C12, a French quantum computing startup based by twin brothers, raises $19.4 million

C12 is asserting that it not too long ago raised an €18 million funding spherical ($19.4 million at at the moment’s alternate price). Initially based in 2020 as a spin-off from the Physics Laboratory of the École Normale Supérieure, the corporate has been engaged on a singular course of to create quantum computer systems based mostly on carbon nanotubes.

Whereas the idea of quantum computing isn’t new, it’s nonetheless very a lot a piece in progress. Many scientific groups have been approaching this matter from completely different angles. The aim is to create a quantum pc at scale that may execute calculations with a low quantity of errors.

However wait, why do we’d like quantum computer systems within the first place? Computer systems as they exist at the moment are completely based mostly on digital transistors. And we’ve develop into actually good at making transistors smaller so we are able to pack extra transistors in a single chip. Consequently, computing energy has progressed at an exponential tempo over the previous 60 years.

And but, the present pc structure has its limits. Even when corporations begin constructing larger information facilities, some issues merely can’t be solved with conventional computer systems. It is usually unclear whether or not Moore’s regulation will stay legitimate within the years to return.

That is the place quantum computer systems may show helpful.

“If we need to create a mannequin — an exhaustive simulation of a chemical response — to understand how new medicine are going to work together with our cells, that’s not doable with a traditional method,” C12 co-founder and CEO Pierre Desjardins (pictured proper) instructed TechCrunch.

“There are an entire host of optimization issues to be solved, whether or not in transport, logistics or manufacturing. They’re not possible to run on a traditional pc as a result of there might be too many variables, too many doable situations,” he continued.

Matthieu Desjardins, his brother, has a PhD in quantum physics and acts because the CTO of the corporate. In some unspecified time in the future in our dialog, Pierre Desjardins even known as his brother a “scientific genius.”

And since it’s 2024, there’s even an AI angle that ought to persuade you that quantum computing analysis is essential. “At the moment, coaching a big language mannequin additionally means consuming an unlimited quantity of power,” Pierre Desjardins stated. “And quantum can be a computing technique that makes use of a lot much less power.”

Learn how to construct a quantum pc

C12 says the 2 key variations with the opposite groups engaged on quantum computer systems are that it makes use of a special materials — carbon nanotubes — and it has a particular manufacturing course of — a nano-assembly course of that’s now patented.

“At the moment, I feel we’re the one ones on this planet to manage this very particular course of, which includes placing a carbon nanotube on high of a silicon chip. And what’s completely fascinating is the dimensions. The diameter of a carbon nanotube is 10,000 occasions smaller than a human hair,” Pierre Desjardins stated.

Analysis groups working for giant corporations like Google, IBM or Amazon are presently specializing in a special course of. Most of them are utilizing superconducting supplies, reminiscent of aluminum, on high of a silicon substrate.

In response to C12, whereas this technique has led to early breakthroughs. Nonetheless, utilizing aluminum isn’t going to work at scale attributable to interferences as you begin including extra qubits. Whereas quantum isn’t mature but, C12 believes it’s engaged on next-generation quantum computing in comparison with these aluminum-based processes.

The corporate has arrange its first manufacturing line in a basement close to the Pantheon in Paris. On this facility, they manufacture carbon nanotubes, management these tubes after which combine them with the silicon substrate.

“It’s now up and operating. At the moment, we produce about one chip every week, which we then check in our mini information middle,” Pierre Desjardins stated. However don’t count on to see a quantum pc simply but. “We’re nonetheless actually simply validating elementary parts,” he added. The corporate is specializing in chips with one or two qubits for the second.

Emulating quantum

As analysis and improvement work progresses, the C12 staff can be engaged on its enterprise ecosystem. Like many quantum corporations, C12 has created an emulator known as Callisto. Emulators let builders write and run some quantum code on a classical pc.

They’re not going to get the outcomes they’d get with a quantum pc, however at the very least they are going to be able to hit the bottom operating when quantum computer systems can be found.

“We’re presently specializing in two verticals, the chemical trade and the power trade. The chemical trade makes use of it to simulate chemical reactions and the power trade makes use of it primarily for optimization issues,” Pierre Desjardins stated. Particularly, the startup has a partnership with Air Liquide.

And if we return to the funding spherical, Varsity Capital, EIC Fund and Verve Ventures are investing in it; present buyers 360 Capital, Bpifrance’s Digital Enterprise fund and BNP Paribas Développement are additionally taking part as soon as once more on this spherical.

There are 45 individuals from 18 completely different nationalities working for C12 at the moment, together with 22 PhDs. With the not too long ago raised capital, C12 plans to signal extra partnerships with industrial companions. However the firm additionally has a analysis aim.

“The opposite aim is to hold out, for the primary time, a quantum operation between two qubits which might be positioned at a protracted distance from one another,” Pierre Desjardins stated. By lengthy distance, he means “tens of micrometers” from one another. It doesn’t appear to be a lot, however it is going to be key in relation to scaling quantum computing.