​​Xanadu​, a ​full-stack ​quantum ​computing​​ ​company​ ​​with the mission to build quantum computers that are useful and available to people everywhere​, joined the Chicago Quantum Exchange as the consortium’s first Canadian corporate partner this month.

The Toronto-based photonic quantum computing company also leads the development of PennyLane, an open-source software library for quantum computing ​programming ​and application development. The company, which was founded in 2016, also strategically partners with academic institutions and research labs to collaboratively advance quantum education.

“We are delighted to welcome Xanadu, a company whose efforts to accelerate quantum computing research and education fits well with the CQE’s mission to advance the field of quantum information science and engineering, build the future quantum workforce, and drive the quantum economy,” said Chicago Quantum Exchange CEO Kate Timmerman. “The company is already contributing to the CQE’s ecosystem as a member of The Bloch Quantum Tech Hub, where it is an important part of our effort to democratize quantum computing.”

The Bloch Quantum is a multisector coalition with an industry-forward approach to quantum technology development—a first-of-its​-​kind system that equips entire industry sectors with the partnerships, specialized infrastructure, and workforce to create quantum solutions for some of society’s most pressing issues. The Bloch is a US Economic Development Administration-designated Tech Hub that is projected to generate $60 billion in economic impact for the Chicago metro area by 2035.  

Xanadu focuses on photonic quantum computing, meaning it uses qubits based on photons, or particles of light. Photonic qubits ​operate​ at room temperature, which has advantages for ​scaling​​ ​quantum computers​ to the millions of qubits necessary for practical utility​. As part of its accessibility mission, the company engages directly with the community, working with universities across the globe, running educational events ​such as quantum hackathons, ​and creating ​instructional ​ materials​ for university faculty teaching quantum programming​.

"Xanadu joining the Chicago Quantum Exchange represents a key ​milestone​ in our mission to build quantum computers that are useful and available to people everywhere,” said Christian Weedbrook, Xanadu’s founder and CEO. “By joining forces with the CQE's esteemed consortium of university and industrial leaders, we are poised to empower the next generation of pioneers in quantum programming and to drive applied research that moves quantum computing from the theoretical into the practical."  

The CQE is one of the largest collaborative teams working on quantum information science and engineering in the world. It is based at the University of Chicago and anchored by Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and Northwestern University, and includes more than 40 corporate, international, nonprofit, and regional partners.