Beyond the Qubit

Frank Dekker
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The nr1 Quantum Technology podcast for investors.

  1. 3d ago

    Can quantum sensing fund the road to quantum computing?

    What if one of the most important questions in quantum is not how many qubits a company can build, but whether it can finance the journey? In this episode, I go deep with Matt Kinsella, CEO of Infleqtion, to explore why the company’s neutral atom strategy may look very different from the standard quantum computing playbook. Most companies are still judged on the long-term roadmap: more qubits, better gates, lower error rates, logical qubits, fault tolerance. All of that matters. But Infleqtion is trying to build more than a quantum computer. It is trying to build a quantum technology company. This episode is for investors, founders, and anyone trying to understand how quantum companies may actually survive long enough to reach useful quantum computing. Neutral atoms are not only useful as qubits. They can also be used for clocks and sensors, which opens up nearer-term markets in precision timing, GPS resilience, RF sensing, and inertial sensing. That creates a possible commercial bridge before useful quantum computing fully arrives. That is what makes this conversation so interesting. The question is not only whether Infleqtion can build a useful quantum computer. It is also whether clocks, sensors, and timing systems can create the revenue bridge that helps fund the much longer computing roadmap. 💡 In this episode, we cover: Why Infleqtion is building a quantum technology company, not only a quantum computing company Why neutral atoms can be used for clocks, sensors, and computing Why precision timing is becoming a resilience problem, not just a science problem How GPS jamming and spoofing create demand for better local timing Why nearer-term sensing revenue could help fund the longer quantum computing roadmap Why Matt compares the business logic to Nvidia’s path into larger markets What investors should watch when judging commercial traction versus scientific promise Why financing the road may matter as much as the roadmap itself Chapters 00:00 Why investors should care about Infleqtion 01:04 Why neutral atoms matter beyond quantum computing 03:54 The Nvidia analogy and the revenue bridge 04:46 Matt Kinsella’s path from investor to CEO 12:49 Why capital is one of the biggest questions in quantum 19:07 What quantum technology can do better than classical systems 19:58 Why GPS timing is fragile 24:28 How Infleqtion’s quantum clocks work 36:03 How clocks, sensors, and computing connect 42:01 How photonics and scale could drive cost down Share this episode with someone investing in or building in quantum, and subscribe or follow Beyond the Qubit for more conversations on quantum technology, markets, and investing.

    55 min

  2. May 29

    Could the KLA of quantum become as important as the quantum computer itself?

    What if one of the most important companies in quantum is not the one building the qubits, but the one helping the industry see what is going wrong around them? In this episode, I break down my key learnings from the QuantaMap interview and why I think diagnostics could become one of the most strategic layers in quantum computing. One of the biggest bottlenecks may not be qubit count itself. It may be the invisible defects around it: tiny magnetic fluctuations, microscopic heat leakage, material imperfections, and unwanted current paths that disturb the quantum system. This episode is for investors, founders, and anyone trying to understand how value could build around the quantum stack. In semiconductors, companies like KLA became essential because advanced chips could not scale without metrology and inspection. Quantum may face the same reality, possibly even more strongly, because these systems are so sensitive and because invasive measurements can disturb the system itself. That is what makes this discussion so interesting. Scaling quantum is no longer just about building a hero experiment in a lab. It is about repeatability, yield, reliability, and eventually semiconductor-style manufacturing. If that shift happens, the diagnostic layer around quantum could become far more important than many people expect. 💡 In this episode, we cover: Why diagnostics may become a strategic layer in quantum computing Why invisible defects around qubits matter so much How QuantaMap’s SQUID-based approach helps reveal hidden physical disturbances Why quantum inspection is harder than classical chip inspection Why repeatability, yield, and reliability will matter more as quantum scales Why QuantaMap could become part of a KLA-like infrastructure layer for quantum The biggest risks, including technology exposure and customer adoption Why measurement may become more valuable as computing gets more complex Chapters 00:00 Why quantum diagnostics matters 01:27 Why quantum is more complex than classical chips 02:50 What QuantaMap actually does 04:01 What a SQUID is 04:42 Why traditional tools miss the real problem 06:55 Why this matters for investors 08:17 Could QuantaMap become the KLA of quantum? 09:34 The biggest risks for QuantaMap 11:25 What would increase conviction 13:23 The one line investors should remember Share this episode with someone investing in or building in quantum, and subscribe or follow Beyond the Qubit for more conversations on quantum technology, markets, and investing. 📌 Disclaimers: This is not investment advice. I do this under my personal name and do not represent any company.

    11 min

  3. May 22

    Why quantum will not scale without diagnostics

    What if the real bottleneck in quantum is not building the chip, but learning why it fails? In this episode, I unpack the key learnings from Part 2 of my deep dive with Johannes Jobst, CEO of QuantaMap. One of my biggest takeaways is that quantum may need its own process control and diagnostics layer before the industry can truly scale. Building a few quantum chips in a lab is one thing. Building thousands of high quality chips with repeatable performance and acceptable yield is something very different. This episode is for investors, founders, and anyone trying to understand what it will take for quantum to move from lab to fab. In semiconductors, scaling did not happen through transistor innovation alone. It also required decades of progress in inspection, metrology, yield learning, process control, and manufacturing feedback loops. Quantum is only beginning that journey. That is what makes this conversation so important. If yield remains low and failure analysis stays slow, scaling becomes much harder. Without a real diagnostics layer, every failed chip stays a mystery instead of becoming a learning cycle. The companies that help the industry learn, improve, and manufacture quantum chips reliably at scale may end up becoming one of the most important layers in the value chain. 💡 In this episode, we cover: Why diagnostics may be a critical missing layer in quantum manufacturing Why quantum scaling needs more than better qubits How cryogenic inspection changes what chipmakers can actually learn Why room-temperature measurements often miss the real problem How process control, yield learning, and feedback loops could shape quantum manufacturing Why “business as usual” is still one of the biggest bottlenecks in the market How QuantaMap thinks about becoming a deeply embedded diagnostics layer What investors should watch as quantum moves from lab to fab Chapters 00:00 Why chip diagnostics matters in quantum 00:44 How QuantaMap’s cryogenic measurement works 04:27 Why multimodal imaging matters 06:15 Why process control comes later 08:09 Why cryogenic scanning matters 15:29 Business as usual is the real competition 20:42 Barriers to entry and customer lock-in 23:44 The ASML-style ambition 28:57 Diagnostics as a service and tool sales 34:44 Why timing from lab to fab matters 46:53 What would increase conviction 51:13 Why QuantaMap matters in the value chain 🔗 Resources / Links 🎧 Listen to all episodes → https://open.spotify.com/show/7HZpSCz1w7a782e1B26MYA?si=JjJ7gTAfRGaZwnYwMa65mQ Share this episode with someone investing in or building in quantum, and make sure to subscribe or follow Beyond the Qubit for more conversations on quantum technology, markets, and investing. 📌 Disclaimers: This is not investment advice. I do this under my personal name and do not represent any company.

    52 min

  4. May 15

    Why quantum computing may become a measurement revolution

    What if one of the biggest winners in quantum is not the company building the qubits, but the one helping everyone understand what is going wrong inside them? In this episode, I unpack the key learnings from my deep dive with Johannes Jobst, CEO of QuantaMap. The deeper I go into quantum computing, the more I think this industry will become obsessed with measurement. Most people focus on the race for better qubits, higher fidelity, and larger systems. But after this conversation, I am no longer sure that is the full story. This episode is for investors, founders, and anyone trying to understand how the quantum value chain may evolve. One of the biggest bottlenecks may not just be building quantum chips. It may be inspection, metrology, defect detection, process supervision, and understanding the subtle material imperfections and microscopic noise sources that undermine coherence, repeatability, and yield. That is what makes this conversation so important. In classical semiconductors, advanced manufacturing scaled because an entire ecosystem was built around measurement, validation, and process control. Quantum does not yet have that same mature inspection layer. If that becomes a core bottleneck, the companies that help the industry see, diagnose, and improve quantum systems may become just as important as the companies building the hardware itself. 💡 In this episode, we cover: Why measurement may become one of the most important layers in quantum computing Why quantum chip inspection is still an underbuilt part of the stack How subtle material defects and microscopic noise sources affect performance Why coherence, repeatability, and yield depend on better diagnostics How the quantum industry may shift from building systems to validating and controlling them Why inspection, metrology, and process supervision could become strategically valuable What investors should learn from the semiconductor industry’s measurement ecosystem Why quantum may become not just a computing revolution, but a measurement revolution Chapters 00:00 Why investors should care about QuantaMap 01:48 Johannes Jobst’s background in physics and semiconductors 14:54 What defects really matter in quantum chips 17:58 Why measurement matters more in quantum 25:44 Where chip measurement fits in the quantum stack 33:04 Process control, defects, and root cause analysis 43:32 Yield loss and performance bottlenecks in quantum 44:56 Why volume inspection could become critical 🔗 Resources / Links 🎧 Listen to all episodes → UCibVGKTQwLCsj0hBgrgWDpA Share this episode with someone investing in or building in quantum, and make sure to subscribe or follow Beyond the Qubit for more conversations on quantum technology, markets, and investing. 📌 Disclaimers: This is not investment advice. I do this under my personal name and do not represent any company.

    46 min

  5. May 8

    Qubit to Capital: The Layer of Quantum Investors Should Watch

    Could the real value in quantum sit above the hardware?Because after two hours with quantum founders, the real question is not only what they are building. It is also how that changes the value chain.In this episode, Henny Crauwels interviews me after my deep dive with ParityQC to unpack the biggest lessons from that conversation. One takeaway stood out: the most interesting quantum company may not be the one with the most qubits. It may be the one that helps everyone else get more out of their qubits.This episode is for investors, founders, and anyone trying to understand how quantum computing could evolve as a market. We look at why architecture matters, how ParityQC’s approach could reduce bottlenecks in today’s systems, and why enabling layers may matter so much in a market where it is still unclear which hardware path will win.That is what makes this format valuable. The deep dives explain the technology. The key learnings connect it back to markets, business models, strategy, and where value may actually accrue across the stack.   Why quantum value may not all sit in hardware What ParityQC is actually doing in simple terms Why architecture could become a critical layer in the quantum stack How enabling companies may have lower single-platform risk Why early monetization matters in quantum What ParityQC’s IBM benchmark really shows, and what it does not Which KPIs matter most for investors following ParityQC The biggest risks to watch, including adoption, neutrality, and access to capital   💡 In this episode, we cover:Chapters00:00 Key takeaways and disclaimers 01:23 Why architecture changed my view of quantum 03:58 What ParityQC actually does 06:36 What the IBM benchmark proves, and what it does not 09:39 Could ParityQC become the ARM of quantum? 11:52 Where value may be captured in the quantum stack 14:17 Why enabling companies may be more attractive early 19:40 The investor KPIs I would track 22:15 What would increase my conviction 23:36 The biggest risks for ParityQC 26:48 What this says about the broader quantum market🔗 Resources / Links Listen to all episodes: SpotifyBeyond the QubitShare this episode with someone investing in or building in quantum, and make sure to subscribe or follow Beyond the Qubit for more conversations on quantum technology, markets, and investing. 📌 Disclaimer: This is not an investment advice. This post is shared on a personal basis, and I do not represent any company.

    28 min

  6. May 1

    Why Parity QC can be the ARM of Quantum

    What if the company that captures the most value in quantum is the one that helps everyone else perform better? In this episode, I go deeper with Magdalena Hauser and Wolfgang Lechner of ParityQC to explore a very different way of thinking about value in quantum computing. A lot of the discussion still centers on hardware alone: more qubits, better fidelity, bigger systems. But ParityQC is making a different bet, one built around architecture, IP, and enabling software. This conversation is for investors, founders, and anyone trying to understand where value may really build across the quantum stack. We unpack ParityQC’s core idea of representing relative information instead of the information itself, why that could matter for connectivity and error correction, and why their business model looks closer to an architecture company than a full stack hardware player. That is what makes this episode so interesting. It is not just about physics. It is about business model, defensibility, IP, and what it means to control a critical layer of the stack in a market where not every winner will own the full machine. 💡 In this episode, we cover: How ParityQC’s parity transformation changes the way quantum information is represented Why relative information could help with connectivity, programmability, and redundancy How ParityQC thinks about error correction differently Why the company licenses IP and enabling software instead of building full stack hardware Why their model looks closer to ARM than a traditional quantum hardware company How ParityQC monetizes through licensing and software Why profitability matters so much in today’s quantum market What investors should watch if they want to track whether the model is working Chapters00:00 Why ParityQC’s architecture matters 00:48 The parity transformation explained 04:27 How ParityQC thinks about error correction 07:47 Patents, IP, and barriers to entry 13:00 How ParityQC makes money 16:43 Why governments are buying early quantum systems 27:34 Why ParityQC wants to be the ARM of quantum 29:29 Profitable since 2023 33:13 The KPI investors should watch 42:08 Why they are excited about the future 🔗 Resources / Links Explore ParityQC and their work in quantum architecture → https://parityqc.com/ Magdalena Hauser on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/magdalena-hauser42/ Wolfgang Lechner on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/wolfgang-lechner-2b36b634/ Listen to all episodes: https://open.spotify.com/show/7HZpSCz1w7a782e1B26MYA Share this episode with someone investing in or building in quantum and make sure to subscribe or follow Beyond the Qubit for more conversations on quantum technology, markets, and investing. 📌 Disclaimer: This post is shared on a personal basis and I do not represent any company.

    45 min

  7. Apr 24

    What If Quantum’s Edge Is Architecture, Not Hardware?

    What if the real breakthrough in quantum computing is not just better qubits, but a better way to use them? In this episode, I explore why architecture may be one of the most overlooked layers in quantum computing with Magdalena Hauser and Wolfgang Lechner of ParityQC. Their latest result, implementing a 52-qubit Quantum Fourier Transform on an IBM Quantum Heron processor, suggests that progress may not only come from hardware improvements, but also from smarter architecture and compilation. This episode is for investors, founders, and anyone trying to understand where value may build across the quantum stack. If ParityQC is right, the winners in quantum may not only be the companies building the machines. They may also be the companies that make those machines more useful, more scalable, and more efficient. That is what makes this conversation so interesting. It shifts the question from who has the best hardware to who has the best architecture for turning hardware into real performance. 💡 In this episode, we cover: Why ParityQC believes architecture is a core layer of value in quantum computing Why the Quantum Fourier Transform is such an important benchmark How ParityQC and IBM reached a 52-qubit QFT result Why this result is about more than hardware alone How architecture and compilation can improve real quantum performance Why ParityQC’s approach is designed to work across multiple hardware platforms Why removing swaps matters in quantum computing Why investors may need to look beyond hardware to understand where value will accrue Chapters 00:00 ParityQC and why investors should care 01:49 Why Quantum Fourier Transform matters 03:00 The 52-qubit QFT breakthrough explained 06:57 Does this accelerate the quantum timeline? 11:16 Why ParityQC works across hardware platforms 14:02 How ParityQC removes swaps 17:04 Why architecture may capture more value 24:04 The origin of ParityQC’s architecture 30:09 How ParityQC works in simple terms 🔗 Resources / Links Explore ParityQC and their work in quantum architecture → https://parityqc.com/ Magdalena Hauser on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/magdalena-hauser42/ Wolfgang Lechner on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/wolfgang-lechner-2b36b634/ Listen to all episodes: https://open.spotify.com/show/7HZpSCz1w7a782e1B26MYA Share this episode with someone investing in or building in quantum and make sure to subscribe or follow Beyond the Qubit for more conversations on quantum technology, markets, and investing. 📌 Disclaimer: This post is shared on a personal basis and I do not represent any company.

    48 min

  8. Apr 17

    Europe has strong quantum talent. That does not mean it will build strong quantum companies.

    In Part 3 of this conversation, Frank Dekker reflects on one of the biggest takeaways from his discussion with Olivier Ezratty: great science alone does not create a winning quantum ecosystem. Europe has deep talent, strong research, and serious technical capability, but turning that into globally relevant companies is a different challenge. This episode is for investors, founders, policymakers, and anyone trying to understand what it will really take for Europe to compete in quantum. The conversation goes beyond technology and looks at the harder questions around energy, coordination, ecosystem building, and long term strategy. That is what makes Olivier’s perspective so valuable. He is not only trying to understand where quantum is going. He is trying to improve the odds that Europe builds something meaningful around it. 💡 In this episode, we cover: Why strong quantum talent does not automatically create strong quantum companies Why the Quantum Energy Initiative matters for the future economics of the industry Why energy and power costs could shape who scales and who can deploy Why ecosystem building takes more than great technology How Olivier thinks about strengthening the French and European quantum landscape Why Europe needs stronger links between research, capital, policy, and industry Why coordination may matter as much as technical progress What Europe needs most right now to improve its chances in quantum Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Olivier Ezratty 00:48 Olivier’s background in software, Microsoft, and startups 04:07 How curiosity led him into science and quantum 05:52 From tech events to explaining quantum publicly 10:25 Building a 1,500-page quantum guide 13:36 Olivier’s goals for the next five years 14:18 Why Europe has talent but not enough quantum companies 35:39 Quantum Energy Initiative and why energy matters early 37:53 The hidden classical costs behind useful quantum computing 39:05 Why quantum needs a system-level engineering mindset 41:31 Quantum matter, new materials, and Europe’s next opportunity 🔗 Resources / LinksFollow Olivier Ezratty on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ezratty/ Listen to all episodes: https://open.spotify.com/show/7HZpSCz1w7a782e1B26MYA Share this episode with someone following Europe’s quantum future. Subscribe or follow Beyond the Qubit for more conversations on quantum technology, markets, and investing. 📌 Disclaimer: This post is shared on a personal basis, and I do not represent any company.

    43 min
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About

The nr1 Quantum Technology podcast for investors.

Information

  • Creator
    Frank Dekker
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    68
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Frank Dekker
  • Show Website
    Beyond the Qubit

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