IonQ Expands APAC Presence Through Collaboration With Emergence Quantum

IonQ has established a strategic collaboration with Australian company Emergence Quantum to co-develop next-generation electronics and materials for advancing ion trap technology. The partnership leverages Emergence Quantum’s expertise—founded by former Microsoft quantum team members including CEO David Reilly and CTO/CSO Thomas Ohki—in systems engineering, quantum control, and hardware integration. Joint efforts will focus on designing application-specific integrated circuits for qubit control, reducing hardware complexity, and exploring materials to enhance ion trap performance, with the aim of accelerating scalable, high-performance quantum computing and contributing to Australia’s growing quantum industry. IonQ intends to deliver a quantum computer with 2 million qubits by 2030.

Strategic Partnership Expands IonQ’s APAC Presence

The collaboration between IonQ and Emergence Quantum will focus on expanding advances in ion trap technology through the co-development of next-generation electronics and materials. This work includes the design and simulation of application-specific integrated circuits intended for qubit control, contributing to the refinement of quantum systems. The teams will also prioritise reducing hardware complexity while simultaneously working to scale system capacity, aiming for more efficient and powerful quantum computers.

IonQ’s partnership with Emergence Quantum is intended to tap into a prominent quantum talent pool and contribute to the growth of Australia’s quantum industry. Dr. Dean Kassmann, SVP of IonQ’s Engineering and Technology division, stated that this initiative is part of a broader strategy to engage local experts and institutions globally in advancing scalable, high-performance quantum computing and networking. This collaboration provides IonQ with access to a team of Ph.D. quantum scientists possessing decades of experience in cryogenic electronics and quantum engineering.

Emergence Quantum’s expertise spans the physics of semiconductor and superconducting devices to the engineering challenges of scaled-up computing platforms. The company’s work centres on the use of integrated cryogenic electronics to address challenges in scaling quantum computers, as well as enabling new computational and sensing modalities. Prof. Reilly of Emergence Quantum highlighted the partnership as a means to accelerate the pace of Australia’s quantum development and growth, addressing the historical challenge of attracting international investment while retaining key expertise.

Key Personnel and Expertise at Emergence Quantum

Emergence Quantum was founded by former members of Microsoft’s quantum team, with the intention of better harnessing their combined expertise in systems engineering, quantum control, and hardware integration. The company’s team possesses decades of experience and strong relationships within both the public and private sectors, alongside a deep understanding of the Australian and U.S. quantum tech landscapes.

Professor David Reilly serves as Emergence Quantum’s CEO and co-founder, having previously held positions at the University of Sydney, Harvard University, and the University of New South Wales. Prior to assuming his current role, Professor Reilly spent eight years as a senior leader within Microsoft’s quantum group. Co-founder Thomas Ohki is Emergence Quantum’s CTO/CSO, having previously led the quantum group at Raytheon/BBN Technologies before joining Professor Reilly at Microsoft.

The company’s expertise extends from the fundamental physics of semiconductor and superconducting devices to the engineering challenges associated with complex, scaled-up computing and sensing platforms. A central focus of Emergence Quantum’s work is the application of integrated cryogenic electronics to address critical challenges in scaling quantum computers, as well as enabling new computational and sensing modalities. This work is expected to contribute to advancements in ion trap technology alongside IonQ’s efforts.

Collaborative Focus on Hardware and Scalability

The collaboration between IonQ and Emergence Quantum will expand on existing advances in ion trap technology by co-developing next-generation electronics and materials, including the design and simulation of application-specific integrated circuits for qubit control. The teams will also work to reduce hardware complexity while scaling system capacity, and explore new materials and deposition techniques to enhance ion trap performance.

Emergence Quantum’s expertise spans the fundamental physics of semiconductor and superconducting devices to the engineering challenges of complex, scaled-up computing and sensing platforms. A central theme of Emergence Quantum’s work is the use of integrated cryogenic electronics to address critical challenges in scaling quantum computers, as well as enabling new computational and sensing modalities.

The company’s team possesses decades of experience and strong relationships within both the public and private sectors, alongside a deep understanding of the Australian and U.S. quantum tech landscapes. Emergence Quantum was founded by former members of Microsoft’s quantum team, with the intention of better harnessing their combined expertise in systems engineering, quantum control, and hardware integration.

Company Overviews IonQ and Emergence Quantum

IonQ’s current generation quantum computers, IonQ Forte and IonQ Forte Enterprise, are the latest in a line of cutting-edge systems that have been helping customers and partners such as Amazon Web Services, AstraZeneca, and NVIDIA achieve performance results. The company is accelerating its technology roadmap and intends to deliver the world’s most powerful quantum computers with 2 million qubits by 2030 to accelerate innovation in drug discovery, materials science, financial modeling, logistics, cybersecurity, and defense.

IonQ’s advancement in quantum networking also positions the company as a leader in building the quantum internet. The company’s innovative technology and rapid growth were recognised in Newsweek’s 2025 Excellence Index 1000, Forbes 2025 Most Successful Mid-Cap Companies list, and Built In’s 2025 100 Best Midsize Places to Work in Washington DC and Seattle, respectively. Available through all major cloud providers, IonQ is making quantum computing more accessible and impactful than ever before.

Emergence Quantum is a team of globally recognised scientists and engineers delivering integrated hardware platforms and the foundational technology underpinning quantum, future energy-efficient computing, and advanced sensing interfaces, with a focus on integration and co-designed solutions. Expertise spans the fundamental physics of semiconductor and superconducting devices to the engineering challenges of complex, scaled-up computing and sensing platforms.