Kipu Quantum Achieves Quantum Computing Milestone
IonQ and Kipu Quantum are exploring additional use cases capable of delivering quantum-advantage in the near term across drug discovery, logistics, and material design.
A German quantum computing company with offices in Karlsruhe and Berlin has achieved a major breakthrough that could accelerate drug discovery. Kipu Quantum, in collaboration with US-based IonQ, has successfully solved the most complex protein folding problem ever executed on a quantum computer.
According to information from the company's press release, this joint effort represents the largest quantum computation of its kind to date. The teams tackled a 3D protein folding challenge involving up to 12 amino acids – setting an industry record and demonstrating promising potential for commercial quantum computing applications in pharmaceutical research.
The breakthrough was made possible through Kipu Quantum's innovative BF-DCQO algorithm running on IonQ's Forte generation quantum systems. This non-variational, iterative method proves both accurate and resource-efficient, achieving better solutions with fewer quantum operations in each iteration.
"This collaboration is not only breaking performance records, but is also positioning us to actively pursue quantum advantage using trapped-ion technologies," said Prof. Enrique Solano, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Kipu Quantum.
Beyond protein folding, the partnership also solved complex optimization problems using up to 36 qubits, obtaining optimal solutions across all test instances. The all-to-all connectivity of IonQ's trapped-ion systems proved crucial for handling the long-range interactions present in protein folding challenges.
The collaboration extends beyond this achievement, with both companies gaining early access to IonQ's upcoming 64-qubit and 256-qubit systems. This partnership positions them to tackle even larger, industrially relevant challenges across drug discovery, logistics, and material design.
Founded in 2021, Kipu Quantum has consistently delivered groundbreaking innovations and offers its quantum solutions through the PLANQK platform, serving over 220 organizations worldwide.
