Dusseldorf From a large corporation to a start-up: Florian Neukart, head of Volkswagen’s quantum computer department, switches to Terra Quantum from Markus Pflitsch. Neukart becomes product manager at the young Austrian-Swiss start-up that wants to offer commercially usable quantum computer technology solutions for large corporations.
The change is remarkable. Neukart is one of the most accomplished quantum computer experts in Germany. Under his leadership, VW experimented with quantum-based GPS-supported navigation, which can avoid traffic jams even better than conventional navigation systems. Among other things, Neukart was a member of the expert committee of the “Roadmap Quantum Computing”, the federal government’s two billion euro quantum computer funding program.
With his new position as CPO at Terra Quantum, Neukart is giving up this function. In return, the former VW quantum boss sees an opportunity to intervene in the development of revolutionary computer technology. “It was important to me not only to use quantum computer technology, but to develop it myself. And that’s exactly what Terra Quantum enables me to do, ”says Neukart in an interview with Handelsblatt.
Terra Quantum builds its business model on three pillars: The start-up develops quantum algorithms, special quantum computer hardware in which quantum computing processes are simulated on conventional computer hardware, and solutions for quantum encryption.
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Terra Quantum continued to develop the technology for the three pillars until spring. Since then, according to Pflitsch, the start-up has been working on commercialization. “Florian Neukart will play a decisive role here. With his customer knowledge, he should tailor our quantum technology to the needs of potential corporate customers, ”says Pflitsch.
Among other things, Neukart sees quantum-encrypted communication as an important goal. “If we don’t start making our communications quantum-proof today, we will have a big problem in the years to come. This is precisely why quantum-encrypted communication is one of the main goals of the roadmap, ”says Neukart.
So far, Terra Quantum has among others a large European car manufacturer, an energy company and a US asset manager among its customers. The start-up is currently also apparently preparing another financing round.
His former supervisor at Volkswagen, Martin Hoffmann, played a central role in Neukart’s move. The ex-CIO of Europe’s largest car manufacturer made contact with Pflitsch and Terra Quantum. The decisive factor for Neukart was, among other things, the staff who work for the start-up. “Above all, the discussions with Valerii Vinokur, CTO at Terra Quantum, and the idea of how to commercialize quantum technology as quickly as possible convinced me,” says Neukart.
Quantum offer in the cloud in October
For Pflitsch, the personnel is also a credibility gain. Terra Quantum has caused a sensation in recent months with spectacular technology promises. After the company announced in April of this year that it had found a solution for quantum-encrypted data transfer over long distances, it initially rained criticism from research circles. Terra Quantum initially did not provide any scientific evidence, the corresponding press release was confusing, scientists complained.
Pflischt says: “The sometimes insufficient understanding of our solution for quantum-encrypted communication came from a few computer scientists working in a classic research field. However, we are pursuing a new approach that has little to do with classical computer science, but uses concepts of quantum thermodynamics with a bundle of photons. ”
In the course of October, Terra Quantum plans to make its quantum computer solutions accessible via a cloud. Then customers can access the offers for an hourly rate. The start-up then competes, among other things, with the offer from the Fraunhofer Institute.
This enables companies to access a quantum computer from IBM, which, unlike Terra Quantum, is a so-called quantum gate. Roughly speaking, these are “real” quantum computers and not simulated ones as in the case of Terra Quantum. The advantage: quantum gates are not limited in terms of their possible applications. Disadvantage: The computers are still in the prototype phase, faulty and therefore not yet commercially usable.
“It is important for companies to make quantum technology usable for their business. This is what distinguishes Terra Quantum from the Fraunhofer Institute, which makes an IBM quantum computer available to companies via the cloud, ”says Neukart.
Collaboration: Larissa Holzki
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