IBM Quantum Networks onboards first Indian startup BosonQ PSI

US-based IT company IBM's quantum network has onboarded the first Indian quantum computing startup BosonQ PSI to help them build products and expedite time to market, a senior IBM official said on Thursday. Bengaluru-based BosonQ PSI will use resources available for quantum computing at IBM for developing simulating software for enterprises.

"BosonQ PSI is the first Indian startup to enter the IBM quantum network.

IBM opened access to its quantum computing resources to universities in India. Later in 2022, it onboarded IIT Madras -- the first Indian university as an IBM quantum network member.

"We have now onboarded BosonQ PSI (BQP) where the goal is to help them build powerful products and accelerate their time to market," IBM Research India Distinguished Quantum Ambassador LV Subramaniam said.

He said that the onboarding provides access to IBM quantum resources without any cost to BQP or equity transactions.

"We want Indian deep tech startup to scale up and be world-class," Subramaniam said. There are more than 200 entities that are in the IBM quantum network, he said.

Quantum computing is still in the development stage and is expected to reach the commercial stage by 2025.

IBM developed the quantum computing system "IBM Quantum System One" in 2019 and launched a 433 qubit Osprey processor in 2022. Subramaniam said that the fastest classical supercomputer emulate can do calculations up to 35-40 qubits (quantum bits).

Quantum computing startups at present are building simulation-based solutions that reflect their performance in the quantum computing environment.

"We are getting overwhelming traction for our simulation platform, and this announcement couldn't have come at a better time. Being part of IBM's network allows our team to experiment and harness the scalability of our hybrid quantum-classical algorithms and carry out proof-of-concept projects," BQP founder and CTO Rut Lineswala said.

He said that the company has been using the IBM Quantum system for creating simulation software solutions and the onboarding in their quantum network will help it expedite product development.

BosonQ PSI has plans to launch the beta version of its first solution by June and the final product by August and the second version will come after 6-9 months after commercialisation of the product.

The company is working to develop quantum computing-based software, including solutions for the crash analysis of structural mechanics by simulating deformations, stress and strains in solid materials. It will cater to industries like automotive, aerospace, energy etc.