First, a quick introduction to quantum computing which is a very popular and widely used term, but not so easy to explain.  Classical computer chips are made out of transistors and the trend towards more powerful computers was driven by adding more and smaller transistors. This trend is called Moore's law, carrying the name of one of the founders of INTEL. But making transistors smaller is coming to an end, as hardware companies are experiencing. INTEL, IBM and even Google are the big players who drive this process, accompanied by many smaller companies who also work on this technologly. Once transistors become smaller than one nanometer, they enter the quantum-mechanical universe, where a completely different behaviour is observed, based on specific quantum properties.   

The core idea of QBee is to develop quantum software applications for companies.  For the last several years, the quantum market has been largely focusing on the development of physical quantum bits, called qubits.  That market is now turning towards quantum software.   

This increases the need for industrial companies that will use the quantum hardware, reaching the market in a couple of years from now.

Some qubit hardware technologies will mature and hit the commercial market but it is very difficult to predict which one. Independent of hardware development, there is a great need for industrial companies to develop their own quantum version of algorithms that solve their core problems.

Qbee is focusing mostly on the space industry and has a highly experienced team of scientists. The first person is professor Earth Observation (EO) who is working e.g. with NASA on those topics. She is especially a specialist of classical algorithms for EO.  The second one is professor  Quantum Computer Engineering, who started working with INTEL on developing a quantum computer.  He focuses primarily on the quantum algorithms, with two of his collaboraters, who stil work at Delft University of Technology. The final member has a PhD in Chemistry and works on the quantum algorithms for many chemistry processes.
 

QBee is known for promoting a novel quantum application research approach, complementary to the existing one but industrially oriented. We have completed earth observation, chemistry, genetics, and quantum security domain investigations, important in defining quantum-relevant use cases.   First-version algorithms have been developed for genome sequencing, codon optimization, satellite image classification, and carbon dioxide (CO2) capture.

We are currently working on quantum defense and quantum in space, using the full stack that the TUDelft group of founders defined around 9-10 years ago. We focus on the use of perfect qubits and execute the quantum circuits on the perfect-qubit simulator. QBee can also go to a physical qubit chip, but these findings need to substantially improve before they can be used in an industrial context.

The AutoQSee branch, on the right of this figure, shows how we are currently building an operational version of the quantum library based on the different topics that we are currently developing.

QBee is currently talking to several large industrial players and is negotiating a contract with a large European player regarding the Space market.

QBee participated in the international Quantum-Climate competition, organized by Deloitte GE, where 35 teams from all over the world participated.  During the final event, taking place in Hannover, QBee found that they won that competition, as the QBee approach is to reason from, e.g. the chemistry background for a chemical problem.

 
Relevant to know, is that QBee was recently invited by the European Space Agency (ESA), to talk about QBee's approach for space. The message was very well received by the high-level ESA officials who said it was an original and quite disruptive approach. That conference, the 6th Quantum Technology Conference, took place in Italy during the last week of Sept. 2023.

Qbee has a very good network and is well integrated into the existing Ecosystem, consisting of organizations such as QuiC and QBN.

QBee has already started working on small scale examples of quantum circuits. QBee has identified an IP-company in Belgium that will apply for patent protection at European and American levels.

QBee needs investments for the next 5 years, for the following two reasons.