High-speed computer
© Quantum Brilliance GmbH

Quantum Brilliance

High-speed computers from Baden-Württemberg

The Australian company Quantum Brilliance has chosen Stuttgart as the location for its European headquarters. One reason is the many companies and research institutes in the region that are working on the future technology of quantum computing.

 

Dark T-shirt, baseball cap and squeaky yellow smartwatch - the European head of Quantum Brilliance has his own style and eschews established conventions. This is fitting, as Mark Mattingley-Scott's company is driving a development that could profoundly change our world for decades to come..

The company specializes in quantum computing - a technology that has the potential to handle highly complex computing processes many times faster than the most modern computers of our time. ‘Germany has the best prerequisites in the world to become a leading player in this field,’ says Mattingley-Scott. Born in the UK, he studied physics, electrical engineering and computer science at Durham University. Before joining the Australian start-up, he worked 32 years for IBM in Baden-Württemberg.

He considers the research and business landscape in Baden-Württemberg to be a particularly good framework for advancing the company's plans. Half of the company's 90 employees worldwide work in the federal state. They conduct their research in laboratories in Stuttgart and in Freiburg - as subtenants of the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics IAF, which specializes in semiconductor technology.

 

Technological nucleus in THE LÄND

Although Quantum Brilliance is an Australian start-up, its technological nucleus is located in THE LÄND. This is because important scientific foundations of quantum computing have been laid at research institutes in Freiburg, Stuttgart and Ulm, says Mattingley-Scott. Other technology companies from the region such as Bosch, Trumpf and the German subsidiary of IBM, which are also active in the field of quantum computing and are part of a knowledge transfer network, likewise benefit from this.

Quantum computers differ from conventional computers because they do not use bits that have the state 0 or 1. The central element is qubits, which assume both states simultaneously and therefore provide a multiple of computing power. Quantum computing could one day be used to process enormous amounts of data, for example to predict the development of financial markets based on probabilities or to recognize early illnesses in the field of medical diagnostics.

 

It all depends on the diamond

The qubits are based on synthetic diamonds developed by Quantum Brilliance. The carbon structure of the artificial gemstones is specifically supplemented with nitrogen molecules. Chips can be produced from several qubits, which do not require cooling and can therefore be used efficiently. A third pillar of the company's business is consulting. ‘We help our customers to understand how the new technology can be utilized,’ says Mattingley-Scott.

 

Gathering expertise

The state government is supporting the establishment of a centre of excellence for quantum computing in Baden-Württemberg, QuantumBW.  Not only financially, but also personally. Shortly after Quantum Brilliance opened its headquarters in Stuttgart's Colorado Tower, Minister President Winfried Kretschmann announced his visit in January 2022 to find out more about the start-up's activities.

The location marketing agency Baden-Württemberg International (BW_i) supported the start-up from Haymarket, Australia, in setting up in the Southwest of Germany. BW_i is also on hand to help with the recruitment of highly specialized experts from outside Europe: ‘Baden-Württemberg International has been very supportive when we had problems obtaining visas or work permits quickly,’ says Mattingley-Scott. That was a great help. And the Head of Europe at Quantum Brilliance is certain that there will be further opportunities to collaborate with BW_i in the future.