Quantum information company Infleqtion said it has won a defense project award under Innovate UK‘s Quantum Contextual Artificial Intelligence for Long-range Correlations. The Austin, Texas-based company will partner with U.K. defense company QinetiQ in the Q-CALC data analysis project.
The project, titled Quantum End-to-end Compilation for Combinatorial Optimisation, QECCO for short, is a three-year undertaking that aims to develop quantum software tools capable of compiling end-user applications directly onto quantum hardware. The primary objective is to simplify the process for end users to create applications harnessing quantum technology.
The QECCO team’s focus will be on transport and logistics for solutions to problems such as shop floor scheduling, packing, or routing.
Infleqtion’s general manager for the U.K., Timothy Ballance, said harnessing quantum technology opens “the way for more advanced and accurate data analysis solutions that can address the unique challenges faced by the defense industry.”
The U.K. government has allocated more than $18 million in total awards to winners of the Q-CALC competitions.
Besides defense, the competitions’ other areas of interest include transport, space, health, crime and net zero greenhouse gas emission.