BERKELEY, Calif., April 26, 2024 — Rigetti Computing, Inc., a pioneer in full-stack quantum-classical computing, announces the launch of the Novera QPU Partner Program. The Novera QPU Partner Program is an ecosystem of quantum computing hardware, software and service providers who build and offer integral components of a functional quantum computing system.

Novera QPU customers who need control systems, a dilution refrigerator, quantum computing software tools, or integration services can integrate their Novera QPU with Novera QPU Partners’ technology with the assurance of compatibility and quality.

The founding members of the Novera QPU Partner Program include some of Rigetti’s most long-time partners and are leaders in their respective areas of quantum computing technology:

• Cryogenics: Bluefors
• Control Systems:
  • Quantum Machines
  • Zurich Instruments
• Software:
  • Q-CTRL
  • Strangeworks
  • Classiq
  • Horizon Quantum Computing
• Integration and Service Providers:
  • TreQ
  • ParTec AG
• QEC Solutions: Riverlane

Rigetti intends on growing the Novera QPU Partner Program with additional partners on an ongoing basis.

The Novera QPU is a 9-qubit quantum processing unit (QPU) based on the Company’s fourth generation Ankaa-class architecture featuring tunable couplers and a square lattice for denser connectivity and fast 2-qubit operations. The Novera QPU is manufactured in Rigetti’s Fab-1, the industry’s first dedicated and integrated quantum device manufacturing facility.

The Novera QPU includes all of the hardware below the mixing chamber plate (MXC) of a dilution refrigerator. In addition to a 9-qubit chip with a 3×3 array of tunable transmons, a 5-qubit chip with no tunable couplers or qubit-qubit coupling which can be used for developing and characterizing single-qubit operations on a simpler circuit, the Novera QPU components include:

• A puck that contains both the 9-qubit and 5-qubit chips, interposers and a PCB to route signals to SMPM connectors at the puck periphery.
• A tower that hangs from the MXC and connects coaxial cables between the puck and the SMA patch panel. The tower delivers cooling power from the MXC to the chips.
• Shields that surround the tower to isolate the puck from infrared radiation and stray magnetic fields.
• Payload brackets and a signal chain installed around the tower with mounted signal conditioning devices, including ferrite isolators, diplexers, filters, and optional quantum-limited amplifiers.

While a QPU is the core of a quantum computer, in order to have a functioning quantum computing system, the installation must also include (1) a dilution refrigerator and (2) a control system. Depending on a customer’s research goals, system requirements, and use cases, there are also a variety of quantum software and integration resources that can be integrated with the Novera QPU.

Dr. Subodh Kulkarni, Rigetti CEO, said: “With the Novera QPU, we have a unique opportunity to support the development of on-premises quantum computing capabilities worldwide. At Rigetti, we are experts at overcoming the challenges of building, installing, and supporting a quantum computing system. After a decade in the quantum computing industry, we’ve also forged long lasting partnerships with world-leading quantum technology companies whose collaborations and expertise helped us advance our capabilities even further. We want to empower Novera QPU customers with an ecosystem of our trusted partners to support their own quantum computing research pursuits, and to help prepare us for a quantum-ready society.”

Nir Minerbi, Classiq CEO, said: “Quantum computing relies on bringing together a collection of technologies in order to achieve the best fitting and performing solution. Classiq is proud to be providing efficient, scalable quantum computing software to facilitate best-practice algorithm development with Novera.”

Joe Fitzsimons, Horizon Quantum Computing CEO, said: “Rigetti was one of the pioneers of cloud-based quantum computing, and we are delighted to partner with them as Rigetti processors begin to power on-premises systems. As the industry pushes towards quantum advantage, a strong ecosystem and close collaboration between hardware and software efforts is more important than ever. The Novera QPU Partner Program is a welcome new instrument for building collaboration and allowing for tight integration between technologies at all levels of the quantum computing stack.”

Bernhard Frohwitter, ParTec AG CEO, said: “The Novera QPU Partner Program is an essential building block in ParTec’s strategy of becoming a quantum computing system integrator, building full-stack solutions using a component-based design that relies on a supply chain of quantum technology providers. ParTec looks forward to integrating the Novera QPU in our holistic quantum computer solutions and working with customers on unleashing its potential.”

Mandy Birch, CEO of TreQ said: “TreQ is delighted to partner with Rigetti to build and operate on-premises quantum computing systems that include the Novera QPU. We look forward to supporting pathfinders around the world who are expediting useful and usable next-gen computing infrastructure to elevate their businesses, institutions, and communities.”

Among the early adopters of small-scale, high performing QPUs like the Novera QPU, are government agencies. The first two Novera QPU sales were to leading US government labs — the Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems Center (SQMS) led by Fermilab, and the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL). Rigetti also recently sold a Novera QPU to Horizon Quantum Computing for their first quantum computing system, to be installed in their new hardware testbed in Singapore. Quantum computing researchers across academia and industry are also beginning to invest in this technology as it is a promising resource to advance quantum computing workforce development.

The Novera QPU Partner Program launch follows Rigetti’s recent achievements with its larger-scale Ankaa-class quantum systems. Rigetti’s 84-qubit Ankaa-2 system, which is available over the cloud via Rigetti’s Quantum Cloud Services (QCS) cloud computing platform, recently achieved a 98% median 2-qubit gate fidelity. This performance marks a 2.5X increase in error performance compared to the Company’s previous QPUs. Rigetti was also recently awarded an Innovate UK competition to deliver a 24-qubit Ankaa-class quantum computing system to the UK’s National Quantum Computing Centre.

About Rigetti

Rigetti is a pioneer in full-stack quantum computing. The Company has operated quantum computers over the cloud since 2017 and serves global enterprise, government, and research clients through its Rigetti Quantum Cloud Services platform. The Company’s proprietary quantum-classical infrastructure provides high performance integration with public and private clouds for practical quantum computing. Rigetti has developed the industry’s first multi-chip quantum processor for scalable quantum computing systems. The Company designs and manufactures its chips in-house at Fab-1, the industry’s first dedicated and integrated quantum device manufacturing facility.

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Source: Rigetti