IQC: The Heartbeat of Waterloo’s Quantum Innovation

At the centre of this powerful ecosystem sits the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC), the catalyst that helped spark the Waterloo community’s quantum journey and continues to fuel its momentum.

Founded in 2002 at the University of Waterloo, IQC has been a cornerstone of Waterloo’s deeply collaborative and robust quantum ecosystem. In our recent conversation with IQC’s Executive Director, Dr. Norbert Lütkenhaus, we talked about how the institute is shaping the future of quantum – and helping Waterloo punch well above its weight on the global stage.

Building a global quantum workforce

At the core of IQC’s global impact is its role in quantum education and workforce development. With over 400 researchers and students and 30 faculty members actively pushing the boundaries of quantum, the institute is a thriving hub of talent.

To date, more than 3,000 quantum professionals have benefited from IQC, many of whom have gone on to shape quantum companies like EvolutionQ, Quantum Benchmark, SoftwareQ and Open Quantum Design.

“The talent that comes out of our institute is our biggest asset. Many of our researchers are pioneers in their fields,” shares Dr. Lütkenhaus.

IQC’s reach extends far beyond the Waterloo area. “Our main technology transfer mechanism into the industry is talent. They carry their knowledge into companies and often help shape their direction towards quantum,” adds Dr. Lütkenhaus.

It’s no exaggeration to say that many of today’s leading quantum professionals across the globe have had a connection to IQC, whether as a student, researcher or collaborator.

Fostering collaboration within and beyond IQC

What makes IQC’s presence in our ecosystem so impactful?

According to Dr. Lütkenhaus, it’s the deeply interdisciplinary environment that sets the institute apart. IQC fosters a culture of constant collaboration where researchers, students and faculty members cross paths with each other, sharing ideas and finding ways to work together.

“Our core strength is research, but also the environment and the infrastructure that fosters interdisciplinary collaboration,” shares Dr. Lütkenhaus. “We see collaborations happening not just at faculty level, but among students and postdocs as well.”

The ideas sharing that happens in the halls of IQC very often leads to testing and training in its clean room facilities. “Our clean room is equally accessible to our faculty and students. Students receive hands-on training to use the devices and test their ideas”, adds Dr. Lütkenhaus. This kind of immersive learning helps IQC students to hit the ground running in the industry.

But it’s not only within IQC’s walls that this spirit of collaboration thrives. The institute is deeply connected to ecosystem partners that strengthen the industry as a whole.

Take, for example, the close ties between IQC and Perimeter Institute. While Perimeter’s focus is largely towards theoretical research, the overlap between the two institutes helps in cross-pollination of ideas leading to breakthroughs. “Our researchers move between both, allowing a rich transfer of ideas across theoretical and experimental quantum science.”

Converging research and commercialization

“Nearly 40% of our faculty is associated with either startups or spin-offs coming out of IQC,” says Dr. Lütkenhaus, highlighting IQC’s commitment to commercialization. The institute also offers training in intellectual property law, project management and business setup – helping turn breakthrough ideas into real-world ventures.

From quantum-safe cybersecurity firms like evolutionQ to health innovation companies including High Q Technologies and Foqus and startups like Open Quantum Design that are building the world’s first open-source quantum computer, IQC has helped launch nearly 20 quantum startups, with more on the way.

But this momentum doesn’t happen in isolation. IQC works closely with partners like Communitech and Velocity to accelerate commercialization and adoption of quantum. These organizations help researchers and founders navigate the business side of innovation, while IQC researchers provide feedback about unique needs of quantum ventures. This two-way feedback loop of well-integrated research and commercialization makes Waterloo’s ecosystem truly unique.

Advancing Waterloo’s quantum leadership

Thanks in large part to IQC, the Waterloo region offers a rare mix of research excellence, access to quality talent, business support and purpose-built infrastructure. This combination is drawing attention from companies to establish a presence in the area.

“We’re a very entrepreneurial community, which makes this region so attractive to companies from outside,” says Dr. Lütkenhaus. Organizations like the National Research Council have set up satellite offices at the campus for greater collaboration with IQC and the university, while companies are invited to leverage clean room facilities at the institute to accelerate their own R&D.

With IQC at its heart, Waterloo is not just advancing quantum research but also building a globally competitive quantum ecosystem. The message is clear: there’s never been a better time or place to build a quantum future!