Nordic Quantum Computing Group (NQCG) has ceased operating, claiming that a lack of a quantum strategy, infrastructure, and policies in Norway has led to its closure.

Founded in 2000, NQCG was Europe's first quantum computing startup and Norway's only company dedicated to developing a scalable quantum computer.

On its website, the company listed four key challenges that it said were responsible for NQCG’s closure: A lack of national strategy for quantum technology, a lack of skilled talent, and owner and exit taxes.

NQCG said Norway was the only Nordic country without a national strategy for quantum technology and argued that it also lacks the necessary scientific infrastructure and government funding to develop quantum computers. It also argued that a lack of ‘startup visa’ in the country forces talent and companies to relocate outside of Norway where conditions are more favorable.

Furthermore, it said increasing ownership taxes and a newly introduced retroactive exit tax will be “especially detrimental to tech startups.” NQCG also said Norway’s wealth tax “greatly discourages entrepreneurs from creating globally competitive businesses.”

In a statement, NQCG said: “Despite its pioneering role, the combination of increasing taxes and certain government policies made it challenging for the company to continue operations. The closure of NQCG underscores the importance of stable, progressive policies to support growth in emerging sectors such as quantum computing.

“The company formally ceased operations on December 6, 2024, concluding 25 years of innovation. This outcome highlights the significant impact of governmental policy decisions on the business environment.”

However, on LinkedIn, NQCG said it expects to announce more information about potential future operations, and said it would update its followers in 2025.

IQM to develop quantum simulation for German material science project

The DLR Quantum Computing Initiative (DLR QCI) of the German Aerospace Center has selected IQM Quantum Computers to develop quantum embedding algorithms for a project focused on the simulation of materials science systems.

Dubbed QuantiCoM, the initiative, which is dedicated to exploring quantum computing for materials science and engineering, will test the quantum algorithms on IQM Resonance, the company’s quantum cloud platform. The project is expected to be completed in 2026.

“With our world-class technical knowledge and experience in both the application of embedding methods and the development of new approaches, we are ready to advance our understanding of strongly correlated systems,” said Dr. Inés De Vega, VP for quantum solutions at IQM. “These are crucial for research and industry applications in solid-state physics and quantum chemistry.”

Orca partners with Jij to strengthen UK-Japan quantum collaboration

British quantum computing company Orca has announced a strategic partnership with Japanese quantum startup Jij, aimed at strengthening UK-Japanese quantum collaboration.

Under the terms of the agreement, Jij will develop algorithms with applications in logistics delivery planning, power supply, and demand planning in the energy sector, maximizing the capabilities of Orca Computing’s photonic quantum computers.

Per Nyberg, CCO at Orca said: “The partnership with Jij represents a significant step toward the adoption of quantum computing in industry. We are confident that combining Jij’s extensive technological capabilities with enterprise applications with our PT-2 photonic system will accelerate the development of quantum solutions that bring real value to key industrial sectors in the near term.”

IonQ unveils its first Forte Enterprise quantum computer in Europe

IonQ has delivered a Forte Enterprise quantum computer to its first European Innovation Center at the uptownBasel campus in Arlesheim, Switzerland.

Delivered in partnership with QuantumBasel, the machine is the first data center-ready quantum computer IonQ has delivered outside the United States and the first quantum system for commercial use in Switzerland.

Forte Enterprise is a rack-mounted version of IonQ’s existing 32-qubit system. The system was touted as offering 35 Algorithmic Qubits (#AQ), which is IonQ’s benchmark measure for how well a system performs, however, in a statement, IonQ said Forte Enterprise is now online and performing at a record algorithmic qubit count of #AQ36, making it “significantly more powerful” than the promised #AQ35.

“The successful commissioning of Forte Enterprise in Europe – on schedule and at an even higher performance level than announced previously – demonstrates IonQ’s commitment to driving global quantum adoption through technological leadership and operational excellence,” said Peter Chapman, CEO and president of IonQ.

Additionally, IonQ also announced the on-demand availability of its latest and highest fidelity quantum processor, IonQ Forte on AmazonBraket. In a LinkedIn post, Stefan Natu, head of product at Amazon EFS, said customers would now have on-demand pay-as-you-go access to IonQ Forte for 15 hours per day, five days a week.

SDT closes $14.11m pre-IPO investment round

Korean quantum technology company SDT has raised $14.11m in a pre-IPO investment round which saw participation from DS Asset Management and IBK Investment & Securities.

According to SDT, the funding will be used to help establish Korea’s first commercial quantum computer manufacturing facility and a quantum computing data center for cloud services.

The company, which holds a broad portfolio of intellectual property across various quantum technologies such as superconductors, neutral atoms, ion traps, and quantum control equipment, is reportedly planning a domestic IPO, targeted for the second half of 2025.

China announces 504-qubit superconducting chip

China has unveiled what it claims to be its most advanced quantum computer to date. Dubbed the Tianyan-504, it features a 504-qubit chip named Xiaohong which local news outlets claim rivals the performance of chips developed by overseas competitors such as IBM.

According to a statement from the China Academy of Sciences (CAS), the project was led by CTQG, a subsidiary of China Telecom established in May 2023. However, no independent evidence has been provided to verify the claims.

CAS said the quantum computer will be integrated into China’s Tianyan quantum computing cloud platform, making it accessible to users worldwide.

NRFC to invest $8.3m in Quantum Brilliance to build Australia’s first quantum diamond foundry

The National Reconstruction Fund Corporation (NRFC) has announced a $8.3m equity investment in diamond technology company Quantum Brilliance (QB). The investment forms part of QB’s Series A funding round.

The funding will be used by QB to establish Australia’s first quantum diamond foundry, enabling the mass production of diamond quantum devices, and sustain the Research Hub for Diamond Quantum Materials that QB jointly established with La Trobe University and RMIT University in 2022.

In a statement, NRFC chair Martijn Wilder AM said: “Our investment is a recognition of the ground-breaking work being done by Quantum Brilliance. They are at the forefront of technological advancements that have the potential to significantly accelerate the quantum technology revolution.”