Can quantum computing help startups build their tech stacks more quickly?

 Can quantum computing help startups build their tech stacks more quickly?

Previously the domain of large software companies, start-ups are now choosing technology to substantially speed up their capacity for problem-solving, allowing them to iterate and create more quickly.

Long ago, the coveted quantum computer technology was exclusive to the largest tech firms. no longer. Start-ups are investing in it nowadays to speed up the release of new products and expand their tech stack.  

David Deutsch, a theoretical physicist at Oxford University, developed the technology that allows them to whisper while working to create a machine that could detect the existence of parallel universes. Many computer scientists drew inspiration from his 1985 study, which describes the fundamentals of quantum theory and physics, to create newer models that could process data quicker.  

The transition from the 1960s' enormous, room-sized computers to more quickly able to design applications around business use cases revolutionized the way computers evolved. The fact that quantum computing is anticipated to be worth approximately $1.3 trillion by 2035, according to McKinsey & Company, reveals its influence on business and technology.  

Big tech organizations like Intel, IBM, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon began making investments in this technology to change how they collaborated to develop products and solutions by utilizing cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and global design methodologies. 

This haste to get a head start is understandable given how swiftly technology advances and how difficult it has become for businesses to keep up. Unlike binary processes in conventional computers, quantum bits (qubits) complete tasks using a combination of 0 and 1 and both 0 and 1 concurrently, which can benefit quantum computers in this race for speed.  

The process of solving problems is sped up by performing multiple calculations at once. Researchers from the quantum computing company D-wave were able to complete a task in 2021 three million times quicker than a conventional computer! 

Quantum computing is being used by Indian companies  

Quantum computing has becoming widely used by Indian businesses to reduce the manual labor of their staff and improve performance and profitability. In order to accelerate quantum research and development, IBM has partnered with Indian universities, research facilities, and enterprises.   

Since quite some time ago, Wipro, Infosys, and TCS have been investigating quantum computing and cryptography options. Then there are the laboratories for quantum research at IISc and C-DAC.  

According to Dr. Somdutta Singh, founder and CEO of Assiduus Global Inc., "While it is still in its infancy and presents specific challenges and opportunities, it has the potential to revolutionize the e-commerce landscape because it can process vast amounts of data at speeds that classical computers can only dream of."

The future of India, according to Karthick Seshadri, assistant professor at NIT Andhra Pradesh, can be changed by quantum computing by enabling medication development, weather monitoring, and other agricultural activities. Former developers would imitate the conventional mechanical computers, but as quantum computing has advanced across numerous universal computations, the entire situation has changed.   

Major Indian start-ups are embracing quantum computing, despite the fact that it is still relatively new to the nation, in order to construct their tech stacks more quickly. They are focusing on the fact that quantum computers are 100 times more efficient than the fastest supercomputers, which enables them to perform even the most difficult tasks in a matter of seconds and provide a variety of solutions to a given issue.  

The growth of quantum computing is tightly correlated with advances in hardware, algorithms, and use cases. Quantum computing can drastically speed up problem-solving capabilities, enabling start-ups to iterate and create more quickly because they frequently deal with complicated challenges, from optimizing operations to generating novel goods or services. They may create new algorithms, enhance machine learning models, and optimize resource allocation thanks to this competitive advantage.  

As an illustration, Happiest Minds Technologies leverages IBM Qiskit, Dwave, and Amazon Braket to find the most useful applications for quantum computing.  Ritesh Gupta, the company's vice president and chief technology officer for product engineering services, said, "More specifically, we are confident about the opportunity for us to support our customers in the healthcare, life sciences, industrial, manufacturing, and BFSI sectors, among others, to take the quantum leap. We have been deeply involved in developing Proofs of Concept (POCs) using the AWS, Azure, and IBM infrastructures in order to pinpoint application cases and demonstrate how quantum computing can fundamentally alter more involved and complicated decision-making when compared to traditional algorithms.

Several Obstacles to Overcome 

But accessing quantum computers can be challenging. According to Kanishka Agiwal, India/South Asia head for Amazon Web Services (AWS) Service Lines of Lines "The biggest challenge that new companies or researchers face is experiencing a physical quantum computing machine in the premises because this is when they establish a quantum algorithm."

He continued by saying that only a few quantum computers are frequently able to solve all computational problems. "In each of them, the simulator makes a significant difference in how researchers learn about this. So it significantly reduces time and expenses, he said.  

These quantum computers take a unique approach to problem-solving. Amazon Braket now offers access to four key pieces of quantum hardware as well as simulators, helping to democratize quantum computing in India.    

In addition, the start-up ecosystem's current tech talent pool lacks the necessary expertise to deploy quantum computing. To understand how to maximize its potential, they will require extensive training and lots of handholding. 

Despite these difficulties, Prabhu Ram, head of CyberMedia Research's industry intelligence group, believes that quantum computing start-ups in the nation have a promising future. His assurance comes from the fact that the public, corporate, and academic sectors are working to close the skills gap by funding training initiatives and providing quantum computing courses.

For instance, funding for quantum computing training programs is provided through the National Quantum Mission. Additionally, quantum computing courses are being offered at various Indian colleges. With these investments in education and training, India is creating a labor force with the necessary skills for quantum computing. Start-ups will be able to fully capitalize on the prospects presented by quantum computing thanks to this, Ram continued.    

Without a doubt, quantum computing will fundamentally alter the startup ecosystem, but it will take some time before these machines are generally available for useful applications.