Quantum Computing Platform for NISQ Era Commercial Applications

Rigetti Computing, Oxford Instruments, Standard Chartered, Phasecraft, and the University of Edinburgh will collaborate to advance quantum computing in the UK. The team will address several key aspects of quantum computing including: 1) hardware, infrastructure, and supply chain; 2) accelerating industrial applications; and 3) developing the quantum ecosystem to help solve important but currently intractable problems.

This work positions the UK as a global leader in the emerging quantum industry, expected to be £4B by 2024, growing to £350B/year by 2050\.

The project's main focus area are:

_**1\. Infrastructure deployment**_

Rigetti will leverage its London-based team to assemble and operate a quantum computer in the UK, accessible via the cloud. This new investment into the UK's growing technology sector is an important milestone---no commercially available quantum computing platform currently exists in the UK.

To support the infrastructure, Oxford Instruments will mature cryogenic technology reliability and provide initial hosting. To maximise long-term value, the team will migrate the infrastructure to align with national strategic initiatives such as the UK National Quantum Computing Centre.

_**2\. Core applications development**_

Building on the infrastructure, the applications development team will validate the value of quantum computing to end users in the UK's economy. The approach builds on academic research and industry-led quantum software capability in the UK to transition knowledge to economic value.

Phasecraft, a UK quantum software start-up, will build a quantum simulation work package that brings quantum computing to end users in the most promising near-term application area---quantum chemistry. Phasecraft is a UK quantum software start-up, founded by quantum computing researchers Toby Cubitt, Ashley Montanaro, and John Morton.

From the University of Edinburgh, Professor Elham Kashefi's group will deliver quantum hardware verification and testing, with a focus on machine learning applications. They will also collaborate with Standard Chartered, complementing their work on financial synthetic data generation (Kondratyev & Schwarz, "The Market Generator").

_**3\. Broad initiatives to grow the UK's quantum computing sector**_

To demonstrate value beyond this project, the consortium will develop the UK's nascent quantum ecosystem to extend industry capabilities in finance, energy, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, and automotive. Through existing relationships and forums, the consortium will expand the community by delivering workshops, computing credits, and technical support, helping end users to validate their research and business concepts.