SUCCESS STORY:­ PLANQC

Few future technologies are associated with such high expectations as the quantum computing sector. In this field, the gate startup planqc has taken the leap. With an innovative approach, the company is developing a scalable quantum computer that operates at room temperature and is based on atoms trapped in optical lattices. This technology holds the potential to fundamentally revolutionize the way data is processed.

A pioneer in quantum computing from Germany

Dr. Alexander Glätzle, Dr. Sebastian Blatt, and Dr. Johannes Zeiher are not only pioneering the development of industry-ready quantum computers but are also advancing Germany’s position as a leading hub for key technologies. The successes include a 20 million euro project with the Leibniz Supercomputing Center (LRZ), building on previous commitments from the DLR (€29 million) and the DTCF (€50 million).

This impressive track record is also reflected in the personal recognition of the founders. Dr. Alexander Glätzle was named to the prestigious “Capital Top 40 under 40” list and honored with the German Startup Award 2023. Furthermore, in 2024, the three founders—Dr. Alexander Glätzle, Dr. Sebastian Blatt, and Dr. Johannes Zeiher—were awarded the “EY Entrepreneur Of The Year” title in the “Young Companies” category.

What sets planqc apart from global pioneers like Google or IBM? Scalability is one of the biggest challenges in quantum computing, and the team aims to turn this challenge into its unique selling point. To achieve this, the startup plans to use neutral atoms for encoding qubits, which are naturally identical and thus highly scalable. This approach takes planqc in a completely different direction from tech giants like Google and IBM, which rely on superconducting chips and the semiconductor industry.

Planqc’s quantum computers are based on the precision of the world’s best atomic clocks, quantum gas microscopes, and fast Rydberg gates. “Our atoms are more than a million times colder than outer space and over a thousand times colder than the superconducting qubits used by IBM or Google. Yet, we can operate our computers at room temperature because our qubits are nearly perfectly isolated from the environment,” explains Dr. Johannes Zeiher, co-founder of planqc and researcher at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics (MPQ).

What does the future hold for planqc? Dr. Alexander Glätzle described moving into the company’s new headquarters as a milestone on planqc’s journey to “solve some of humanity’s greatest challenges, which even the most powerful supercomputers have yet to overcome.”