In this special 20th episode of ML4Q&A, Chris and Mira celebrate the journey of the podcast, from its beginnings in 2021 to becoming a platform for exploring quantum careers, research, and innovation.

This milestone episode dives into the interplay between academia and industry in quantum technology with two distinguished guests: Jan Goetz, CEO and co-founder of IQM, and ML4Q Member, Frank Wilhelm-Mauch, researcher at Forschungszentrum Jülich and co-founder of Qruise. Together, they discuss the complementary roles of academia and industry in advancing quantum technology, shedding light on Europe’s pivotal role in the global quantum landscape.

Join us as we look back, celebrate the present, and dive into the future of quantum!

00:00:00 Intro
00:00:48 Jan’s educational journey in Physics
00:06:27 Frank’s career journey
00:10:45 The introduction of DRAG pulses
00:13:49 Joint work between theorists and experimentalists
00:19:16 Jan’s Postdoc time in Finland
00:22:14 Frank’s postdoc work on NMR
00:26:25 Founding IQM
00:36:05 Communication strategies
00:41:39 Founding Qruise
00:47:29 What role do AI and machine learning play in scaling quantum computers?
00:51:46 IQM and Qruise working together
00:54:16 Dig for gold or sell shovels?
00:58:32 A short Q&A on predictions
01:05:29 Academia vs. Start-ups
01:12:17 What do you look for in future employees?
01:17:40 Exit paths for startups
01:20:09 Talking about managing major projects in Jülich
01:24:01 Talking about the role of ML4Q and the latest developments in Jülich