Quantum computer. Ventur, the first "unicorns" and the price of creation

The project "Russian norms!" It represents a special output dedicated to a quantum computer. Scientists and visionaries call it one of the technologies that will provide in the future a breakthrough in all areas of business, and journalists will provide “nuclear weapons” of the 21st century. It is believed that companies that are the first to create a quantum computer will leave far behind their competitors. In 2021, interest in the quantum computer increased multiple: the first “unicorn” in this area - Ionq, entered the exchange. Another startup Psyquantum attracted $ 450 million venture investments. The third, Rigetti, recently announced plans to become public when evaluating $ 1.5 billion. At the same time, business representatives and investors admit that interest in technology from business is still insufficient. In the world there are only 100 quantum startups. Why is this so? Why do you need a quantum computer? Is it true that he will be able to hack all cyber protection systems? Why can't it create it? And how much does it cost?

Heroes of the Special Office:

Alexander Galitsky - international venture investor, entrepreneur, founder of the Almaz Capital Foundation

Lev Ioffe - leading researcher Google

Ilya Perminov is the main developer of the D-Wave computer operating system

Stanislav Straupe - head of the quantum computing sector of the Central Technical University of the Moscow State University, head of the scientific group of the Russian quantum center

Alexey Melnikov - Head of the Scientific Group in Terra Quantum AG

Gleb Fedorov - researcher at the laboratory of artificial quantum systems of MIFT

Nikolai Lightdimov - the head of the technological practice of the KPMG

Denis Serechenko - Microsoft Technological Policy Director in Russia

What awaits you in the release:

Gleb Fedorov:

“According to the high-tech part, now, probably, America, that is, by the level of ideas, intelligence, teams, is now ahead. And on investment, probably too. But they are now very actively catching up with China, in our region it is directly very clearly traced. There have been born over the past 5 years by several independent groups. There are articles, where 50 authors are published - and, probably, all the Chinese. There is no great activity in Europe compared to China and America. ”

Nikolai is easy to:

“If you rank venture investments in the degree of venture, then, probably, quantum technologies today on the most venture-inventure edge of the spectrum. That is, something will once be, everyone understands that it will once happen, but for most investors you need to have at least some approximate return time. In quantum technology, he is still incomprehensible. ”

Alexander Galitsky:

“As in any business, there are people who believe, enthusiasts, in this story. They put off part of the capital in this promising direction in order to take certain market positions from the point of view of the venture capitalist - that he understands the industry, understands people in the industry. Then he can, when a quick growth goes, be a champion in this story. Here is the position why people invest. And it is clear why they are not invested. Not because it is expensive, but because the market has not ripened. ”

Ilya Perminov:

“The quantum computer is in about the same category with the development of cancer and biotechnical companies. Because if you manage to create a quantum computer, an effectively working and practically useful, it will bring a huge amount of money that will do this, and it will be a very serious breakthrough from the point of view of technology. On the other hand, of course, the risks are very high, because in fact it is not even clear whether it is generally possible to do in principle. ”

Stanislav Straupe:

“Our private companies so far are only looking at the quantum calculations. Our conventional IT giants of the Yandex type yet do not go into this area at all. That is, the lion's share of financing is now coming from the state through various funds, state programs. The problem with public financing is common - this money is very difficult to spend. Great difficulties with purchases, because public procurement is a whole system, very bureaucratic, very slow. For high -tech developments, it is actually little suitable. That is, instead of the purpose of creating a quantum computer, we get a goal - to fulfill certain indicators according to a particular project, just for the sake of implementation. ”

Leo Ioffe:

“Yes, of course, our goal is in the future, but this is a distant prospect of relatively - to create a full computer, a real computer with error correction. Not such undercurrents that many now have and because of which everyone is measured: "How many qubits do you have?" - “53”. - "And we have 54." And the real. "

Denis Serechenko:

“It's expensive. This is always, when you are in the very front line, when you have technology, it is always expensive. Because it is like pioneers. You invest, you study, and you need to understand many different aspects at once, invest in materials, invest in the development of software, invest in the development of an idea. Fundamental research is always dear, and this is still in many ways fundamental research. ”

Alexander Galitsky:

“If you take my personal attitude, budget money should just be spent on fundamental and even on applied science, when some results are obtained. Because the risks hit 10, 15, 20 years in advance few private traders will take on themselves.

When we take scientific and functional things and tanks that will give a result after 10, 15, 20 years, this is concern for future generations. That people who grow in 20 years live in a society that is modern and developed, and could continue to develop the country, economics, etc. If I do not do it, then, in fact, I am resetting the next generation, and they begin to develop with a new one. Unfortunately, we have such things in the country. If we take the 1990s, they were emasculated from the point of view of many directions, many things. ”

Alexey Melnikov:

“I think real power will begin when there will be 50 fault -resistant cubes. Now, so to speak, there are no cubes at all that are fault -resistant. Even if you take 1 cube, 1 quantum bit, it is still mistaken, there are mistakes there, and it is not possible to correct them now. And we need such people not one, but 50. But even one is difficult to do. ”