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Quantum technology research is maturing towards commercializable products, a development fuelled by major investments from governments and companies. Some promises of the second quantum revolution, to exploit the laws of quantum mechanics for unprecedented innovations, could become reality in the not-so-distant future. We might soon see large-scale investment in quantum-technology start-ups with global reach. But for those start-ups to transform global business, we need one crucial ingredient: bold and brilliant quantum-technology entrepreneurs.
To inspire and educate today’s young physicists to become tomorrow’s quantum-technology entrepreneurs,Nature, Entrepreneur First and Innovate UK organised theNature/Entrepreneur First Innovation Forum in Quantum Technologies. Throughout 2016, we first trained young quantum physicists to conceive ideas for quantum-technology start-ups and then provided them with the opportunity to discuss those ideas with investors, experienced entrepreneurs and researchers from industry.
Complementing this project, in this web collection we present comments with advice for young quantum technology entrepreneurs and features about commercialization of quantum technologies.
Masoud Mohseni, Peter Read, Hartmut Neven and colleagues at Google's Quantum AI Laboratory set out investment opportunities on the road to the ultimate quantum machines.
Thinking of creating your own company? Perseverance, pragmatism, flexibility and truly understanding your customers' needs are all vital ingredients for success.
Nanotechnology is starting to play a role in a number of commercial products, though in an evolutionary, rather than revolutionary way, says Peter Dobson.
Research in quantum optics has already led to commercial technologies, but the gap between the lab and market products is still large. Looking from the industrial side, one can see ways of bridging this gap.