TORONTO, May 30, 2027 — Today the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management announced a new program focused on the creation of quantum machine learning startups. This builds on the Lab’s five-year track record of assisting with the development of seed-stage, science-based companies, with a particular focus on artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled companies. To our knowledge, the CDL is currently home to the greatest concentration of AI-enabled companies of any program on Earth.

The mission: By 2022, the CDL’s Quantum Machine Learning Initiative will have produced more well-capitalized, revenue-generating quantum machine learning software companies than the rest of the world combined. The majority of these will be based in Canada.

From now until July 24, the CDL is accepting applications from inspired individuals anywhere in the world who are fully committed to building a quantum machine learning software company. The CDL is particularly interested in applicants with a graduate-level degree in physics, math, statistics, or electrical engineering and experience in machine learning, but will consider compelling applicants from all backgrounds. Applications will be processed on a rolling basis – spaces will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. The CDL will provide international applicants with assistance in obtaining a visa for participating in this Canada-based program.

Apply here: https://www.creativedestructionlab.com/qml-application/

Up to 40 individuals or teams will be selected for the year-long program that begins this September in Toronto with an intensive introductory boot camp led by Dr. Peter Wittek, author of the first textbook on quantum machine learning, with tutorials delivered by other experts. Then, all companies will go through CDL’s nine-month objective-setting program, coached by carefully-selected entrepreneurs and investors with relevant track records of success.

Participants will be allotted time on D-Wave’s 2000Q quantum computer, have access to a D-Wave machine learning sampling service, and receive training and technical support from D-Wave experts.

Three Silicon Valley-based venture capital firms, each with a significant portfolio of AI-related investments, Bloomberg Beta, Data Collective (DCVC), and Spectrum 28, will invest pre-seed capital in every company admitted to, or formed in, the program that chooses to take it.

Business strategy coaching will be provided by William Tunstall-Pedoe (founder – Evi, sold to Amazon), Barney Pell (founder – Powerset, sold to Microsoft; Moon Express; LocoMobi), Geordie Rose (founder – D-Wave; Kindred), Sally Daub (Founder – ViXS Systems), Anthony Lacavera (Founder – Globalive; Wind), Ted Livingston (Founder – Kik), James Cham (Bloomberg Beta), Matt Ocko (DCVC), Lyon Wong (Spectrum 28), and Steve Jurvetson (DFJ), among others. Participants will also benefit from business development and implementation support from MBA students at the Rotman School. This program is made possible with the generous support of Mastercard, Comcast, RBC, and Scotiabank.

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Source: Creative Destruction Lab