News Release

University of Ottawa partners with Xanadu to advance the development of quantum computing technologies in Canada

The partnership aims to bring key stakeholders together to accelerate the development of quantum computing technologies in Canada.

Business Announcement

University of Ottawa

The University of Ottawa (uOttawa) and Xanadu announced a new partnership to drive Canada's quantum computing approach beyond fundamental scientific research. This partnership provides researchers and students at uOttawa with a one-of-a-kind opportunity to gain practical experience using Xanadu’s commercially available quantum computers and working with in-house experts.

Access to world-class quantum hardware and software will be available to the uOttawa research community as well as government and industry partners. This collaboration will advance the development of quantum computing, novel quantum algorithms and applications by validating the use-cases in real-world settings. 

“This partnership will help elevate emerging quantum research by giving our students and researchers access to the cutting-edge technologies and expertise held at Xanadu,” explained Sylvain Charbonneau, Vice-President, Research and Innovation at the University of Ottawa. “It has the potential to change lives as we train the next generation of quantum pioneers, and work with industry experts to develop and commercialize real-life applications.”

The program will provide training and education to build a robust pipeline of highly skilled quantum talents. Xanadu’s open-source software, PennyLane, and a hands-on interactive educational tool for learning quantum computing, the Xanadu Quantum Codebook, will be the foundational resource to educate and train Canada’s future diverse quantum workforce. 

"We are thrilled to partner with the University of Ottawa on research and establish a diverse quantum workforce in Canada. Combining uOttawa's deep knowledge in quantum photonics with Xanadu's industry-leading expertise in quantum hardware and software will pave the way for tackling today's most important scientific and engineering challenges," said Josh Izaac, Xanadu's Director of Product.

Both parties are confident that this program will have a major impact on Canada's growing quantum ecosystem and economic development in the country. This strategic focus on collaboration among key stakeholders from the research community, government, and industry will further solidify Canada’s position as a global leader in quantum computing.

About the University of Ottawa:
Rooted in its bilingual and Francophone DNA, the University of Ottawa is evolving at the intersection of many cultures. Located in Canada’s capital, a gateway to the world, uOttawa possesses a unique platform to respond with energy, creativity, and scale to the global challenges and opportunities our world offers. With an active focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion, it will thrive like never. Already in this new millennium, the University has  rocketed into the top 1% of the world’s 20,000+ universities with its research reputation. The enrollment has doubled  with students from across Canada, as well as from 147 countries around the globe, choosing uOttawa. uOttawa’s international influence is surging, with institutional partnerships in Europe, Asia and Africa multiplying rapidly – including membership in the U7 Alliance of world universities. Meanwhile  research and programs in Cybertech, health, science, social justice, sustainability, education, and entrepreneurship continue to impact communities across Canada and around the globe every single day. uOttawa’s scientists and academicians are driving progress in ethical AI and technology development, in clean growth and innovation and in action- oriented research on aging, active and healthy living, lifelong learning, and well-being, to name but a few. At uOttawa, the entire university community is driven by the urge to challenge the status quo, the will to make an impact, and the ambition to become a catalyst for change. www.uOttawa.ca

About Xanadu:
Xanadu is a Canadian quantum technology company with the mission to build quantum computers that are useful and available to people everywhere. Founded in 2016, Xanadu has become one of the world's leading quantum hardware and software companies. The company also leads the development of PennyLane, an open-source software library for quantum computing and application development. Visit www.xanadu.aino or follow us on Twitter @XanaduAI.

About PennyLane:
PennyLane is an open-source software framework for quantum machine learning, quantum chemistry, and quantum computing with the ability to run on all hardware. To find out more, visit the PennyLane website (https://pennylane.ai), and check out the gallery of hands-on quantum machine learning content (https://pennylane.ai/qml/demonstrations.html)


Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.