Are “very useful” quantum computers about 20 years away, as Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang recently suggested?
Many firms in the quantum sector have insisted otherwise, but it is clear there is still work to be done to mature the technology, and make it both more affordable and less bulky. Many current quantum computers require large cryogenic cooling units to keep them running
Australia’s Quantum Brilliance, one of Nvidia’s quantum partners and a start-up that for several years has been developing “room-temperature diamond quantum technology,” is trying to change that. The company recently announced that it raised USD $20 million to advance its tech into quantum sensors, quantum computers, and quantum networks.
The Series A funding round included contributions from US investors Main Sequence and In-Q-Tel (IQT), along with Intervalley Ventures in Japan, Australian sovereign wealth funds National Reconstruction Fund Corporation (NRFC) and Breakthrough Victoria (BV), as well as Alium Capital Management, Investible and Jelix Ventures.
Quantum Brilliance said the new funding will help it create a quantum diamond foundry, co-develop prototypes in emerging quantum sensing opportunities, advance its proprietary IP with semiconductor partners, and fulfill commitments with customers to support quantum devices for applications across sectors.
“Diamond quantum technology holds immense promise for developing compact and ruggedized quantum sensors and accelerators,” said Nat Puffer, Managing Director at IQT, in a statement provided by Quantum Brilliance. “We believe this technology will play a pivotal role in addressing strategic challenges across industries and critical national priorities."
Attributes such as compact size, light weight, room-temperature functionality, and suitability for mass deployment give quantum diamonds particular relevance for sensor devices and application, among other use cases. (A Physics World article from April 2020 gets into the nitty-gritty details of how diamond quantum technology works.)
“This funding represents a significant step forward for QB as we advance the design, performance, and manufacturability of diamond quantum devices,” said Quantum Brilliance CEO Mark Luo.
Quantum Brilliance is just one of a handful of companies that have been working with diamond quantum technology. Others include quantum sensing firm QDTI, founded by Harvard University academics based in Waltham, Massachusetts, and Germany’s Nvision Imaging Technologies, which is focused on leveraging the technology to improve MRI processes.