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As quantum computing race heats up, EvolutionQ secures $7 million CAD for quantum-safe cybersecurity.

Led by a group of cryptography and quantum computing experts from the University of Waterloo, EvolutionQ wants to help organizations ready themselves for quantum computers.

The Kitchener-Waterloo startup has raised over $7 million CAD ($5.5 million USD) in Series A financing led by Quantonation, a Paris-based, quantum technology-focused VC fund, with support from Torontos The Group Ventures, to scale up its quantum-safe cybersecurity tech.

The price of being too late is far too great.-Michele Mosca, EvolutionQ

Existing cybersecurity infrastructure is built on cryptographic puzzles that traditional computers struggle to solve. But according to experts, quantum computers, which promise to deliver massive jumps forward in processing power, could breeze past these roadblocks.

EvolutionQ co-founder and CEO Michele Mosca believes that amid recent advancements in the space, the time is now for organizations to future-proof their systems and ensure they are ready to weather the threat of quantum computers by migrating to quantum-safe cryptography. He should knowprior to launching EvolutionQ, Mosca co-founded the Institute for Quantum Computing at the University of Waterloo, where he also worked as a professor.

Quantum computers are getting closer and closer, said Mosca, in an interview with BetaKit. Theres a lot of awareness of this nowyou can already get access to the current prototypes. Now, we know theyre not cryptographically relevant today, but given how long it takes to get cryptographically relevant, we need to be getting ready.

EvolutionQ aims to ease this process. Founded in 2015 by Mosca and CTO Norbert Ltkenhausa pair of University of Waterloo professors and quantum computing experts-turned tech entrepreneursEvolutionQs all-equity Series A round marks the startups first external financing.

The Group Ventures Managing Partner Chanda Carr told BetaKit that the firm was attracted, in part, to the strength of EvolutionQs leadership, calling Mosca and Ltkenhaus second to none in the industry.

Quantonation Managing Partner Christophe Jurczak echoed the sentiment. He described EvolutionQ as the most remarkable team of academic founders in the field of quantum-safe cybersecurity, with seminal contributions in the sector and a unique viewpoint; giving them the ability to understand the threat that emerging quantum computers represent for companies, governments, and individuals.

RELATED: D-Wave hopes to raise $431 million CAD as it prepares to go public via SPAC

Jurczak added that he was particularly impressed by EvolutionQs focus on reducing expenses for customers by minimizing tech-switching costs between hardware vendors. They are providing the missing component to build technologically and economically effective quantum networks, he claimed.

EvolutionQ was bootstrapped up to this point, getting its start providing advisory services and risk assessments, which Mosca said helped EvolutionQ grow and educate the market for quantum-safe cybersecurity, and provided the firm with revenue during its early days.

Through this process, Mosca said EvolutionQ identified a gap that we knew we could fill better than anyone else. Three years ago, the company built and launched its flagship BasejumpQDN software product, which allows organizations building a network based on quantum key distribution (QKD) devices to deploy and manage quantum technologies throughout said network.

According to The Group Ventures Managing Partner Sion Balass, while there are a lot of players supporting quantum safety, many operate in the post-quantum cryptography space, whereas EvolutionQ serves the QKD solution space, which he claims is significantly less competitive.

RELATED: Xanadu secures $120 million CAD led by Bessemer to build photonic quantum computer

According to Mosca, the stakes are very high given that almost everything in todays world is connected by technology. Its the entire economy, he said. Its not just information security and safety Its operational technology, cyber-physical systems, driverless cars, implanted medical devices.

While the development of quantum computers has been slow moving, given that it takes time to ensure systems are quantum-ready, Mosca says organizations cant afford to wait to update their cybersecurity. We cant tolerate much risk herewe need to be ready, he said. The price of being too late is far too great.

To date, several companies have developed quantum computer prototypes, from big tech firms like Google and IBM, to startups like Toronto-based Xanadu.

Xanadu, which is reportedly raising $100 million USD led by Georgian at a $1 billion post-money valuation, recently hit an elusive milestone with its Borealis machine, delivering a result beyond the practical reach of a conventional computer system, according to a paper published in the research journal Nature.

RELATED: The Group Ventures secures $20 million for Fund II to invest in Canadian, Israeli tech startups

Meanwhile, Burnaby-based quantum computing pioneer D-Wave is planning to go public on the NYSE as part of a $431 million CAD SPAC deal that is expected to close during the second quarter of this year.

While VC funding has cooled in recent months amid a broader market slowdown, cybersecurity investment has remained high, benefitting firms like EvolutionQ and Vancouver and Mountain View, California-based LimaCharlie.

EvolutionQlike D-Wavehas a presence in Germany, where the company opened an office in 2020. The startup plans to invest the fresh capital in sales, marketing, and engineering, as it looks to grow its presence both in Canada and internationally, and expand its product.

From a customer standpoint, the startup targets its tech and advisory services towards financial institutions, which Mosca said have a high degree of cybersecurity maturity, resources, and talent, and have been amongst EvolutionQs earliest adopters. EvolutionQ also works with parts of government, and players in the information technology and healthcare spaces.

Feature image of EvolutionQ CEO Michele Mosca, Chief Cryptographer David Jao, CTO Norbert Ltkenhaus, and VP Brian Neill, courtesy EvolutionQ.

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University of Waterloo quantum expert-led EvolutionQ aims to help orgs prepare for the quantum age - BetaKit - Canadian Startup News

QuantWare and QphoX Partner to Provide a Way of Networking Superconducting Quantum Processors

QuantWare is collaborating with another subsystem supplier. In May, we reported on a partnership between QuantWare and QuantrolOx to provide machine learning based qubit control software for QuantWares superconducting processor chips. This time they are partnership with QphoX to provide ways of networking multiple quantum processors together into a mini quantum internet. This approach is gaining popularity because Rigetti is already doing this with their 80 qubit Aspen-M processor and plans to expand upon this with their future 336 qubits machine. Also, IBM announced plans to do this in the future in their latest roadmap release. The key component that QphoX will be contributing to this effort is their Quantum Modem, a quantum transducer that will couple microwave and optical photons through a mechanical intermediary resonator. Additional information about this collaboration can be seen in a news release available on the QuantWare website here.

June 2, 2022

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QuantWare and QphoX Partner to Provide a Way of Networking Superconducting Quantum Processors - Quantum Computing Report

Singapore is aiming to boost its capabilities in quantum computing with new initiatives to develop relevant skillsets and quantum devices. It stresses the need to do so to ensure encryption technologies remain robust and able to withstand "brute force" attacks.

The Singapore government on Tuesday announced plans to set aside SG$23.5 million (17.09 million) to support three national platforms, parked under its Quantum Engineering Programme (QEP), for up to 3.5 years. The scheme is part of the country's Research, Innovation, and Enterprise 2020 (RIE2020) plan.

Two of these platforms were unveiled today, including the National Quantum Computing Hub, which would pull together expertise and resources from the Centre for Quantum Technologies (CQT), local universities, and research institutions to beef up relevant skillsets.

Teams from CQT, National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, A*STAR's Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC), and National Supercomputing Centre (NSCC) would look to build international collaborations and train new talent to plug a skills shortage in the emerging industry.

Researchers at CQT and IHPC also would develop quantum computing hardware and middleware, including potential applications in various sectors such as finance, supply chain, and chemistry. NSCC would provide the supercomputing power needed to develop and train algorithms to be used on quantum computers.

A second programme, National Quantum Fabless Foundry, was introduced to support micro and nano-fabrication of quantum devices across cleanrooms operated by industry partners. Hosted at A*STAR's Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, the platform would facilitate the development of products in quantum computations, communication, and sensing.

Together, both initiatives would beef up local talent and enable researchers to explore how quantum computing could support various industries as well as develop quantum devices.

The Quantum Engineering Programme also encompassed a quantum-safe network touted to showcase "crypto-agile connectivity" and support trials with both public and private organisations. Announced earlier in February, the project aimed to enhance network security for critical infrastructures and had roped in 15 partners at launch, including ST Telemedia Global Data Centres, Cyber Security Agency, and Amazon Web Services.

In his speech unveiling the new initiatives, Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies Heng Swee Keat said the country needed to remain vigilant amidst intensifying threats.

Likening cyber threats to a "cat and mouse game", Heng said efforts were made to stay ahead of malicious actors who continuously looked to exploit new gaps. With the cyber landscape fast evolving, he said quantum technology was a potential "game changer".

"Strong encryption is key to the security of digital networks. The current encryption standard, AES 256, has held up, as few have the computing power to use brute force to break the encryption. But this could change with quantum computing," he cautioned. "For some cryptographic functions, the fastest quantum computer is more than 150 million times faster than the fastest supercomputer. Quantum computers can solve in minutes a problem which takes a supercomputer 10,000 years."

This underscored the importance of quantum technology research, the minister said. "Our investment in quantum computing and quantum engineering is part of our approach of trying to anticipate the future and proactively shaping the future that we want."

With increasing digitalisation came greater cyber risks, he said, noting that Singapore must stay invested to stay further ahead of potential threats.

He added that the fabless foundry would tap the country's manufacturing capabilities to develop quantum devices, alongside industry partners, that solved "real-world challenges".

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Singapore ups investment in quantum computing to stay ahead of security threats - ZDNet

Paris, Boston, Sherbrooke, June 2, 2022 - Pasqal, the global leader in neutral atoms quantum computing, has named seasoned quantum technology executive, Catherine Lefebvre, to lead North American business development for the company. The company also announced office openings in Boston (U.S.) and in Sherbrooke (Canada).

As Vice President, Strategic Business Development North America for Pasqal, Lefebvre will be based in the Boston office to help drive the companys commercial and strategic partnership efforts and serve as the primary point of contact for U.S.-based clients and partners. Pasqals local U.S. presence will allow the company to further capitalize on the tremendous market opportunity and to expand the adoption of Pasqals quantum hardware and software solutions by U.S. industries including energy, healthcare, finance and automotive, while deepening Pasqals relationships with U.S. customers.

Prior to joining Pasqal, Lefebvre served in multiple roles, including as U.S. and Canada Innovation Ambassador for quantum technology company M Squared; advisor in quantum technologies at Quebec Ministry of Economy and Innovation; and as Science Liaison Officer for Element AI (acquired by ServiceNow), a global developer of AI solutions. Lefebvre has a background in research with a Ph.D. in molecular physics and quantum chemistry with training in science diplomacy.

Pasqals Canadian office is located in the Quantum Innovation Zone in Sherbrooke, which brings together researchers, startups and investors to cultivate the local quantum ecosystem and accelerate the development and adoption of quantum technologies. Known as Pasqal Canada, the new subsidiary will allow Pasqal to collaborate with both academic institutions and industry to grow its business in Canada and develop new commercial applications in such areas as smart cities, energy and materials science

Strengthening our coverage in North America opens up immense new opportunities to leverage our neutral atoms quantum computers for real-world benefit across new regions, markets and industries, said Georges Olivier-Reymond, CEO and founder of Pasqal. Catherine is the ideal executive to drive this next phase of our growth, and we are honored to welcome her to the team.

Offering a broad range of full stack quantum solutions across different industries, Pasqals customers include Johnson & Johnson, LG, Airbus, BMW Group, EDF, Thales, MBDA and Credit Agricole CIB.

To learn more about Pasqal, please visit:www.pasqal.com.

About PasqalPasqal builds quantum computers from ordered neutral atoms in 2D and 3D arrays with the goal of bringing a practical quantum advantage to its customers in addressing real-world problems, especially in quantum machine learning and predictive modeling. Pasqal was founded in 2019 by Georges-Olivier Reymond, Christophe Jurczak, Professor Dr. Alain Aspect, Dr. Antoine Browaeys and Dr. Thierry Lahaye. Based in Palaiseau and Massy, south of Paris, Pasqal has secured more than 40 million in financing combining equity and non-dilutive funding from Quantonation, the Defense Innovation Fund, Runa Capital, BPI France, ENI and Daphni.

Website:www.pasqal.comTwitter: @pasqalioLinkedIn:www.linkedin.com/company/pasqal/

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

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Quantum computer manufacturer Pasqal strengthens position in North American market by opening offices in the US and Canada - EurekAlert

Researchers grappling with todays grand challenges are getting traction with accelerated computing, as showcased at ISC, Europes annual gathering of supercomputing experts.

Some are building digital twins to simulate new energy sources. Some use AI+HPC to peer deep into the human brain.

Others are taking HPC to the edge with highly sensitive instruments or accelerating simulations on hybrid quantum systems, said Ian Buck, vice president of accelerated computing at NVIDIA, at an ISC special address in Hamburg.

For example, a new supercomputer at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) called Venado will deliver 10 exaflops of AI performance to advance work in areas such as materials science and renewable energy.

LANL researchers target 30x speedups in their computational multi-physics applications with NVIDIA GPUs, CPUs and DPUs in the system, named after a peak in northern New Mexico.

Venado will use NVIDIA Grace Hopper Superchips to run workloads up to 3x faster than prior GPUs. It also packs NVIDIA Grace CPU Superchips to provide twice the performance per watt of traditional CPUs on a long tail of unaccelerated applications.

The LANL system is among the latest of many around the world to embrace NVIDIA BlueField DPUs to offload and accelerate communications and storage tasks from host CPUs.

Similarly, the Texas Advanced Computing Center is adding BlueField-2 DPUs to the NVIDIA Quantum InfiniBand network on Lonestar6. It will become a development platform for cloud-native supercomputing, hosting multiple users and applications with bare-metal performance while securely isolating workloads.

Thats the architecture of choice for next-generation supercomputing and HPC clouds, said Buck.

In Europe, NVIDIA and SiPearl are collaborating to expand the ecosystem of developers building exascale computing on Arm. The work will help the regions users port applications to systems that use SiPearls Rhea and future Arm-based CPUs together with NVIDIA accelerated computing and networking technologies.

Japans Center for Computational Sciences, at the University of Tsukuba, is pairing NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core GPUs and x86 CPUs on an NVIDIA Quantum-2 InfiniBand platform. The new supercomputer will tackle jobs in climatology, astrophysics, big data, AI and more.

The new system will join the 71% on the latest TOP500 list of supercomputers that have adopted NVIDIA technologies. In addition, 80% of new systems on the list also use NVIDIA GPUs, networks or both and NVIDIAs networking platform is the most popular interconnect for TOP500 systems.

HPC users adopt NVIDIA technologies because they deliver the highest application performance for established supercomputing workloads simulation, machine learning, real-time edge processing as well as emerging workloads like quantum simulations and digital twins.

Showing what these systems can do, Buck played a demo of a virtual fusion power plant that researchers in the U.K. Atomic Energy Authority and the University of Manchester are building in NVIDIA Omniverse. The digital twin aims to simulate in real time the entire power station, its robotic components even the behavior of the fusion plasma at its core.

NVIDIA Omniverse, a 3D design collaboration and world simulation platform, lets distant researchers on the project work together in real time while using different 3D applications. They aim to enhance their work with NVIDIA Modulus, a framework for creating physics-informed AI models.

Its incredibly intricate work thats paving the way for tomorrows clean renewable energy sources, said Buck.

Separately, Buck described how researchers created a library of 100,000 synthetic images of the human brain on NVIDIA Cambridge-1, a supercomputer dedicated to advances in healthcare with AI.

A team from Kings College London used MONAI, an AI framework for medical imaging, to generate lifelike images that can help researchers see how diseases like Parkinsons develop.

This is a great example of HPC+AI making a real contribution to the scientific and research community, said Buck.

Increasingly, HPC work extends beyond the supercomputer center. Observatories, satellites and new kinds of lab instruments need to stream and visualize data in real time.

For example, work in lightsheet microscopy at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab is using NVIDIA Clara Holoscan to see life in real time at nanometer scale, work that would require several days on CPUs.

To help bring supercomputing to the edge, NVIDIA is developing Holoscan for HPC, a highly scalable version of our imaging software to accelerate any scientific discovery. It will run across accelerated platforms from Jetson AGX modules and appliances to quad A100 servers.

We cant wait to see what researchers will do with this software, said Buck.

In yet another vector of supercomputing, Buck reported on the rapid adoption of NVIDIA cuQuantum, a software development kit to accelerate quantum circuit simulations on GPUs.

Dozens of organizations are already using it in research across many fields. Its integrated into major quantum software frameworks so users can access GPU acceleration without any additional coding.

Most recently, AWS announced the availability of cuQuantum in its Braket service. And it demonstrated how cuQuantum can provide up to a 900x speedup on quantum machine learning workloads while reducing costs 3.5x.

Quantum computing has tremendous potential, and simulating quantum computers on GPU supercomputers is essential to move us closer to valuable quantum computing said Buck. Were really excited to be at the forefront of this work, he added.

To learn more about accelerated computing for HPC, watch the full talk below.

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Special Address at ISC 2022 Shows Future of HPC - Nvidia