DistriQ, the Quantum Innovation Zone in Sherbrooke, Qué, is among the 10 new members and affiliates that joined Quantum Industry Canada (QIC) this past week.
“Through our integration into this influential network, we secure direct engagement with pivotal figures in the quantum technology domain.”
– DistriQ CEO Martin Enault
Six of QIC’s newest members hail from Québec, including industry group Québec Quantique, quantum hardware startup Qubic Technologies, data center provider Exaion, think tank group Numana, and quantum-centric startup studio QV Studio.
The four other new member organizations are coming out of Kitchener-Waterloo, including quantum startups Phantom Photonics and Open Quantum Design, as well as publicly-traded quantum company IonQ and software design firm Keysight.
“Waterloo Region has long been a beacon of pioneering research and innovation in the quantum realm,” QIC CEO Lisa Lambert said in a statement. “The inclusion of these four dynamic organizations in our consortium highlights the momentum in the emerging quantum industry, showcasing the accelerated transition from research to market and Canada’s position as a global leader in this critical technology sector.”
QIC was formed in October 2020 by a consortium of 24 quantum-invested companies, including 1QBit, Xanadu, and D-Wave, looking to support the growth of the sector. The industry advocacy group has been bolstering its operations significantly since receiving $1.4 million as part of the federal government’s $360-million National Quantum Strategy last year.
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Beginning with the appointment of Lambert as its first-ever CEO in October 2023, QIC went on to add three quantum industry leaders to its board of directors, including Xanadu founder and CEO Christian Weedbrook, in December.
In February, the organization launched its affiliate program meant to integrate and represent industry players that have an auxiliary impact on the quantum industry, including business accelerators, funding organizations, and academic and research institutions.
The momentum continued, as QIC has since added more than 20 members and affiliates from across the country since the turn of the new year. The organization says it now represents almost 60 quantum technology and allied organizations among its members and affiliates.
With this past week’s additions, QIC says that DistriQ and Québec Quantique are the first of Canada’s major regional quantum innovation ecosystem accelerators to join its organization.
“Through our integration into this influential network, we secure direct engagement with pivotal figures in the quantum technology domain,” DistriQ CEO Martin Enault said in a statement. “This partnership fuels our capacity to amplify the value we provide to our ecosystem.”
Feature image courtesy IBM Research via Flickr.