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Full-Stack Cross-Layer Quantum Optimization

Quantum algorithms provide large speedups over conventional algorithms in resource-critical fields such as optimization, chemistry, and machine learning. Super.tech’s research develops and tailors quantum algorithms for execution on the small, noisy quantum devices available today. Super.tech’s uniquely near-term and full-stack focus will enable the company to attain quantum speedups for practical applications such as smart grid optimization.

Critical Need for the Technology

Quantum computing is at the cusp of a revolution, especially after the demonstration of quantum supremacy with 53 qubits last year. Advances due to quantum computing are expected to generate billions of dollars of value and thousands of new jobs. At the same time, other countries are catching up and sometimes surpassing the US’s quantum lead. It is critical that we maintain and build our technical advantage in quantum computing.

Potential CO2 Reduction

Currently, data centers use about 1% of global electricity, accounting for approximately 150 MtCO2e of emissions each year. The demand for cloud computing and data services is growing rapidly, and the efficiency of data centers must continue to improve in order to prevent a rapid increase in energy usage and associated emissions. Quantum computing has the potential to drastically reduce energy consumption for some types of computing tasks, and Super.tech’s technology could reduce emissions by several MtCO2e annually.

Competition

  • Full-stack companies like IBM, Google, and Rigetti who can control the entire technology pipeline.
  • Software startups like Q-CTRL and Quantum Benchmark, who are also aware of the device physics underlying quantum computing.

Potential Markets

Super.tech is targeting initial applications in energy and finance. Within energy, optimization problems involving smart grids are of interest. Within finance, applications that rely on sampling and Monte Carlo simulation could be natural fits to quantum computers.

Key Innovation

Super.tech’s platform is uniquely interdisciplinary, combining the efficiency of physics approaches with the scalability of computer science approaches, to achieve record-breaking quantum computing.

R & D Status of Project

Super.tech is focused on R&D at present and expects to shift its focus to commercialization within two years.

Team Overview

Pranav Gokhale (Founder, CEO) is a PhD candidate in quantum computing at UChicago, graduating in fall 2020. Pranav has been performing quantum research since 2008 and his work has led to several publications and awards.

Fred Chong (Co-founder) is a Professor of Computer Science at UChicago. Fred has been pioneering research in quantum computing since 2001. He has been awarded over $80M in research, most notably the EPiQC Expedition which is the NSF’s largest investment in quantum computer science.

Teague Tomesh is a PhD student at Princeton University, and he is working with Super.tech via an internship at Argonne. Teague is a WJ Cody Fellow at Argonne, and his background is interdisciplinary in both computer science and physics.

Technology Profile

Status: R&D stage
Primary industry: quantum computing
Category: Energy, Finance

Estimated annual revenue: N/A
Employs: 3
Social challenge: N/A
R&D commercial collaborator: Aiming to develop partnerships with energy and finance companies