SoftBank, Quantinuum to partner on practical commercialization of quantum tech

BROOMFIELD — Quantum technologies, some experts believe, could revolutionize the future to a similar degree that the internet has shaped our current age. But applying laboratory breakthroughs to real-world problems has proved a challenge for companies working toward quantum commercialization.

Quantinuum LLC, a Broomfield-based quantum-computing company, is partnering with Japanese investment giant SoftBank Corp. on a set of initiatives aimed at fueling commercialization through practical business applications.

“Despite impressive growth in the quantum-computing sector, several technical and business challenges need to be addressed to advance the state-of-the-art so that quantum computers are used to solve practical problems,” the companies said in a joint news release.

The companies also plan to develop ways to apply quantum-computing power to help artificial-intelligence models overcome their struggles with complex problems and decisions.

“In this modern era, AI is delivering impressive results across various domains. However, it is widely recognized that there are still significant challenges that AI alone is struggling to overcome,” the companies said. “Complex optimization problems, deciphering causal relationship analysis, and conducting high-precision simulations based on fundamental equations remain formidable obstacles for current AI technologies.”

Quantinuum and SoftBank have identified three focus areas for their partnership: developing workable business models, establishing specific use cases for quantum computing and advancing technology.

“The substantial initial investment and operational costs required for the development and deployment of quantum computers lack concrete cost recovery strategies, which in turn suppresses the drive for companies to develop and adopt the technology,” the companies said.

Furthermore, the “business models for generating revenue, including the methods of offering quantum computers and setting usage fees, have not yet been fully realized.”

There are too few examples that “clearly demonstrate which fields quantum computers will be useful in,” Quantinuum and SoftBank said. “Understanding the market size and revenue models through clear examples, especially in areas such as quantum chemical calculations and machine learning, is necessary.”

The industry must “identify the areas where computations can only be performed by quantum computers and are commercially viable, as well as to predict the timing and scale of these applications.”

Part of the reason that there aren’t many practical-use cases, the company said, is because the technology isn’t yet powerful enough. “The current hardware performance (number of qubits and operation precision) of quantum computers is inadequate for handling practical problems, and significant enhancements in performance are needed for practical use.”

Quantinuum and SoftBank will partner on the creation of “a ‘quantum data center’ capable of performing advanced calculation processing by combining CPUs, GPUs and quantum computers,” the companies said. Additionally, “SoftBank will provide its own business challenges as use cases.”

Quantinuum, which employs more than 550 people, including more than 370 scientists and engineers, is developing quantum-computing software applicable to industries such as pharmaceuticals, cybersecurity, materials science, specialty chemicals and agrochemicals. The company was formed several years ago with the merger of Honeywell Quantum Solutions, formerly a division within the parent company, with U.K.-based Cambridge Quantum Computing.

“Our partnership with SoftBank represents a pivotal moment in the evolution of quantum computing,” Rajeeb Hazra, president and CEO of Quantinuum, said in a prepared statement. “By combining our strengths, we are poised to unlock innovative solutions that will not only enhance the capabilities of AI but also tackle challenges that have long been beyond reach. Together, we are laying the groundwork for a future where quantum technologies drive transformative advancements across multiple industries.”

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