More than 30 speakers from academia, industry, venture capital and government convened for the Cleveland Discovery and Innovation Forum, hosted by Cleveland Clinic and IBM, to detail advancements at the intersection of artificial intelligence and quantum computing. The one-day event highlighted five years of progress from the Cleveland Clinic and IBM’s Discovery Accelerator partnership, which has supported over 50 research projects and contributed to multiple peer-reviewed publications. Lara Jehi, M.D., Cleveland Clinic’s Chief Research Information Officer, stated that the institution is applying quantum computing to life sciences research, emphasizing its position in this rapidly developing field. Researchers showcased recent work, including the modeling of a protein with over 12,000 atoms, the largest such structure simulated to date on a quantum computer, demonstrating the potential of these technologies to address complex challenges in healthcare and beyond.
Discovery Accelerator Advances AI & Quantum Computing in Biomedicine
The one-day event, hosted by Cleveland Clinic and IBM, underscored a growing recognition that advanced computational methods are no longer futuristic concepts but active drivers of biomedical research. Discussions centered on the practical application of these technologies to overcome longstanding challenges in areas ranging from disease prevention to personalized treatment strategies. The partnership has also prioritized workforce development, establishing a curriculum designed to equip future scientists with the skills necessary in this rapidly evolving field. Alessandro Curioni, Ph.D., explained that this capability promises to unlock solutions to fundamental problems in biology, chemistry, and life sciences. Complementing this research, the Global Quantum + AI Challenge, launched by Quantum Insider and Cleveland Clinic, aims to accelerate the adoption of these technologies through a year-long international competition offering 200,000 in awards, including 40,000 per enterprise challenge. Cleveland Clinic’s specific challenge, titled “Unlocking Undruggable Targets: Quantum Simulation of Allosteric Signal Propagation,” exemplifies the institution’s commitment to translating theoretical advancements into practical medical applications.
As we mark five years of our collaboration with Cleveland Clinic, we are seeing how quantum and AI can work together to transform biomedical research – modeling molecular interactions, refining machine learning for personalized care, and pushing the boundaries of what’s achievable across healthcare and life sciences.
Alessandro Curioni, Ph.D., IBM Fellow and Vice President, Algorithms and Applications, IBM Research
Cleveland Clinic’s Quantum Catalyzer Program Supports Startups
Cleveland Clinic is actively fostering innovation beyond its own research walls through the Quantum Catalyzer Program, a focused initiative providing access to quantum computing resources for early-stage companies. This program, updated at the recent Cleveland Discovery and Innovation Forum, offers funding and tangible computational power to startups applying quantum technology to biological challenges. This year’s cohort, including EntangleBio, Polaris Quantum Biotech, and Singularity Quantum, will each receive up to 250,000 from K5 Tokyo Black Fund, matched by in-kind support from Cleveland Clinic, demonstrating a shared investment in quantum’s potential. The program’s structure extends beyond financial assistance, offering a pathway for startups to directly engage with advanced computing infrastructure, which is particularly significant given the high barrier to entry for quantum computing where access to hardware and specialized expertise remains limited.
The selection of these companies underscores a strategic focus on protein folding, with the Kipu Quantum project aiming to develop an algorithm to simulate this critical biological process. Understanding protein folding is fundamental to deciphering disease mechanisms and designing effective therapies, and quantum computing offers a potential leap forward in modeling these complex interactions.
The challenge will award 200,000 across five enterprise challenges, with $40,000 allocated per challenge.
Global Quantum + AI Challenge: Unlocking Undruggable Targets
Cleveland Clinic’s commitment to computational biology extends to a new international competition designed to accelerate the application of quantum computing to real-world healthcare challenges. Details shared at the Cleveland Discovery and Innovation Forum outlined the “Global Quantum + AI Challenge,” launched in partnership with Quantum Insider, a program intended to bridge the theoretical and practical aspects of advanced computing. The year-long initiative unites enterprises, start-ups, and research teams with the goal of fostering innovation and competitive advantage through quantum and AI technologies. Applications are currently being accepted via the Quantum AI Portal, signaling a proactive effort to incentivize tangible progress in a field often characterized by long-term research horizons. The forum also highlighted the Quantum Catalyzer Program, providing quantum access to start-up companies, including Kipu Quantum, which is focused on an algorithm to simulate protein folding.
The Cleveland Discovery and Innovation Forum highlighted how AI and quantum computing are advancing research across every stage of disease – from prevention and early detection to treatment.
