Introducing the National Quantum Algorithm Center (NQAC)

A quantum computer can solve problems that classical computers can’t — but they require algorithms in order to function. That’s why the IQMP will be home to the National Quantum Algorithm Center, a one-of-a-kind opportunity for companies across sectors to work with quantum experts, researchers and academics to solve industry challenges.

Check out this video to learn more about the NQAC, and hear from some of the companies working to bring it to life:

Kanav Setia, qBraid: In today’s world, if you think about even the simplest task like scheduling an Uber with precise control and navigation — all of that happens because today’s computers are powerful enough to solve those mathematical problems. Yet, there are many other mathematical problems that still are untenable.

Aaron Fluitt, PsiQuantum: Quantum computers are gonna solve problems that really matter for our health, our environment, our energy, our national security, our national prosperity. And quantum computers are gonna be able to solve problems that can’t be solved any other way.

Katie Pizzolato, IBM: Algorithms are the engines for applications. Algorithms tell you what to do — you have an input, you have steps to take and you have output. So if we’re gonna get to the applications that we want, which is what we’re all excited about with this technology, we need to find those algorithms.

Harley Johnson, IQMP: The National Quantum Algorithm Center is a component of the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park. It is, in some sense, the software side of the IQMP. It’s a program that hopes to bring together the academic quantum algorithms experts, the quantum companies that provide hardware or software solutions and potential end users of the quantum computing capabilities that we’ll be building at the Park.

Preeti Chalsani, Intersect Illinois/IQMP: Essentially, it’s really a front door for companies from all industry sectors to begin their quantum journey or to advance along their quantum journeys.

Kanav Setia, qBraid: NQAC provides a place where people can come together, brainstorm ideas — where they can get access to the most cutting-edge quantum computers the world has access to. All of those things come together and hopefully deliver a gain for humanity.

Preeti Chalsani, Intersect Illinois/IQMP: NQAC is really one-of-a-kind. We’re kind of setting up a model in which we can bring together this quantum computing value chain in order to bring amazing hardware and software towards commercial applications. While pieces of this are being done in many places, this is one of the few efforts where we’re trying to bring everything together in one place.

Pranav Gokhale, Infleqtion: We’ve been witnesses to the incredible pace of quantum innovation, especially here in Chicago, in Illinois. We have researchers from two national labs, Argonne and Fermilab. We have many NSF centers. We have defense funding flowing into our state for quantum technology. And of course we have a robust industry with participants like Infleqtion, IBM, PsiQuantum, many companies out of the Duality Incubator and so forth. And that’s something that is very globally unique.

Katie Pizzolato, IBM: I think it is clear, Chicago, Illinois is the place to be for quantum right now.

Aaron Fluitt, PsiQuantum: As we see with many emerging technologies, the companies that learn to leverage this new capability early on are often those that are in a competitive advantage later on. So we saw this with the internet, we’ve seen this with AI and advanced manufacturing and now quantum computing is a new frontier.

Pranav Gokhale, Infleqtion: I think the ultimate win for the end users who join the National Quantum Algorithm Center is the chance in tapping into a transformative technology. The beauty of quantum algorithms and the underlying quantum hardware is that they fundamentally change what problems can be solved.

Katie Pizzolato, IBM: I want to see more people excited about the technology. I want to see a place where people can come and feel really comfortable not knowing what the technology is. So kind of a breakthrough in the user base, a breakthrough in the skills that we’re attracting. Let’s learn something nobody on the planet knows right now.

Harley Johnson, IQMP: The types of problems that we will be able to solve, who knows? I mean, I think that’s part of the excitement. But we see ourselves and our partners and our collaborators just getting there faster together.