Using quantum technology in industry
Unconventional approach enables new opportunities for the chemical sector
HQS is inviting attendees to a webinar on November 22 that will use its collaboration with Merck as an example of how quantum computers can be used to solve open quantum systems.
Merck is a leading science and technology company with which the startup HQS has been collaborating for several years. Merck hopes to benefit from the application of quantum computing mainly in the fields of materials research, drug discovery, artificial intelligence, or e-commerce.
Prevailing approaches to the use of quantum computing have so far mostly been based on variational algorithms. HQS has developed an alternative approach.
HQS presents the cloud-based application of the implementation.
Karlsruhe, 09.11.2022. For the past three years, startup HQS Quantum Simulations has been collaborating with science and technology company Merck. Together, the companies are exploring what are the most relevant quantum mechanical effects that can be value-added for a chemical company and that can be understood with NISQ computers.
HQS Quantum Simulations invites you to join them on November 22, 2022, in the webinar Unique Software for NISQ Computers to discuss the results of the collaboration with Merck and to receive a technical introduction to the application of quantum simulation in the industrial sector using HQS software.
Interested parties can register at the following link: https://forms.cloud.quantumsimulations.de/291349
Merck is developing innovative materials and treatments for serious diseases such as cancer. Under the principle "committed to progress," the company uses the latest technologies and expertise to achieve scientific breakthroughs. Quantum mechanics enables new perspectives. "Quantum computing will augment classical computing and is going to open up a multitude of unprecedented possibilities. The applications are relevant for many business areas at Merck and our customers, for example materials research, drug discovery or artificial intelligence," said Philipp Harbach, Global Head of Digital Innovation at Merck's Data Office.
Merck has therefore established an interdisciplinary and cross-functional interest group for quantum computing. Merck's Data Office has strong expertise in quantum chemistry, an application that will be one of the first to benefit from the introduction of quantum computing. The results of HQS's collaboration with Merck have proven very valuable so far.
Quantum simulation enables innovative research in the chemical sector
Quantum computing is considered particularly relevant for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. The simulation of microscopic phenomena governed by the laws of quantum mechanics enables new dimensions in the study of, for example, progressive pharmaceuticals.
Chemistry is essentially based on the laws of quantum mechanics, and from reactions to fundamental material properties, it is the bread and butter of the chemical as well as pharmaceutical industries. One of the tools that is used regularly that intrinsically uses the laws of quantum mechanics is spectroscopy. Spectroscopy is used to analyze materials down to its most microscopic level. This makes it important and useful, but also often creates challenges when analyzing measurement results. Predicting spectroscopic data by using simulation is already widely used. However, since this can create the need on to solve the laws of quantum mechanics on conventional computers, there can be substantial limitations to what is possible.
Currently, only noisy intermediate-scale quantum computing (NISQ) is available. The main reason for this is due to the inherently error-prone quantum mechanical bits that form the basic unit of quantum computing.
New approach enables application of quantum computing in industry
Since its founding in 2017, startup HQS has been working on an alternative approach to using noisy intermediate scale quantum computers (NISQ) for quantum simulation.
HQS leverages recent research and bases the architecture of its software on so-called open quantum systems, which allows for the integration of decoherence as part of the algorithm.
In the upcoming Unique Software for NISQ Computers webinar, this approach will be explained technically as well as the application will be discussed using the example of the collaboration with Merck. HQS is releasing a cloud-based software solution later this year, allowing companies to easily test the implementation and explore the capabilities of HQS quantum simulation.
About HQS
HQS was the winner of the Anniversary Research Grant for Digitization and Computing, one of the research grants Merck initiated last year during its 350th anniversary year. HQS Quantum Simulations was founded in 2017 as a spin-off of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and develops software for simulating quantum systems. The startup's software works on conventional computers but can be effortlessly transferred to quantum computers. With this approach, HQS Quantum Simulations aims to enable companies and researchers to switch their simulation workflow quickly and efficiently to quantum computers as soon as they become available.
About Merck
Merck, a leading science and technology company, operates across life science, healthcare and electronics. More than 60,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people’s lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From providing products and services that accelerate drug development and manufacturing as well as discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices – the company is everywhere. In 2021, Merck generated sales of € 19.7 billion in 66 countries.
Scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to Merck’s technological and scientific advances. This is how Merck has thrived since its founding in 1668. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. Merck holds the global rights to the Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck operate as MilliporeSigma in life science, EMD Serono in healthcare, and EMD Electronics in electronics.