A Québec quantum computer dedicated to science
Montreal, June 9, 2022 – The Minister of Economy and Innovation, Calcul Québec and Anyon Systems officially announce the upcoming arrival of a superconducting quantum computer dedicated to public research and entirely designed in Quebec.
“Hosting and supporting a quantum computer will allow the research community to develop and test new quantum algorithms, while ensuring that all intellectual property developed remains the property of Quebec institutions. With the development of open source software, this infrastructure will have a national and international scope, ” explains Suzanne Talon, Director General of Calcul Québec.
“Over the past seven years, we have developed unique technologies involving the full vertical hardware stack of a quantum computer. We design and manufacture superconducting quantum processing units (QPUs), quantum control electronics as well as ultra-low temperature cryogenics systems which host QPUs.” states Alireza Najafi-Yazdi, Founder and CEO at Anyon Systems.
Why invest in a quantum computer now?
Quantum computing is a promising technology that has the potential to push the current limits of computing in the near future. This technology could revolutionize fields such as cryptography, optimization problems and the simulation of quantum materials.
“We must start planning today how to support the scientific community so that it can take advantage of this technology. With the acquisition of this quantum computer, we will contribute to the training of highly qualified research professionals in programming, capable of exploiting this emerging technology,” said Marie-Jean Meurs, Scientific Director of Calcul Québec.
About this project
This ambitious project is supported by funding from the Ministry of Economy and Innovation.
Calcul Québec’s quantum computer will be installed at the École de technologie supérieure alongside the Narval and Beluga supercomputers. Calcul Québec and the research groups already involved will conduct the first tests in the spring of 2023, with the prospect of making this resource available to the entire Quebec research community.
Marco Blouin, Directeur général – Direction générale de la Science et de l’Innovation (MEI); Alireza Najafi-Yazdi, fondateur et directeur d’Anyon Systèmes, Christian Bassila, président de Anyon Systèmes, Suzanne Talon, Directrice générale de Calcul Québec; Daria Riabinina, Directrice – Transferts de technologies chez Ministère de l’Économie et de l’Innovation du Québec (MÉI), Mathieu Gervais , Sous-ministre adjoint à la science et à l’innovation – Ministère de l’Économie et de l’Innovation
About Calcul Québec
Calcul Québec is a non-profit organisation (NPO) whose members are academic institutions and research centres. Calcul Québec is a regional partner of the Digital Research Alliance of Canada and, as such, collaborates with the other regional partners (Acenet, Compute Ontario and WestGrid). We are working closely as a Federation to build the future of the digital research ecosystem in the country. Finally, Calcul Québec hosts several research projects funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI).
