Siquance, a fabless company inspired by CEA/CNRS, has been launched in Grenoble. The startup, co-founded and directed by Maud Vinet, intends to produce and sell quantum computers based on modern microelectronics technology. Siquance aspires to be a global leader in quantum technology by developing a quantum computer built on the same technical building blocks as ordinary silicon integrated circuits.
Siquance is the brainchild of Maud Vinet, former CEO of CEA and an ERC laureate, Tristan Meunier, former CTO of National Centre for Scientific Research, CNRS and an ERC laureate, and François Perruchot, former COO of CEA. The three bring expertise in silicon technology, quantum engineering, and strategic marketing worldwide—Siquance results from 15 years of research at CEA and CNRS.
CEA and CNRS have invested in the startup and offered their experience, R&D capabilities, intellectual property, and technology. The universities’ ecosystems will help Siquance in all aspects of quantum technology, from basic research to industrialization.
A joint R&D program with CEA and CNRS will help Siquance’s R&D development. The program will also promote collaboration between public research and the commercial world, allowing both institutions to continue assisting the firm. Siquance also has a high-level strategic board committee that will aid in the preparation of the route to industrialization.
Quantum computing makes it possible to solve complex equations that traditional computers cannot. As a result, quantum computing provides a path ahead for a wide range of essential industries, including healthcare, engineering, meteorology, finance, and so on. It is, therefore, necessary to develop a classical transistor that can handle qubits, the equivalent of classical bits.
By assembling qubits, a new type of calculator can be created to solve numerous problems currently beyond the scope of classical computers. Designing this quantum computing solution based on existing semiconductor technology offers the quickest path to large-scale industrialization. Siquance is coming into the industry with a disruptive technology solution that can achieve that feat.
As a fabless company, Siquance can focus on generating new ideas, investing in research, and improving its marketing techniques to increase sales while outsourcing semiconductor chip production. They can also retain diversity in production volume and efficiency without overburdening their people and resources.
“The creation of Siquance confirms the strategy of CNRS in the field of quantum computing. Working in close relationship with another leading French research organization, we have leveraged our respective strengths in order to create this new strategic player. Our national research ecosystem in quantum technologies is robust and is able to create promising companies, that pave the way towards technological and industrial sovereignty for our country in this field.”
Jean-Luc Moullet, Deputy CEO for Innovation at CNRS.
Siquance is organizing its processes according to existing manufacturing capacities, mainly those available in French and European semiconductor factories. As a disruptive technology, they also provide Europe an opportunity to level the digital technology playing field with the United States and Asia.
