Q2B last week welcomed the quantum computing community back in-person for its 2021 conference, convening industry experts, researchers, and companies developing innovative quantum technologies.Several Duality mentors and advisors as well as two Cohort 1 startups participated in the event, which for the first time featured a Startup Pitch Competition sponsored by the Chicago Quantum Exchange, QC Ware Corp., and QED-C.
Developing a cloud-based platform for managed access to other quantum computing software and hardware, Duality Cohort 1 startup qBraid took home second place at the inaugural competition. In addition, Duality mentor and Qunnect CEO Noel Goddard took home first place for the New York-based company, which is building hardware to transform telecommunications infrastructure into scalable quantum networks.
“Qunnect and qBraid should be especially proud to have been selected as winners by an expert panel of ten judges,” said Preeti Chalsani, deputy director of Duality and director of industry partnerships for quantum information science, a joint position with the Polsky Center and the Chicago Quantum Exchange. “The pitches from all six participating startups were compelling, providing a glimpse into the future for this rapidly growing field and its potential for broad impact.”
“qBraid is very excited to have gotten the second spot in the pitch competition at the Q2B conference,” said Kanav Setia, cofounder and CEO of qBraid. “It is not just a win for qBraid but is also a win for Duality. We have been very fortunate and are grateful for having team Duality’s support throughout.”
(From left to right) QED-C Executive Director Celia Merzbacher; Qunnect CEO Noel Goddard; QC Ware CEO Matt Johnson; Deputy Director of Duality Preeti Chalsani.