China has begun construction on its first facility dedicated to the production of photonic quantum computers in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province. The project marks a step toward the development of large-scale quantum computing capabilities in the country.
The factory, led by Beijing-based quantum computing company QBoson, is expected to manufacture several dozen photonic quantum computers each year once operations begin.
QBoson’s founder, Wen Kai, explained that photonic quantum computing uses the quantum properties of light and is viewed as a promising path in the field.
Compared with other approaches, it does not require extremely low temperatures to function and offers advantages such as stable operation at room temperature, a higher number of qubits, and longer coherence times.
The upcoming facility will be divided into three core areas: module development, full-system production, and quality testing. Construction is already underway, and equipment installation is scheduled to begin by the end of October.
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IBM and AMD have launched a strategic collaboration to pioneer quantum-centric supercomputing architectures, blending IBM’s quantum computing capabilities with AMD’s strengths in high-performance computing (HPC), AI acceleration, CPUs, GPUs and FPGAs.
Their vision involves creating hybrid systems where quantum components handle atomic-scale or highly complex tasks, such as molecular simulation or optimization, while classical and infrastructure powered by AI processes large datasets efficiently.
The approach aims to unlock new levels of computational power. A demonstration of these hybrid workflows is scheduled for later this year.
Additionally, AMD’s technology may facilitate real-time error correction, a vital step toward achieving IBM’s goal of fault-tolerant quantum computing by the end of this decade.
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Funding season is restarting in Europe, with investors expecting to add several new unicorns in the coming months. Despite fewer mega-rounds than in 2021, a dozen startups passed the $1 billion mark in the first half of 2025.
AI, biotech, defence technology, and renewable energy are among the sectors attracting major backing. Recent unicorns include Lovable, an AI coding firm from Sweden, UK-based Fuse Energy, and Isar Aerospace from Germany.
London-based Isomorphic Labs, spun out of DeepMind, raised $600 million to enter unicorn territory. In biotech, Verdiva Bio hit unicorn status after a $410 million Series A, while Neko Health reached a $1.8 billion valuation.
AI and automation continue to drive investor appetite. Dublin’s Tines secured a $125 million Series C at a $1.125 billion valuation, and German AI customer service startup Parloa raised $120 million at a $1 billion valuation.
Dual-use drone companies also stood out. Portugal-based Tekever confirmed its unicorn status with plans for a £400 million UK expansion, while Quantum Systems raised €160 million to scale its AI-driven drones globally.
Film-streaming platform Mubi and encryption startup Zama also joined the unicorn club, showing the breadth of sectors gaining traction. With Bristol, Manchester, Munich, and Stockholm among the hotspots, Europe’s tech ecosystem continues to diversify.
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Quantum technology, rooted in quantum mechanics from the early 1900s, is rapidly advancing and may reshape the future of computing. Quantum computers handle data far faster than classical systems, with Google’s Willow chip marking a key advance.
However, their potential also raises concerns for digital assets such as Bitcoin.
Bitcoin’s cryptographic security relies on the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA), which is considered unbreakable with today’s computers. Yet quantum computers, using algorithms like Peter Shor’s, could theoretically expose private keys and compromise wallets.
Experts caution that such risks remain distant, as current quantum hardware is still decades away from posing a real threat.
Beyond security risks, quantum computing could also revive millions of long-lost Bitcoins locked in early wallets. If those coins return to circulation, it could shake Bitcoin’s scarcity and market value.
The debate continues whether these coins should be burned or redistributed to preserve Bitcoin’s economic integrity.
For now, Bitcoin remains safe. Developers are creating quantum-resistant tools like QRAMP and new cryptography to strengthen the network. Users can boost safety by avoiding address reuse and using wallets like Taproot and SegWit.
While quantum risks loom, the network’s adaptability and ongoing research suggest that Bitcoin is well placed to withstand future challenges.
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Sales of AI chips by Nvidia rose strongly in its latest quarter, though the growth was less intense than in previous periods, raising questions about the sustainability of demand.
The company’s data centre division reported revenue of 41.1 billion USD between May and July, a 56% rise from last year but slightly below analyst forecasts.
Overall revenue reached 46.7 billion USD, while profit climbed to 26.4 billion USD, both higher than expected.
Nvidia forecasts sales of $54 billion USD for the current quarter.
CEO Jensen Huang said the company remains at the ‘beginning of the buildout’, with trillions expected to be spent on AI by the decade’s end.
However, investors pushed shares down 3% in extended trading, reflecting concerns that rapid growth is becoming harder to maintain as annual sales expand.
Nvidia’s performance was also affected by earlier restrictions on chip sales to China, although the removal of limits in exchange for a sales levy is expected to support future revenue.
Analysts noted that while AI continues to fuel stock market optimism, the pace of growth is slowing compared with the company’s earlier surge.
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Researchers at the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering have achieved a first-of-its-kind breakthrough by programming living cells to build functional protein qubits.
These quantum bits, created from naturally occurring proteins, can detect signals thousands of times stronger than existing quantum sensors.
The interdisciplinary team, led by co-investigators David Awschalom and Peter Maurer, used a protein similar to the fluorescent marker.
Cells can position it at atomic precision and be employed as a quantum sensor within biological environments.
The findings, published in Nature, suggest this bio-integrated sensor could enable nanoscale MRI to reveal cellular structures like never before and inspire new quantum materials.
However, this advance marks a shift from adapting quantum tools to entering biological systems toward harnessing nature as a quantum platform.
The researchers demonstrated that living systems can overcome the noisy, warm environments that usually hinder quantum technology. The broader implication is a hybrid future in which cells carry out life’s functions and behave as quantum instruments for scientific discovery.
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The United Kingdom has unveiled a strategy to grow its digital economy to £1 trillion by harnessing AI, quantum computing, and cybersecurity. The plan emphasises public-private partnerships, training, and international collaboration to tackle skills shortages and infrastructure gaps.
The initiative builds on the UK tech sector’s £1.2 trillion valuation, with regional hubs in cities such as Bristol and Manchester fuelling expansion in emerging technologies. Experts, however, warn that outdated systems and talent deficits could stall progress unless workforce development accelerates.
AI is central to the plan, with applications spanning healthcare and finance. Quantum computing also features, with investments in research and cybersecurity aimed at strengthening resilience against supply disruptions and future threats.
The government highlights sustainability as a priority, promoting renewable energy and circular economies to ensure digital growth aligns with environmental goals. Regional investment in blockchain, agri-tech, and micro-factories is expected to create jobs and diversify innovation-driven growth.
By pursuing these initiatives, the UK aims to establish itself as a leading global tech player alongside the US and China. Ethical frameworks and adaptive strategies will be key to maintaining public trust and competitiveness.
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A controversial study that once claimed evidence of elusive Majorana quasiparticles has received a 20-page correction in Science five years after its publication.
The paper, led by researchers in Copenhagen and affiliated with Microsoft, originally described signals from nanowires that were said to match those expected from Majoranas, exotic entities believed to be useful for quantum computing due to their resistance to noise.
Independent investigators concluded that, although the data selection was narrow, no misconduct occurred. The omitted data did not invalidate the main claims, but raised concerns about transparency and selection bias in reporting.
The authors argue the correction merely clarifies their methods. Yet the wider research community remains divided, and no group has successfully replicated the findings. Some experts now see the approach as too fragile for practical use in quantum computing.
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US quantum computing firm Strangeworks has expanded its European presence by acquiring German company Quantagonia. The merger allows organisations to tackle complex planning and optimisation using classical, hybrid, quantum, and quantum-inspired technologies.
Quantagonia, founded in 2021, develops AI-powered, quantum-ready planning tools that combine optimisation, AI, and natural language interfaces. The technology enables experts and non-technical users to solve problems across industries, including life sciences, finance, energy, and logistics.
The acquisition removes barriers to advanced decision-making and opens new go-to-market opportunities in previously underserved sectors.
The combined entity will merge Quantagonia’s solver engine and AI decision-making tools with Strangeworks’ AI and quantum infrastructure. The approach lets enterprises run multiple solvers in parallel and solve problems using natural language without technical expertise.
Strangeworks has strengthened its strategic European foothold, adding to its recent expansion in India and existing operations in the US and APAC. Executives said the merger boosts global growth and broadens access to sophisticated optimisation tools.
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The researchers showed that their system could rearrange up to 2,024 rubidium atoms into precise grid patterns in just 60 milliseconds. By comparison, a previous attempt last year arranged 800 atoms without AI but required a full second.
To showcase the model’s speed, the team even used it to create an animated image of Schrödinger’s cat by guiding atoms into patterns with laser light.
Neutral atom arrays are one of the most promising approaches to building quantum computers, as the trapped atoms can maintain their fragile quantum states for relatively long periods.
The AI model was trained on different atom configurations and patterns of laser light, allowing it to quickly determine the most efficient hologram needed to reposition atoms into complex 2D and 3D shapes.
Experts in the field have welcomed the breakthrough. Mark Saffman, a physicist at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, noted that producing holograms for larger arrays usually requires intensive calculations.
The ability of AI to handle this process so efficiently, he said, left many colleagues ‘really impressed.’
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