Delft-based quantum discovery Qblox steals the show at CES

This year, Qblox, with its quantum technology solution is the showpiece among the 93 Dutch startups that will present themselves this year during the virtual Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The company from Delft won the CES award in the category “embedded systems”. State Secretary Mona Keijzer (economic affairs and environment) called Qblox a textbook example of a startup during the opening of the Holland Pavilion at CES.

Qblox is attracting a lot of attention with a device that controls the quantum computer quickly and reliably. This system checks the qubits; units that are comparable to transistors in a chip. Today’s experimental quantum computers are controlled by common laboratory equipment, which wasn’t actually made for that purpose. These installations are extensive, expensive and complex. This equipment is unsuitable for commercial quantum computing applications requiring thousands of qubits.

Qblox is introducing the world’s first fully integrated “control stack” for quantum computers at CES. According to Niels Bultink, boss and co-founder of Qblox, his invention accelerates the transition from test installations to real, commercially applicable quantum computers.

Bultink: “Until now, only the working principle of quantum computing had been demonstrated. Qblox paves the way for the construction of quantum computers with a thousand qubits or perhaps even more. “

Collaboration and co-creation as a recipe for success

Qblox a textbook example of a startup that has been able to develop its technology quickly through co-creation. Like other successful startups, it relies on close collaboration with academia and IT companies to accomplish such results. Qblox recently received 4.8 million euros in funding from the European Commission. Last summer, money came from the Uniiq investment fund. The Delft company also benefits from the €20 million that the Dutch government is making available for Dutch quantum technology. State Secretary Mona Keijzer hopes that the €20 million will be a starting point and that future Ministers will come up with more money.

Charles Marcus, professor at the University of Copenhagen, praised the Dutch approach to research into quantum computing. Marcus, also scientific director of the Microsoft Quantum Lab in the Danish capital, said he was impressed by the Dutch ecosystem. Instead of competing, there is good cooperation here. According to Marcus, quantum technology has enormous potential, but it is very difficult to build these types of computers. Qblox’s “control stack” is a great discovery, says Marcus.

This year, the Netherlands is participating in the CES for the fifth time. Almost a hundred entrepreneurs are present, twice as many as last year. The delegation is headed by Prince Constantijn of Orange. As a Special Envoy for TechLeap.NL, he opened the Holland Pavilion. He outlined the significance of startups for the economy. In every sector, a start-up emerges that grows into a formidable competitor to traditional market leaders. This happens, for example, in the car industry and space travel.