OIST Licenses Quantum Tech to Qubitcore for Economic Advancement

The Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) licensed its ion trap quantum computing research to startup Qubitcore Inc., effective June 1, 2025, to accelerate commercialisation. This transfer, supported by OIST’s Innovation Proof of Concept program, builds upon research led by Assistant Professor Hiroki Takahashi, who also contributes to a Japan Cabinet Office initiative targeting a fault-tolerant universal quantum computer by 2050. Qubitcore secured funding via a pre-seed round led by the OIST Lifetime Ventures Fund, enabling development of distributed quantum computing systems utilising ion trap technology and optical resonators.

The Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) and Qubitcore Inc. have established an exclusive licensing agreement, effective June 1, 2025, to advance the commercialisation of Japanese ion trap quantum computers. This agreement facilitates the transfer of research from OIST’s Experimental Quantum Information Physics Unit to Qubitcore, with support from the OIST Innovation Proof of Concept (POC) program. Assistant Professor Hiroki Takahashi, who leads the OIST unit, will play a key role in this process and also manages a project within the Japan Cabinet Office’s Moonshot R&D Program Goal 6, which aims to develop a fault-tolerant universal quantum computer by 2050.

Qubitcore, a startup specialising in distributed quantum computing systems, will develop next-generation architectures combining ion trap technology with optical resonators, building upon the foundation of OIST’s research. Ion traps utilise electromagnetic fields to confine and control individual ions, which serve as qubits – the fundamental units of quantum information – and represent a leading technology in the pursuit of quantum computing. The development of fault-tolerant quantum computers, capable of correcting inherent errors in quantum systems, is considered crucial for realising the full potential of this technology and represents a key objective for Qubitcore.

The licensing agreement coincides with the completion of a pre-seed funding round led by the OIST Lifetime Ventures Fund, providing Qubitcore with the necessary capital to pursue its objectives and facilitating further research and development. Professor Takahashi stated that the transition of their research on quantum photonic interconnects using ion traps into initiatives for social implementation is significant, and anticipates rapid advancements through collaboration between OIST, Qubitcore, and international researchers. These developments are expected to drive progress across economic, industrial, and security sectors in the emerging quantum era, potentially attracting further quantum computing investment.