ORCA Computing has acquired the Integrated Photonics Division of GXC, a Texas-based company known for advanced photonics solutions. The acquisition includes intellectual property and existing technology and will merge the two teams. This move positions ORCA at the forefront of the quantum computing race, enhancing their current PT Series products and advancing towards scalable, fault-tolerant quantum computing. Richard Murray, CEO of ORCA Computing, and Bob Sorensen, Senior VP of Research and Chief Analyst for Quantum Computing at Hyperion Research, expressed optimism about the acquisition’s potential to boost ORCA’s capabilities and market position.
ORCA Computing Acquires Integrated Photonics Division of GXC
ORCA Computing, a quantum computing company, has recently announced the acquisition of the Integrated Photonics Division of GXC, based in Austin, Texas. This division is recognized for providing advanced photonics solutions to leading U.S. commercial and government entities, including the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This acquisition is expected to enhance ORCA’s quantum computing capabilities significantly, allowing the company to integrate advanced photonics materials into its existing systems.
Strengthening ORCA’s Quantum Computing Capabilities
The acquisition includes GXC’s photonics-related assets, such as intellectual property and existing technology. The team from Texas, which has over a century of combined industry experience, will join ORCA Computing’s existing teams. This merger is expected to result in the development of new hybrid photonic materials, which will improve the performance of ORCA’s current PT Series products. This is a significant step towards achieving scalable, fault-tolerant quantum computing in 2024 and beyond.
ORCA’s Track Record and Future Prospects
Richard Murray, Ph.D., Co-founder and CEO of ORCA Computing, expressed his excitement about the acquisition, stating that it continues ORCA’s successful trend of integrating cutting-edge components to deliver top-tier technology to its customers. Bob Sorensen, Senior Vice President of Research and Chief Analyst for Quantum Computing at Hyperion Research, LLC, commented on the acquisition, stating that it positions ORCA to effectively scale quantum computing systems and leverage low-loss integrated photonics within their modular architectures.
ORCA’s Growth and Success
Since its inception, ORCA has seen rapid growth and success. It started with leading a record £11.6 million grant project from the UK government to construct a quantum data center of the future. Since then, ORCA has achieved commercial success, providing PT Series units to customers such as the UK Ministry of Defence and the Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center. The company has also undertaken numerous initiatives for major government and enterprise clients in the Energy, Defense, and HPC sectors.
Impact on Customers and Collaborators
Steve Conway, Senior Analyst at Intersect360 Research, noted that ORCA’s acquisition of an in-house photonic integrated circuit design capability is a crucial differentiator for customers seeking commercially viable and performant quantum systems. Krzysztof Kurowski, Technical Director at Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center in Poland, also supported the acquisition, stating that it validates their choice of ORCA Computing and that they look forward to future collaboration.
