While Israel joining the quantum race is old knowledge, recently the country has decided to plan on spend $60 million, or 198 million shekels, to build a 30-40 qubits quantum computer. The funding will raised by the Ministry of Defence and Innovation Authority, with bids from multinational companies, Israeli businesses, and universities. The winner of this round will begin working before the end of 2021.
‘We want to be in the game.’
Aviv Zeevi, vice president at the Authority’s Technological Infrastructure Division
Zeevi wants Israel to be capable of developing quantum hardware and software to compete with other powers.
The new project is part of Israel’s 1.25 billion-shekel national initiative for quantum proficiency. Even if scientists believe quantum computing is practical, even China and the US agree that this level of practicality is years away. Both are joined by Germany and other countries when it comes to national quantum plans and investments.
Israel is very much capable of achieving its goal, being a haven for technology unicorns, or private firms worth more than $1 billion. However, there are only a few startups in the country, including Classiq Technologies and Quantum Machines. The former works only with software while the latter develops both hardware and software for quantum computers.
Itamar Siva, chief executive officer of Quantum Machines, states that the quantum initiative is a first step, and the collective hope of the quantum community is that investments can help the local quantum ecosystem grow.