OptQC Joins JST Moonshot R&D Program for Error-Tolerant Quantum Computing

OptQC, a deep tech startup specializing in optical quantum computer R&D, announced its participation in the JST Moonshot R&D Program, Goal 6: "Realization of fault-tolerant general-purpose quantum computers that will dramatically advance economy, industry, and security by 2050." The company has joined the research project titled "Research and Development of Fault-Tolerant All-Optical Quantum Computers."

In this project, overseen by PM Akira Furusawa (Director at OptQC), the company will lead the realization of fault-tolerant general-purpose quantum computers using its proprietary "all-optical" technology.

Company Role and Goals: Establishing a Next-Generation Computing Platform

As a core partner for practical application, OptQC will take responsibility for the end-to-end design and construction of the entire system, covering both hardware and software, as well as the research and development of foundational software.

Conventional optical quantum computers face bottlenecks in processing speeds during the conversion of optical signals to electrical signals for measurement. OptQC is establishing an "all-optical feed-forward" method that processes information entirely as light, without involving electrical signals, by utilizing Optical Parametric Amplifiers (OPA). This aims to realize a global standard computing environment capable of both ultra-high-speed operations at a "clock frequency of 10THz"—10,000 times that of current supercomputers—and extreme energy efficiency.

To realize this innovative system, the company is advancing the following two R&D themes:

1. Research on All-Optical Quantum Computer Systems
The project will build an all-optical computing system that overcomes the constraints of electrical signal bandwidth and latency. In the first year (FY2026), working with the University of Tokyo, which is responsible for establishing foundational technologies, OptQC will lead system design with a focus on scalability necessary for high-clock and large-scale operations. Ultimately, it aims to achieve 1,000,000 input modes and ultra-high-speed operations, enabling complex large-scale calculations within realistic time and power limits.

2. Research on Qubit-to-Continuous-Variable Conversion Software
In alignment with hardware advancements, including the implementation of error correction based on GKP qubits, the company will develop a foundational software platform (compilers, SDKs, simulators, etc.) that converts existing "qubit-based" algorithms into a format executable on OptQC’s continuous-variable optical quantum machines.

In the first year, OptQC will build a foundation for converting circuit expressions into hardware control parameters for cloud-based optical quantum computers operated by RIKEN. This will promote the establishment of an ecosystem that allows seamless migration and utilization of existing quantum algorithms and circuits, originally developed for qubits, onto all-optical machines, aiming to make advanced quantum computing easily accessible to everyone.