Quantum

The Quantum Stream at CDL-Toronto brings together entrepreneurs, investors, scientists in quantum technologies, and quantum technology partners (D-Wave Systems, IBM Q, Rigetti Computing, Xanadu and Zapata Computing) to build ventures in the emerging domain of quantum computing, machine learning, optimization, sensing and other applications of quantum technologies.

CDL Quantum Stream involves an intensive 4-week technical and business quantum bootcamp instructed by industry and academic leaders in quantum technologies and machine learning, followed by five objective-setting sessions between October and June

CDL Quantum startups work with mentors to sharpen objectives, prioritize time and resources, raise capital, and engage with experts working on the frontiers of research.

CDL is a non-profit organization. There are no fees for participation and CDL does not take any equity. Learn more about the CDL program.

All Quantum Alumni Companies ▶︎

Who Should Apply?

Both individuals and early-stage companies are encouraged to apply.

  • Individual Applicants: Ideal CDL Quantum Stream candidates are creative, intelligent, and ambitious individuals with technical competency in machine learning, computational science, physics, math, statistics, or engineering; or relevant industry experience or domain expertise. If desired, individual participants will have the opportunity to find a suitable co-founding team during the CDL Quantum Bootcamp.
  • Quantum Software Ventures/Teams: Startups at all levels of maturity will be considered. We accept projects (pre-incorporation), early-stage companies (pre-seed) or more mature companies (seed stage).
  • Quantum Hardware Ventures/Teams: Ideal candidates are at a stage where they already have a basic prototype.

Example Innovation Areas:

The list above is not exhaustive.

 

The CDL Quantum Stream admits one cohort annually at CDL-Toronto. For more information or to schedule an introductory meeting with the CDL team, email quantum@creativedestructionlab.com

CDL Quantum Stream Features

The Quantum Stream at CDL-Toronto offers a robust set of resources for new founders to launch and scale a startup in the quantum ecosystem.

  • Business Guidance and Investor Access – Objective-setting meetings with the CDL mentors – a group of highly successful entrepreneurs and investors with expertise in scaling high-tech startups, world-leading scientists and industry leaders in quantum technologies.
  • Quantum Access – Quantum computing resources from our technology partners:
    • D-Wave – Access to the latest D-Wave System and Software libraries;
    • IBM Q – Access and hands-on technical support for the public IBM Q Experience™ systems, and IBM’s open source quantum software platform, Qiskit™;
    • Rigetti – Rigetti Forest programming environment, with access to cloud-connected superconducting quantum processors and Quantum Virtual Machine (QVM);
    • Xanadu – Strawberry Fields, an open-source library for photonic quantum computing, with a suite of simulators for execution on CPU/GPU, along with early private access to Xanadu’s cloud-based quantum photonic chips and PennyLane, a cross-platform Python library for differentiable programming of quantum computers.
    • Zapata Computing – OrquestraⓇ enables users to compose quantum workflows and orchestrate their execution across classical and quantum technologies.
  • Technical Education – 4-week technical quantum bootcamp where the potential founders learn critical technical and business skills via lectures, practical exercises, one-on-one interactions and a two-day, multi-platform Quantum hackathon.
  • Business Support – Guidance on strategy and business development from top students and faculty from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.

 

 

Our Mentors

CDL mentors include accomplished entrepreneurs, experienced operators, and active angel and venture capital investors. Mentors meet every eight weeks in Toronto to help founders set objectives over the program’s 10-month duration.

All Quantum Mentors ▶︎

 

Our Scientists

Teams accepted to the CDL Quantum Stream benefit from extensive advising sessions and regular office hours with quantum physics, machine learning, and quantum computing experts. These scientists help to evaluate approaches to building technology, suggest improvements, and explore formal advising engagements.

All CDL-Toronto Scientists ▶︎

 

Peter Wittek, Founding Academic Director, CDL Quantum

In September of 2019, Rotman Assistant Professor Peter Wittek went missing during a mountaineering expedition in the Himalayas, after being caught in an avalanche. Peter was a valued member of the Rotman community and his loss is keenly felt.

 

 

 

 

Locations

CDL-Toronto

Toronto

“As someone who walks the line between academia and entrepreneurship, the Lab was very useful as a means to keep Xanadu on track, achieving necessary milestones we needed to de-risk the company for our first round. For that I am truly indebted…Overall, the Lab has been fundamental to Xanadu’s success.”

Christian Weedbrook, Founder & CEO of Xanadu

Quantum in the News

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the skills and knowledge prerequisites for the CDL Quantum Stream?

For applicants coming from a computer science background, having a solid understanding of machine learning, probabilistic graphical models, statistics, and Monte Carlo methods is recommended, along with experience with distributed systems. For physicists, quantum computing, quantum many-body systems, and quantum information processing are the most relevant areas, and experience with large-scale numerical computations is a great advantage.

Entrepreneurs without physics or ML experiences can also apply, particularly if they have specific industry expertise relevant for quantum technologies. The application is the same for those with technical and business backgrounds.

I don’t currently have my own startup. Can I join as an individual?

Yes, the Quantum Stream at CDL-Toronto accepts both pre-existing teams/companies and individuals into the program.

You will have the opportunity to meet and work with other individual participants and to develop your own teams during the CDL Quantum Bootcamp in the month of July. Many of our companies that participate in the CDL mentorship program are formed during the Bootcamp.

Who are the technology partners?

D-Wave Systems Founded in 1999, D-Wave Systems is the world’s first quantum computing company and the leader in the development and delivery of quantum computing systems and software. Its mission is to unlock the power of quantum computing to solve the world’s most challenging problems. D-Wave systems are being used by world-class organizations and institutions including Lockheed Martin, Google, NASA, USC, USRA and Los Alamos National Laboratory. D-Wave has been granted more than 140 US patents and has published over 90 peer-reviewed papers in leading scientific journals.

IBM Q IBM Q is an industry-first initiative to build commercial universal quantum systems for business and science applications. IBM Q will provide access and hands-on technical support for the public IBM Q Experience™ systems, and IBM’s open source quantum software platform, Qiskit™. IBM will provide ongoing support through a single point of contact coordinator.

Rigetti Rigetti Computing is a full-stack quantum computing company that designs and manufactures superconducting quantum-integrated circuits. Rigetti packages and deploys those chips in a low-temperature environment, and builds control systems to perform quantum logic operations on them. Rigetti believes that the first useful quantum computers are within reach and that quantum computing has the potential to one day have an enormous positive impact on humanity. To help realize that vision, it is also developing new algorithms for quantum computing, with a focus on near-term applications in computational chemistry and machine learning. Forest is the world’s first full-stack programming and execution environment for quantum/classical computing and includes Quil (quantum instruction language), the Rigetti programming standard for quantum/classical computing.

Xanadu Xanadu is a light-based quantum computing company that creates silicon photonic chips to build a truly full-stack solution. Xanadu uses photonic chips to generate, control, and measure photons in ways that enable extremely fast computation. Strawberry Fields, Xanadu’s programming platform, is a library for simulation, optimization and quantum machine learning of continuous-variable circuits. The platform contains a Python API for quantum programming based on our user-friendly Blackbird language and a suite of virtual quantum computer backends built in NumPy and TensorFlow. Xanadu has also developed PennyLane, a cross-platform Python library for differentiable programming of quantum computers.

Zapata Computing Zapata’s quantum platform Orquestra combines a powerful software platform and quantum algorithm libraries to deliver real-world advances in computational power for applications — particularly in chemistry, machine learning, and optimization. Orquestra enables users to compose quantum workflows and orchestrate their execution across classical and quantum technologies.

I’m not Canadian. Can I still apply?

Yes. Depending on your nationality, you may need a visa. If you are accepted, we can provide you access to support from a Canadian immigration law firm, which can help you obtain the necessary entry permits.

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