Jan 16, 2025

News provided by Share this article Canadian non-profit Open Quantum Design, working to democratize quantum computing, accelerate research, fuel industry WATERLOO, ON, Jan. 16, 2025 /CNW/ - Amidst the global race to establish and deploy useful and powerful quantum computers, researchers at a newly incorporated, Waterloo-based non-profit are taking a different approach. The team at Open Quantum Design (OQD) believes the key to accelerating advancements in quantum computing - including developing top talent - is to democratize access and open up its intellectual property for anyone willing to collaborate; and its four partners agree. Quantum heavy-hitters Xanadu, the University of Waterloo, the Unitary Foundation, and Haiqu are the first to join OQD's innovative platform to spearhead a new, unprecedented degree of open access to full-stack quantum computing technology. Open Quantum Design, world's first open-source quantum computer producer, partners with quantum heavy hitters. Founded by world-renowned researchers out of the University of Waterloo, Roger Melko, Crystal Senko, and Rajibul Islam, alongside entrepreneur Greg Dick, Open Quantum Design is working to accelerate quantum research by democratizing quantum computing - breaking down the traditional barriers between academia and industry. Their team is working to accomplish this by opening up both the hardware and software intellectual property for its trapped-ion quantum computer—the first of its kind—to collaborators looking to participate in a global quantum sandbox. In an early testament to OQD's work, Xanadu, the University of Waterloo, Unitary Foundation, and Haiqu have all formally signed on to participate in OQD's open-source platform, enabling unfettered access to quality quantum computing hardware, software, and up-to-date training opportunities that will accelerate innovation and develop the future quantum workforce. More about OQD's founding partners: Xanadu is a Canadian quantum computing company with the mission to build quantum computers that are useful and available to people everywhere. Founded in 2016, Xanadu has become one of the world's leading quantum hardware and software companies, and is paving the way towards the next generation of quantum technologies. University of Waterloo is a leading global innovation hub driving economic and social prosperity for Canada and the world. A leader in scientific research, it is home to the pioneering Institute for Quantum Computing , and Faculty of Science . Unitary Foundation is a non-profit working to create a robust quantum technology ecosystem and represents the gold standard in open-source community development. Haiqu is a start-up headquartered in San Francisco and is pushing the limits of modern quantum computing, enabling quantum applications using breakthroughs in quantum circuit execution. By opting into OQD's value proposition and open-source community, these organizations gain access to the trapped-ion quantum computer repositories, including hardware specifications and fabrication standards, as well as design forums for quantum research and development. By removing traditional barriers and focusing on solutions to hard problems, OQD's highly collaborative approach is well-positioned to speed-up innovation by pooling global quantum expertise. "Our open-source approach means that everything in the quantum computer will be accessible to the user, from the bare metal technical design to application programming interfaces," says Roger Melko, Co-founder of OQD, and faculty member at the University of Waterloo and the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. "We have found a way to leverage the collective global quantum workforce to scale quantum computing," explains Greg Dick, OQD's CEO. "By sharing resources, knowledge, and designs as a global community, we will accelerate the development of quantum technologies because what we are providing is an open platform to scale progress rapidly where people work, build, and innovate together." To learn more about OQD's open-source quantum computer and community, visit www.openquantumdesign.org . SOURCE Open Quantum Design