Alice & Bob, a quantum computing company and academic partners ENS de Lyon and Mines Paris – PSL, have received a $17.8 million innovation grant from the French state. The funding will make quantum computing ten times cheaper and accelerate its market readiness.
The “Cat Factory” project will focus on optimizing quantum computation, from design to manufacturing. Theau Peronnin, CEO of Alice & Bob, said the plan is centered around cat qubits, which could lead to massive savings in energy and end-user costs. The project aims to make quantum computers ready for market three years earlier.
Quantum Computing Company Receives Significant Funding for Cost Reduction Project
Alice & Bob, a quantum computing hardware developer and academic partner ENS de Lyon and Mines Paris – PSL, have been awarded a €16.5 million ($17.8 million USD) innovation grant. This funding, part of the France 2030 initiative, is managed by Bpifrance, the French public investment bank. The grant will support a 36-month project aimed at improving the efficiency of quantum computing, reducing costs, and accelerating market readiness.
Research Focus
The research goal from the three partners is to reach a new optimized architecture for fault-tolerant quantum computing by 2027 that will allow:
- Reduction of the number of control lines per cat qubit.
- Reduction of the readout lines per cat qubit.
To achieve this degree of optimization, the infrastructure of enabling technologies surrounding the Quantum Processing Unit (QPU) will be updated to:
- Increase the number of analog ports per rack, dividing by three the footprint of control electronics.
- Increase control lines per cryostat using next-generation cabling technology.
The “Cat Factory” Project: Aiming for Affordable Quantum Computing
The “Cat Factory” project will focus on optimizing quantum computation, from design to manufacturing and infrastructure. The goal is to make quantum computers ten times cheaper to build and ready for market three years earlier. The project will address critical issues in quantum computing across various enabling technologies, including nanofabrication, chip design and validation, digital tools, and electronic control.
Overcoming Quantum Computing Challenges with Cat Qubits
Quantum computing algorithms require hundreds of logical qubits, which translates to thousands to millions of physical qubits. The “Cat Factory” project aims to develop the technology required to fit 100 logical qubits with only one large cryostat, significantly reducing the hardware needed to run a useful quantum computer. The project’s cornerstone, the cat qubit, already reduces the number of physical qubits required to build a logical one by a factor of 60.
France’s Commitment to Quantum Computing Innovation
France’s commitment to creating the first fault-tolerant quantum computer is a tangible one, and the country is proud to advance innovation in this direction. The support from Bpifrance reflects the bank’s strong ambitions regarding disruptive innovation. The collaboration between Alice & Bob, ENS de Lyon, and Mines Paris – PSL is a testament to the collective effort required to overcome the engineering challenges in building a fault-tolerant quantum computer.
About Alice & Bob, ENS de Lyon, and Mines Paris – PSL
Alice & Bob is a quantum computing company based in Paris and Boston, aiming to create the first universal, fault-tolerant quantum computer. The company specializes in cat qubits, a pioneering technology significantly reducing hardware requirements for building a large-scale quantum computer.
ENS de Lyon conducts high-level research in its 25 laboratories and trains around 2,500 students through research, including 500 doctoral students. The institution aims to have a significant impact in research, innovation, and technology transfer while influencing the public sector and the socio-economic world.
Mines Paris – PSL, part of the PSL University, educates engineers capable of tackling tomorrow’s challenges, outstanding scientific leaders, and international talents. The school aspires to be a key player in innovation and entrepreneurship, energy transition, materials for more efficient technologies, mathematics, and digital engineering for industrial transformation, including healthcare.
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