Entering the era of quantum – acceleration and transformation

Exploring the possibilities of quantum

So what is actually possible? With substantial investment inflows, more and more companies, on both supply and demand sides, are assessing the most important use cases, testing proofs of concepts and prototypes, and also evaluating live small-scale trials. Each step brings us closer to quantum as a mainstream reality.

A clear example is an Horizon Europe project. Capgemini is leading and coordinating the EQUALITY consortium of industry partners, which is targeting eight industrial use cases that are computationally complex and can benefit from the quantum-enabled speed-up. These are airfoil aerodynamics, battery design, fluid dynamics, space mission optimization, materials design, multidisciplinary optimization, space data analysis and fuel cell design. Not only could this provide a competitive edge for European industry, but also more energy-efficient aerodynamics and more durable and affordable batteries are critical to propelling these industries towards zero emissions.

These organizations are taking the long view – looking ahead to when the technology becomes much more accessible and scalable, and therefore commercially viable – and making the appropriate strategic investment in a range of resources. The importance is to start exploring, and this is particularly imperative when it comes to quantum security, where we advise that companies do not wait for standards to emerge.

Our approach is to partner with clients, to identify priority use cases, and showcase the applications of quantum technology through our labs and Applied Innovation Exchange network. We carry out early experimentation and incubation – in the following key sectors – ultimately, to deliver a quantum advantage.

Our dedicated Quantum Lab is a global network of quantum experts, partners, and specialist research facilities from across the Group, combined with domain knowledge. We leverage this expertise in our exploratory and advisory work with clients, in cutting-edge applications that will bring our clients closer to gaining an advantage. Typically we focus on quantum simulation, optimization, and machine learning, and access to partners’, such as IBM’s, quantum machines and licensed technology, co-working on evolving hardware and software.

The reality is, however, there is more to quantum than hardware and algorithms in use case silos. In time, quantum applications means planning for integration into the larger IT landscape, testing, scaling up, and deployment. Our quantum exploration has been recognized in a spotlight quantum report from analysts TBR.

Capgemini worked with and for QuTech, a Dutch research institute (founded by TNO and TU Delft) for quantum computing and quantum internet. QuTech successfully launched Quantum Inspire, a quantum computing public demonstrator platform designed to support organizations’ first steps into the fascinating world of quantum computation and to help explore the opportunities the power of quantum will offer in the future. Capgemini worked on the software stack which interacts between the internet portal and the hardware controlling the quantum computer, keeping the Quantum computer operational, compiling the quantum computer program, executing the quantum program, and supporting the development of a next version of the platform. The strong collaboration between QuTech and Capgemini lays out the scientific basis in combination with the industry software craftmanship to scale up and explore opportunities for a quantum future.