The Quantum Computing Industry: An Inside-Out Perspective

This is a guest lecture I gave at UC Davis for a course; see https://qist.ucdavis.edu/events/dr-travis-scholten-ibm-quantum-quantum-computing-industry-inside-out-perspective

Abstract:
In recent years, the commercialization of quantum computing has begun in earnest. Major enterprise companies, as well as startups, are rapidly working to develop business lines and commercial know-how around this nascent technology. Amidst such activity, identifying ways to jump in and join this growing industry can be hard. In this talk, I share my journey going from a newly-minted UNM PhD just over three years ago, to joining IBM Quantum, to the evolution of my role within the organization. Along the way, I'll discuss the opportunities and exciting challenges ahead, as well as useful resources for those who are curious about the transition from academia to this industry.

Transcript

1. IBM Quantum / © 2021 IBM Corporation
   Travis L. Scholten @Travis_Sch
   Quantum Applications Architect
   The Quantum Computing Industry:
   An Inside-Out Perspective
   UC Davis — 2022 February 16
   

   View Slide

2. IBM Quantum / © 2021 IBM Corporation 2
   What I plan to
   

   cover today
   Why
   

   should I get
   involved in the
   industry?
   How
   

   do I get involved?
   Who
   
   
   are you?
   

   View Slide

3. IBM Quantum / © 2021 IBM Corporation 3
   So…
   

   who are you,
   
   
   anyway?
   

   View Slide

4. IBM Quantum / © 2021 IBM Corporation 4
   Pivot, pivot, pivot:
   

   my journey to the industry
   2008
   

   Enter Caltech
   2011
   

   Research with
   

   John Preskill
   2012
   

   Enter UNM
   2013
   

   1st Quantum
   Conference
   2018/09
   

   Finish PhD
   2013
   

   Student
   

   internship
   
   
   2018/10
   

   Join IBM
   Quantum
   “Physics Prof” “Wall Street” “Data scientist” “Quantum industry”
   

   View Slide

5. IBM Quantum / © 2021 IBM Corporation 5
   Pivot, pivot, pivot:
   

   my journey within the industry
   2018/09
   

   Finish PhD
   2022/02
   

   This talk!
   2018/10
   

   Join IBM
   Quantum
   2020/12
   

   Research
   

   paper
   2020/06
   

   Research
   

   paper
   2021/12
   

   Research
   

   paper
   2020/10
   

   SW Workshop
   

   Organizer;
   

   Podcast
   
   
   speaker
   2020/11
   
   
   Podcast
   

   speaker
   2019/03
   

   Invited
   

   speaker
   2021/04
   

   Panelist
   2021/08
   

   Panelist
   “Applications Researcher” “Applications Architect”
   

   View Slide

6. IBM Quantum / © 2021 IBM Corporation 6
   Why should I
   get involved in
   the industry?
   

   View Slide

7. IBM Quantum / © 2021 IBM Corporation 7
   Major enterprise companies, plus startups, are
   building out an entirely new computing paradigm.
   Systems
   Software
   Applications
   Services
   IonQ
   
   
   Intel
   
   
   QCI
   
   
   AQT
   
   
   PsiQuantum
   
   
   ColdQuanta
   
   
   Silicon QC
   Zapata
   
   
   CQC
   
   
   QC Ware
   
   
   1QBit
   
   
   Riverlane
   
   
   Entropica
   
   
   Qu & Co
   
   
   Horizon QC
   
   
   Phasecraft
   h-bar Consultants
   
   
   Entanglement Partners
   
   
   Creative Destruction Lab
   
   
   Strangeworks
   IBM
   
   
   Google
   
   
   Microsoft
   
   
   Honeywell
   Quantum
   Solutions
   
   
   Xanadu
   
   
   D-Wave Systems
   
   
   Rigetti
   Computing
   Q-CTRL
   
   
   Quantum Benchmark
   
   
   Opacity
   Inspired from
   
   
   https://www.bcg.com/en-us/publications/2018/
   next-decade-quantum-computing-how-play
   

   View Slide

8. IBM Quantum / © 2021 IBM Corporation 8
   Industry offers opportunities for
   

   developing non-research professional skills.
   Communication
   Teamwork
   Organization
   Decision making
   Emotional
   intelligence Leadership
   

   View Slide

9. IBM Quantum / © 2021 IBM Corporation 9
   Industry is advancing the
   

   state-of-the-art in quantum research.
   Since 2017…
   
   
   * 170 IBM Quantum papers
   
   
   * 84 IBM Quantum +
   

   collaborator
   
   
   * Published in journals such
   

   as Nature, PRX Quantum,
   

   Quantum, PRL
   

   View Slide

10. IBM Quantum / © 2021 IBM Corporation 10
    Industry is advancing the
    

    state-of-the-art in quantum research.
    Possible Job Roles:
    

    Experimentalist, Quantum Information Science Theorist
    

    View Slide

11. IBM Quantum / © 2021 IBM Corporation 11
    Industry is building the quantum
    systems of the future.
    https://www.ibm.com/blogs/research/2020/09/ibm-quantum-roadmap/
    

    View Slide

12. IBM Quantum / © 2021 IBM Corporation 12
    Industry is building the quantum
    systems of the future.
    Possible Job Roles:
    

    Experimentalist, Hardware Engineer, Product Manager
    

    View Slide

13. IBM Quantum / © 2021 IBM Corporation 13
    Possible Job Roles:
    

    Design Researcher, Product Manager, Software Engineer, User Experience Designer,
    

    Algorithm Developer
    Industry is nucleating the quantum
    developer ecosystem.
    

    View Slide

14. IBM Quantum / © 2021 IBM Corporation 14
    Industry is building the quantum
    business ecosystem.
    https://research.ibm.com/blog/quantum-accelerator-program
    The Accelerator offering is designed to set forward-
    thinking organizations on the path to quantum
    advantage: applications for which quantum computers
    outperform classical computers. It is meant to make
    quantum computation part of mainstream company
    workflows for any organization, regardless of quantum
    computing maturity level.
    

    View Slide

15. IBM Quantum / © 2021 IBM Corporation 15
    Industry is building the quantum
    business ecosystem.
    Possible Job Roles:
    

    Design Researcher, Product Manager, Consultant, Architect, Business Development
    

    View Slide

16. IBM Quantum / © 2021 IBM Corporation 16
    How do I get
    involved?
    

    View Slide

17. IBM Quantum / © 2021 IBM Corporation 17
    Observation 1/3
    Quantum know-how,
    plus an additional skill,
    is a powerful
    combination.
    Every skill you acquire doubles
    your odds of success.
    

    View Slide

18. IBM Quantum / © 2021 IBM Corporation 18
    Observation 2/3
    Seek opportunities to
    

    learn new skills in
    
    
    a low-risk environment.
    http://travisscholten.com/2017/06/14/computing-workshop.html
    https://unitary.fund/posts/advisory_board.html
    

    View Slide

19. IBM Quantum / © 2021 IBM Corporation 19
    Observation 3/3
    For networking to be
    

    effective, it must be
    

    win-win. vs
    

    View Slide

20. IBM Quantum / © 2021 IBM Corporation 20
    Tactic 1/3
    
    
    Attend industry-specific business conferences to
    learn who the players are.
    https://q2b.qcware.com/ https://iqtevent.com/
    https://www.quantumtechcongress.com/
    

    View Slide

21. IBM Quantum / © 2021 IBM Corporation 21
    Tactic 2/3
    
    
    Follow industry-related news and media outlets.
    https://thequantuminsider.com/
    https://quantumcomputingreport.com/
    https://anchor.fm/quantumcomputingnow
    

    View Slide

22. IBM Quantum / © 2021 IBM Corporation 22
    Tactic 3/3
    
    
    Make yourself visible with impactful contributions.
    Contribute to open-source software Develop your own project!
    

    View Slide

23. IBM Quantum / © 2021 IBM Corporation 23
    Developing & deploying
    quantum computers is a
    

    “whole-of-the-economy”
    opportunity.
    

    View Slide

24. IBM Quantum / © 2021 IBM Corporation 24
    Let’s create
    

    what’s next.
    

    View Slide

25. IBM Quantum / © 2021 IBM Corporation 25
    

    View Slide