Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
PsiQuantum partnering with the Australian Federal Government and Queensland State Government to build world’s first utility-scale quantum computer in Brisbane.
A utility-scale fault-tolerant quantum computer will be able to solve problems no conventional computer, AI or even supercomputer, could ever solve.
Today, researchers know that industry-altering breakthroughs are possible in a range of the nation’s most critical industries like battery technology, fertilisers, solar cells, materials, and many others. What Australia's engineers and scientists lack, however, is access to a computer powerful enough to run the calculations and simulations necessary to identify the right solution among millions of possibilities. A utility-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer will help find the answers they need.
Quantum computing at Brisbane Airport
PsiQuantum has partnered with engineering and construction partners in Jacobs and Lendlease who are driving the design and engineering plans forward. We have also placed the order for one of the longest lead items, the cryoplant that will cool our system, with Linde Engineering who are now in the process of building that system.
Australia’s Legacy in Quantum Computing
Australia has played a foundational role in the development of quantum computing, including the famous contributions of Gerard Milburn and Bruce Kane. This is particularly true in photonics, the technology at the heart of PsiQuantum’s approach. Some of the earliest theoretical proposals for photonic quantum computing originated in Australia, paving the way for breakthroughs in using light to process quantum information. In a defining moment for the field, the world’s first photon CNOT gate—essentially a quantum transistor for light—was demonstrated in Brisbane by Jeremy O’Brien and his colleagues. Today, Jeremy leads PsiQuantum as a co-founder and CEO, bringing this legacy full circle as we build the world’s first utility-scale fault-tolerant quantum computer in Australia.
Australia’s contributions to quantum research continue to be world-leading. A recent report highlighted that Australia has published more papers per capita on quantum computing than any other country, underscoring its position at the forefront of quantum innovation. Australian research centres have been pioneering the field for over 25 years, with eight PsiQuantum leaders and employees having trained in the Australian Research Council Centres of Excellence. PsiQuantum is proud to partner with 13 Australian universities, research centres, and research organisations, with more collaborations in the pipeline.
Now, we are turning this research leadership into reality. Our first useful-scale quantum computer will be installed in Brisbane, within a facility double the size of the Gabba, complete with a state-of-the-art cryoplant to keep key components at 4 K (–270°C), the temperature of deep space. PsiQuantum’s Asia-Pacific headquarters is based in Brisbane, where our technical team is focused on the operations of our large-scale quantum computer. We will also open a lab at Griffith University, where we are testing world-leading quantum modules and training the next generation of quantum engineers. With two of our founders—Jeremy O’Brien and Terry Rudolph—hailing from Australia, and a rapidly growing Australian team, PsiQuantum is deeply committed to building the future of quantum computing in Australia.
Workforce of the Future: PsiQuantum Partnership with Universities
PsiQuantum has partnered with five leading universities in Queensland to help support the growing demand for skills in the quantum computing economy and to explore research projects in adjacent fields.
This collaboration will provide a framework for academic institutions in Australia to offer opportunities for academic, postgraduate, and undergraduate placements that will attract and retain leading Australian and global talent.
Students starting high school this year will graduate into a world with utility-scale quantum computers. We will work with PsiQuantum across the education spectrum - from schools, through TAFE, to universities - to prepare our students for future jobs in quantum and advanced technologies. ”
Australia and Queensland have been world leaders in the field of quantum computing for decades, and this partnership builds upon that foundation. This collaboration will help ensure that Australia is developing the necessary skills and driving research to continue leading this field for decades to come. ”
PsiQuantum Opening a Test & Validation Lab in Brisbane
PsiQuantum will open a ‘Test & Validation’ lab at Griffith University’s Nathan Campus in Brisbane in 2025.
The Lab will perform critical characterization and calibration methods for PsiQuantum’s high-performance subsystems essential for the first utility-scale system it is building in Brisbane.
We are excited about the partnership with PsiQuantum and the opportunities it will bring for more Queensland students to build future-focused STEM careers, while building on more than 20 years of leading research in quantum technology here at Griffith and across the state. ”
Australia and Queensland have been world leaders in the field of quantum computing for decades, and this partnership builds upon that foundation. This collaboration will help ensure that Australia is developing the necessary skills and driving research to continue leading this field for decades to come. ”