The Creative Destruction Lab (CDL), a seed-stage startup accelerator at the University of Toronto, has partnered with Silicon Valley-based Rigetti Computing to support startups developing quantum machine learning software.
Rigetti Computing is working to build a general purpose quantum computer that uses non-intuitive properties of atoms to perform complex calculations.
Through the partnership, CDL said Rigetti Computing will provide quantum machine learning startups with hands-on training about hybrid programming models and algorithm libraries through Forest, the company’s suite of tools that enable experimental quantum programming. The startups will also gain access to Rigetti Computing’s cloud-connected superconducting quantum processors and its Quantum Virtual Machine.
“The partnership with Rigetti expands the options of quantum systems available for algorithm development for the companies in our program.”
“We announced the Quantum Machine Learning Program earlier this year with founding technology partner D-Wave Systems, and since then, the interest from applicants, investors, and technology partners has exceeded our expectations,” said Daniel Mulet, associate director of quantum machine learning at CDL. “The partnership with Rigetti expands the options of quantum systems available for algorithm development for the companies in our program.”
CDL and Rigetti Computing’s partnership comes just over three months after CDL announced a partnership with Burnaby-based D-Wave Systems to create a new track for quantum machine learning startups. D-Wave is also providing CDL with a specified level of access to its quantum system and sampling service to each quantum machine learning startup in the CDL program.
“Quantum machine learning will power some of the most impactful and exciting near-term applications of quantum computing. The startups at the CDL are at the leading edge of this technology and will get early access to Rigetti’s general-purpose quantum hardware and to Forest, one of the most sophisticated quantum programming environments in the world,” said Madhav Thattai, chief strategy officer at Rigetti Computing. “We’re looking forward to working with these pioneering individuals and teams to help create and accelerate the quantum application ecosystem.”
CDL’s quantum machine learning program kicks off on September 5 with a month of training on the systems built by D-Wave and Rigetti Computing.
In May, CDL announced its expansion into three cities, including Montreal, Calgary, and Halifax.