Covestro and QC Ware Agree to Work Together on Quantum Algorithms for Materials Simulation

The two companies have signed a five-year agreement to co-design quantum algorithms for applications in materials science and beyond. Although Covestro and QC Ware are currently working on proof-of-concept (POC) models using the machines available today, the companies believe that the algorithms they are developing will be usable to solve real-world problems (i.e. achieve Quantum Advantage) once processors with 200-500 qubits are available. The companies have already been working together for over a year and have release two papers on the arXiv; Local, Expressive, Quantum-Number-Preserving VQE Ansatze for Fermionic Systems and Analytical Ground- and Excited-State Gradients for Molecular Electronic Structure Theory from Hybrid Quantum/Classical Methods. A key advantage described in these two papers that is not possible with other quantum simulation approaches is that these quantum simulation algorithms can not only find the ground state of a molecule, they can also predict forces on the atoms, the color and light absorbing properties, or the electrical conductivity. Covestro, with 2020 sales of €10.7 billion ($11.4B USD) and over 16,000 employees is the world's leading polymer companies. Additional information about the collaboration between these two companies is available in a news release provided by QC Ware here.

June 7, 2022