Dr Ilana Wisby joins Cambridge Innovation Capital as Entrepreneur in Residence

Application Period Open: Fraunhofer Seeks Industry Partners for Quantum Computing Use Cases

Fraunhofer's INQUBATOR quantum computing consulting and testing center has opened an application period for industry partners to submit use cases by August 31, 2026. At least four selected projects will receive approximately 10 months of collaborative support, including access to quantum hardware from multiple international providers, tailored consulting, and commercialization planning. No prior quantum computing knowledge or proprietary hardware is required. The initiative is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space and currently has active use cases in medicine, cybersecurity, insurance, and automotive sectors.

QuTech Releases Tuna-17 Superconducting Quantum Computer Through Quantum Inspire

QuTech has released Tuna-17, a 17-qubit superconducting quantum computer developed at TU Delft, now freely accessible worldwide via the Quantum Inspire cloud platform. It is the third processor in the Tuna family (following Tuna-5 and Tuna-9), featuring 24 tunable couplers, a universal gate set, and mid-circuit measurements to support quantum error correction experiments and advanced NISQ algorithms. Built across a fully European supply chain involving TNO, Orange Quantum Systems, Qblox, Delft Circuits, and QuantWare, Tuna-17 emphasizes open architecture and interoperability. The platform allows over 100,000 shots per job with no usage caps, automatic self-calibration, and continuous performance reporting. The team is already developing the next processor, Tuna-28.

Google Seeks University Proposals for Early Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computing

Google has launched two academic research funding calls under its Academic Research Awards program, each offering up to $100,000 in unrestricted grants to university professors worldwide. The first targets early fault-tolerant quantum computing, seeking algorithms that can deliver practical value on near-term systems with limited logical qubits, with applications in life sciences, climate science, and materials research. The second focuses on securing quantum computers themselves — not post-quantum cryptography, but protecting the classical-quantum interface from side-channel attacks, data leakage in multi-tenant cloud environments, and compiler-level vulnerabilities. Applications are open through August 7, with decisions expected by October 30.

Tencent in talks to become Manus’ largest shareholder

Tencent is in talks to become the largest shareholder in Manus, the Chinese AI agent startup whose $2bn acquisition by Meta was blocked by Beijing on national-security grounds. A consortium of original investors — including ZhenFund and HSG (formerly Sequoia Capital China) — plans to repurchase Manus at the same $2bn valuation, effectively reversing the deal. Tencent would hold the biggest single stake but remain a minority shareholder. US firm Benchmark is expected to exit, shifting the cap table toward predominantly domestic Chinese investors. Manus had grown its annualized revenue to an estimated $400–500m during its time under Meta's umbrella, up from ~$100m prior. The buyback restores Chinese ownership but removes the distribution advantages Meta provided, and the episode is seen as a template for how Beijing handles strategic AI assets going forward.

Millisecond coherence times in gigahertz-frequency mechanical oscillators

Researchers achieved millisecond-scale phonon coherence times in gigahertz-frequency mechanical oscillators using micro-fabricated high-overtone bulk acoustic-wave resonators (μHBARs) made from crystalline quartz. By combining non-invasive Brillouin-based laser spectroscopy with materials analysis, they identified subsurface damage, lattice distortions, and elemental impurities at crystal surfaces as the dominant source of phonon decoherence. An optimized polishing process removed the compromised surface layer, yielding a tenfold reduction in surface losses and Q factors exceeding 247 million at 12 GHz, corresponding to phonon coherence times of 6.2 ms. The study confirms negligible dephasing in these devices and proposes a path toward coherence times beyond 100 ms, with applications in quantum transduction, quantum memories, and circuit quantum electrodynamics.

Robert Loredo Named Executive Director of FAU Center for Quantum Technologies

Florida Atlantic University has appointed Robert Loredo as executive director of its Center for Quantum Technologies. Loredo brings over 20 years of experience in advanced computing education and has trained more than 300 quantum computing ambassadors worldwide. Under his leadership, FAU will become the first Florida university to host a large-scale quantum computer on campus — a D-Wave Advantage2 system with over 4,400 qubits — and will connect to the Florida LambdaRail secure quantum network. The initiative focuses on quantum algorithm development, hybrid classical-quantum workflows, workforce training, and industry partnerships spanning logistics, materials science, AI, and simulation.

AI money watch: five funding rounds that matter today

Trong 24 giờ qua, các thương vụ gây quỹ đáng chú ý trong lĩnh vực AI và deep-tech bao gồm: Oratomic huy động 300 triệu USD Series A cho máy tính lượng tử nguyên tử trung hòa, Prime Intellect gọi vốn 130 triệu USD với định giá 1 tỷ USD cho công cụ AI tác tử doanh nghiệp, Gradium (Paris) mở rộng vòng seed vượt 100 triệu USD nhờ sự hậu thuẫn của Nvidia, Axle Energy (London) huy động 21 triệu euro cho cân bằng lưới điện thông qua thiết bị EV và năng lượng gia đình, cùng Bizay (Lisbon) đóng vòng Series D trị giá 55 triệu USD. Nvidia tham gia hai thương vụ, cho thấy chiến lược đầu tư vào các startup xây dựng trên phần cứng của mình, trong khi các nhà đầu tư ưu tiên mảng lượng tử, AI tác tử và cơ sở hạ tầng năng lượng/voice tại châu Âu hơn là các ứng dụng chatbot thông thường.

Lập trình viên nên theo dõi để hiểu cách Nvidia và các startup AI đang định hình tương lai của hardware-software tích hợp, từ kiến trúc lượng tử đến các công cụ agent AI chuyên dụng, giúp bạn cập nhật xu hướng công nghệ mới và ứng dụng thực tế trong phát triển phần mềm.