuum CEO Rajeeb Hazra said that bringing end-user companies into the quantum era and into Singapore is a “critical part of our joint aspiration for success”.
He added: “In fact, one of the key indicators that we've succeeded is when there's an uptick in quantum computing by industries, and the world-class nature of the hub to attract companies to come here versus elsewhere.”
HOW QUANTUM COMPUTERS WORK
A quantum computer uses the principles of quantum physics to solve problems that classical computers struggle with.
For instance, if you use a regular computer like your laptop or phone to find a route through a maze, it will explore each potential route one by one.
A quantum computer, in contrast, can assess all routes simultaneously.
This is because regular computers are built on transistors, essentially having many switches that collectively go “yes” or “no” – or, ones or zeros – billions of times in a second.
Quantum computers use qubits – units of information that can exist in multiple states at once – allowing them to represent both “yes”, “no” and everything in between simultaneously.
It can evaluate countless possibilities and identify a likely solution within hours – a task that would take a traditional computer hundreds or even thousands of years.
Such systems are expected to have transformative applications in sectors that have many variables to optimise for, including finance, life sciences, advanced materials research and supply chain management.
Collapse Expand
HELIOS TO BOOST LOCAL RESEARCH ACCESS
Hosting Helios locally offers two major advantages – it provides a significant upgrade over Singapore’s existing systems and gives researchers direct, high-speed access to the machine.
“Owning the technology … attracts companies that know for sure there will be access to the machine, that they can explore the discovery of drugs, that they can analyse optimisation problems like never before,” said Professor Jose Ignacio Latorre, director of the Centre for Quantum Technologies.
He added that bringing a world-class machine like Helios to Singapore, and attracting companies to use it, helps lay the foundation for a stronger local ecosystem.
While quantum computers can be used remotely, having one on-site is a major advantage.
Many experiments require coordination between quantum and classical systems – and if the two are too far apart, communication delays can make calculations impractical.
An undisclosed site has already been identified to house Helios close to GPU infrastructure, ensuring seamless integration.
Related:
LOCAL STARTUPS SEE RISING INTEREST
The growing excitement around quantum technology is not limited to just global players.
At Entropica Labs in Telok Ayer, employees are working on a specific and crucial problem in quantum computing: Figuring out a way to reliably track particles that are even tinier than atoms.
“The stack is starting to get more modular in nature, and we see more companies tackling specific problems and specific aspects of the stack,” said its CEO and co-founder Tommaso Demarie, referring to the quantum computing tech stack – the set of technologies the field is built on.
“(It) is a very good sign of the ecosystem growing, becoming healthier and also becoming more established overall.”
Similarly, QAI Ventures, a venture capital fund with its regional headquarters in Singapore, has observed mounting global interest.
Its CEO Alexandra Beckstein said established startups have put the country on strong footing.
“We see quantum computing startups that develop hardware and software. We also see quantum communication startups, and quantum sensing startups. We have all the technologies covered, which is a very good sign,” she said.
“(This) shows how Singapore is positioning itself – as an enabler of the whole value chain of quantum technology.”
BUILDING THE TALENT PIPELINE
Despite strong momentum, experts say talent shortages remain a challenge.
"You can upskill people in more traditional fields. But in quantum … the slope is bigger – it takes (more) time, initiative and programmes,” said Professor Angelakis Dimitrios, founder of AngelQ Quantum Computing.
Still, industry players said Singapore’s initiatives to invest in the field and groom talent will strengthen the nation’s position in the global quantum landscape
“The creation of a national strategy, a centre of excellence in Singapore, is a clear sign that the country and the government are very interested and have intentions to accelerate the country's progress,” said Quantinuum’s Hazra.
“That was music to our ears, because what we would need in our partners is that ability to stay the course with us."
Related:
Continue reading...