New Start-up Alice & Bob Aims to Slash Costs of Quantum Computing by Ten Times

The French start-up Alice & Bob, which seeks to develop a universal quantum computer, via “cat qubits” to reduce quantum decoherence, announced on March 27 the awarding of a grant of 16.5 million euros. The financing was granted as part of the France 2030 investment plan, on behalf of the State by Bpifrance.

“Housing 100 logical qubits in a single cryostat”

With this project, the financing of which was approved by Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, the start-up founded in 2020 is committed to “perfecting quantum computing, from its design to its realization, including the infrastructure”. In other words, Alice & Bob, accompanied by its academic partners which are ENS Lyon and the École des Mines Paris – PSL, will attempt to develop, by 2027, a quantum computer ten times cheaper to produce, ready to be launched on the market (the calculator is currently at the prototype stage). Cryogenics, but also the management of large sets of qubits, generate significant costs for society.

The project, entitled “Cat Factory”, will be centered around numerous “key technologies”such as nanofabrication, chip design, validation, digital tools and electronic control. “Quantum computing algorithms require hundreds of logical qubits, involving thousands or even millions of physical qubits, said Florent di Meglio, project manager for Mines Paris. ‘Cat Factory’ will develop the technology needed to house 100 logical qubits in a single cryostat.”

A new architecture to reduce qubit control and readout lines

The new architecture optimized for error-tolerant quantum computing should make it possible to reduce both the number of control lines per “cat qubit”, and both the number of reading lines. To achieve this, the start-up wants to increase the number of analog ports per rack, and use “next generation cabling technology” to increase the number of cryostat control lines.

In addition to this three-year project, Alice & Bob is participating, with other French start-ups specializing in quantum (Pasqal, Quellela, C12 and Quobly) in the “Proqcima” program, launched at the beginning of the month by the General Management of armament. This project aims to develop, by 2030, fault-tolerant quantum computers with 128 logical qubits, and by 2035, a quantum computer with 2048 logical qubits.