Universal Quantum, the pioneering UK company building large-scale quantum computing systems for real-world use, is expanding its presence in Singapore with its very first R&D Competency Centre located outside Europe.
This initiative builds on Universal Quantum’s close partnership with the National Quantum Office (NQO), the body responsible for driving the implementation of Singapore’s quantum strategy.
The collaboration is also backed by the Economic Development Board (EDB), and EDBI, announced as a strategic investor in Universal Quantum. EDBI is an arm of SG Growth Capital, the investment platform of the Singapore Economic Development Board and Enterprise Singapore.
“Combined with Universal Quantum’s chip design expertise, the partnership creates a unique and complementary mix of capabilities that will accelerate our journey towards building scalable, error- corrected quantum computing that can deliver real-world benefits in multiple sectors,” said Sebastian Weidt, CEO and co-founder of Universal Quantum.
At the centre of the initiative is a programme of advanced ion trap chip process development and integration, bringing together Universal Quantum’s chip design expertise with Singapore’s fabrication and packaging capabilities.
The work will establish a facility for microchip development, advancing progress towards fault-tolerant, scalable trapped-ion quantum computers.
The advance of ion trap chip technology is a critical step towards harnessing stable qubits at the scale required to deliver reliable quantum computing and to transform fields such as medicine, materials design and climate modelling.
It forms part of Universal Quantum’s long-term roadmap to work with Singapore’s local quantum ecosystem to explore fault tolerant quantum computing (FTQC), including advanced quantum microchip development to the development of FTQC algorithms for strategic industries in Singapore.
The development of new capabilities in advanced packaging design is central to Universal Quantum’s long-term technical plans in Singapore, and will draw on collaboration with local research institutes whose capabilities in this field are unmatched.
Together, this work will build the chip architectures required to support a fully scaled, million-qubit integrated quantum processing unit.
Also, Universal Quantum will develop its Singapore office as the company’s inaugural hub for Asia-Pacific. Supported by the EDB, the move builds on the company’s existing momentum in the region, connecting research, talent, industry and ecosystem development through a long-term presence in the country.
The Centre will launch with an initial team of 25, with plans to grow significantly as its work in Singapore expands.
Universal Quantum intends to explore applications of its technology in sectors where Singapore has established industrial strength, and have become critical for the Singaporean competitiveness, allowing them to keep their advantage over the long term.
In doing so, the company expects to become a significant contributor to the region’s quantum ecosystem, and to build partnerships with the organisations leading its development.
“Universal Quantum’s move reflects confidence in Singapore as a trusted base for developing and scaling frontier technologies like quantum,” said Ling Keok Tong, executive director of the National Quantum Office. “This Centre will help to anchor partnerships with Singapore’s growing quantum ecosystem of researchers and industry partners.”
Soo Haw Yun, VP of global enterprises at EDB, said this investment will deepen Singapore’s quantum R&D capabilities and create highly skilled jobs.
“The strength of the ecosystem, the ambition of the Government’s quantum strategy, and the quality of the industrial and research partners on the ground are unmatched in the region,” said Luc Gerardin, global head of business development at Universal Quantum.
