News Summary

Nord Quantique, a Sherbrooke-based company, has announced a significant advancement in quantum error correction that could make quantum computing more practical and energy-efficient. The company has developed a method using ‘multimode’ encoding to produce quantum bits, or qubits, which uses less space and power compared to conventional single-mode approaches. This breakthrough could be particularly beneficial for high-performance computing data centers, which are concerned about space and electricity usage. The new method requires significantly less energy to solve complex problems like RSA-830 encryption, using only 120 kilowatts compared to the 1,400 kilowatts needed by a photonic quantum computer. This development builds on previous research and positions Nord Quantique as a key player in the competitive quantum development sector in Sherbrooke, alongside other startups like Quantacet and Qubic Technologies. The company has received $9.5 million in seed funding and has been chosen by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for a research program aimed at developing a usable quantum computer by 2033.