A United Kingdom-based developer of quantum computing technology has opened its first international office in the Denver-metro area and plans to grow.
Oxford Ionics, based in Oxford, England, announced its new space in the Colorado Building, at 1919 14th St., in downtown Boulder on Monday.
The office will allow the company to form a “critical base” for its expansion into North America, expanding the talent pool it has access to as it tries to speed up getting its quantum computers to the market, the announcement said.
“With the opening of our first international location, we’ve entered an incredibly exciting chapter in Oxford Ionics’ history,” said Chris Ballance, Oxford Ionics co-founder and CEO, in the announcement. “Demand for powerful quantum computers in the U.S. is increasing at a breakneck pace, so we’re thrilled to be entering this market in Boulder.”
Over the next 18 months, Oxford Ionics plans to grow to 200 employees, with “significant headcount” based at the Boulder location, the company said in an email to the Denver Business Journal. They are currently hiring people for their quantum science and engineering teams.
David Allcock will lead the U.S. office as the director of science for North America. Allcock has a doctoral degree in atomic and laser physics from the University of Oxford. He was most recently an assistant professor at the University of Oregon
“As we continue to advance the commercialization of our record-breaking technology, we look forward to bringing on new U.S.-based talent, strategic partners, and customers to accelerate this journey,” Ballance said in the announcement.
Oxford Ionics developed proprietary technology known as “electronic qubit control.” Instead of using lasers, the technology uses electronics to control its qubits, otherwise known as a quantum bit.
The Mountain West region is the largest quantum cluster in America, according to Zachary Yerushalmi, CEO and regional innovation officer for of the Elevate Quantum group. the region, anchored by the Denver-metro area, also is the only federally recognized tech hub that has received major U.S. funding for the industry, he said.
“But in order to secure the lasting economic vibrancy that comes with quantum technologies for generations, we must closely partner with and play host to the best talent, ideas, and companies from across the world,” Yerushalmi said. “That’s why we’re so excited to welcome Oxford Ionics, a world leader in ion trap quantum computing, to our ecosystem and are eager to see how they bring forward the future for everyone in our region and well beyond."
Elevate Quantum was designated a tech hub by the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration. It includes a consortium of 120 organizations.
Colorado has become the center for quantum computing innovation in the nation, according to the release. That’s aided by funding initiatives like Elevate Quantum, labs at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, physical science research institute JILA, and research programs at the University of Colorado.
“The Boulder Chamber is thrilled to welcome Oxford Ionics, a global leader in capturing the power of trapped-ion qubits for practical and scalable quantum computing, into our burgeoning quantum research and development ecosystem,” Boulder Chamber President and CEO John Tayer said in the announcement. “We look forward to assisting its team through its fast-paced development cycle as it works to bring powerful quantum computers to market – including sourcing Boulder’s high-quality talent, accessing facilities to meet its specialized needs, and providing support as it builds a home here in Boulder.”
Quantum Ionics was co-founded by Ballance and Dr. Tom Harty in 2019. In February, the company won a contract to produce a full-stack quantum computer, known as Quartet, for the U.K.’s National Quantum Computing Centre, the announcement said.
