Quantum Computing Startup Panel Discussion + Networking Event

!!!IMPORTANT NOTE: YOU MUST REGISTER AT SKILLS MATTER WEBSITE TO ATTEND. GO TO https://skillsmatter.com/meetups/10745-quantum-computing-startup-panel-discussion REGISTER AND CLICK ATTEND!!!

This event will be a panel discussion featuring founders of UK quantum computing startups and London based investors in the field of quantum computing, and will be followed by a catered networking event. We will be discussing the unique challenges involved in setting up a company in this industry and of assessing which companies currently present the best investment opportunities.

The panel members are as follows...

4 Entrepreneurs:-

Vid Stojevic (https://www.linkedin.com/in/vid-stojevic-32640314/) - CTO and co-founder of a new start-up called GTN - Generative Tensorial Networks ( http://gtn.ai ) - who are using “advanced cutting-edge quantum physics and machine learning methods to enable the next 150 years of drug discovery” and are currently at the stage of actively hiring 10 engineers/physicists + others to start their company. They are going to be using novel, non-quantum computing techniques at first and at the same time working on getting the technology ready for use on quantum computers when they become available.

Dr Chris Erven (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/physics/people/chris-erven/index.html) - Lecturer in Quantum Engineering at the University of Bristol. Co-Director of the Quantum Engineering Centre for Doctoral Training and a researcher at the Centre for Quantum Photonics. Interests include photonic quantum technologies, in particular the development of integrated quantum cryptography devices and their commercial application. He is trying to get a startup off the ground in quantum encryption and is likely to still be seeking funding at the time of the panel discussion.

Dr Steve Brierley (http://www.stevebrierley.com/) - Senior research Fellow in applied Mathematics at the University of Cambridge with a background in architectures for quantum computing and quantum algorithms. He recently founded River Lane Research to develop industrial applications for quantum computers and develop a powerful software tool called Quantum Collective Knowledge (QCK). QCK organises and simplifies the diverse quantum computing offerings allowing academics and companies to initiate and lead groundbreaking, interdisciplinary and collaborative research projects into hybrid quantum and classical computing.

NOW NOT COMING (possibly being replaced a member of his team???): Dr Peter Leek - leads the Leek Lab (http://leeklab.physics.ox.ac.uk/) which works with Superconducting Quantum Devices at the University of Oxford. This research group works on new types of electrical devices that display quantum mechanical behaviour and that will lead to new technologies like quantum computing. He recently founded Oxford Quantum Circuits Limited which works on developing quantum computers and obtained investment from Parkwalk in September 2017 (http://parkwalkadvisors.com/2017/09/oxford-quantum-circuits/).

2 Investors:-

David Kelnar (https://www.mmcventures.com/team/david-kelnar/) - David leads MMC's Research team, which provides MMC with a deep and differentiated understanding of the technologies, themes and sectors in which it invests. David has a focus on emerging technologies - AI, Blockchain and Quantum Computing. David also has eight years of entrepreneurial leadership experience in early stage companies, having served as the founding CEO and CFO, respectively, of two consumer service technology companies, and is an advisor to a range of early stage ventures. Previously, David was an equity research analyst and investor in the European technology sector, at Goldman Sachs in London and a hedge fund in New York.

Simon Gold - Simon is an investor in early stage ventures including in the quantum computing space, pre series A investments in both Rigetti Quantum Computing and QCWare. Other early stage investments that include strategic level involvement include Vagabond Wines, Staff Heroes and Leake Street Brewery (Boxcar); alongside a number of other ventures. For his day job he’s employed as a senior fixed income trader at a large US investment bank, and has a career in this industry spanning 15 years of sell side trading.

Topics of discussion will include:-

• The experience of starting a quantum computing business.

• The challenge of protecting the intellectual property of a quantum startup while sharing enough to be able to grow the business and share ideas/research with partners and the research community.

• The areas of quantum computing that are producing the most startups and the reasons why.

• The experience of hiring for a quantum computing startup.

• The areas of quantum computing that are most attractive to investors in the short term.

• The challenges of investing in a technology which involves the use of quantum physics - a notoriously difficult science to understand for untrained business people.

• The challenges of investing in a technology which, with the exception of quantum cryptography, is still quite immature.

After the discussion we will be hosting a networking event from 8:15 until 10 in the CodeNode bar with hot food and drinks - generously funded by Microsoft. As turn out to these events is only around 50% the amount of food ordered will be estimated and so, although we aim to feed everyone, if numbers exceed expectations then food will be for the first X people to sign in on arrival - so arrive early (6:15) to sign in early to avoid possible disappointment.

!!!IMPORTANT NOTE: YOU MUST REGISTER AT SKILLS MATTER WEBSITE TO ATTEND. GO TO https://skillsmatter.com/meetups/10745-quantum-computing-startup-panel-discussion REGISTER AND CLICK ATTEND!!!