Q-CTRL Releases Black Opal Enterprise to Make Businesses ‘Quantum Ready’
SYDNEY, Oct. 4, 2022 – Q-CTRL, a global leader in developing useful quantum technologies through quantum control infrastructure software, today released Black Opal Enterprise, an expanded version of its learning platform designed to help businesses adopt quantum computing.
Black Opal Enterprise is the only comprehensive and interactive enterprise-ready quantum computing education platform, which now includes user management, tracking, analytics, and co-branding. Its launch follows the release of Black Opal for individual users in April 2022.
Q-CTRL’s first Black Opal Enterprise customers include quantum computing provider IonQ, as well as soon-to-be-announced Big Four consultancies, a Fortune 500 petrochemicals company, a military unit in Australia, and a government research center in the UK.
Black Opal’s intuitive, visual, and highly interactive platform makes it easy for anyone to learn quantum computing, regardless of their professional backgrounds. The platform has quickly become a go-to resource and has received exceptional reviews.
“Black Opal lowers barriers to understanding quantum computing for businesses and organizations building quantum-ready teams and empowered customers” said Mick Conroy, Q-CTRL’s Product Manager for Black Opal. “In our customer engagement - and even in my own journey learning quantum computing on the job - we discovered how powerful building the right visual tools with enterprise functionality could be.”
The demand for people with technical expertise is even more acute in the quantum industry, and employees are demanding the kind of customized training that Black Opal Enterprise provides, according to Q-CTRL. Companies are using the platform to train new hires and long-time employees.
“As one of the very first Black Opal Enterprise customers, I find the depth of content and the execution quality of Q-CTRL’s edtech tool for quantum computing to be very impressive,” said Ariel Braunstein, SVP Product and Marketing of IonQ. “The tool will aid in internal educational initiatives to onboard new employees and support their growth. Quantum computing is an exciting new industry and there is always something new to learn, for all levels of expertise.”
Black Opal Enterprise features include:
- Co-branded user-experience pages
- Seat licensing structure with account management and administrative functions delivering flexibility for changing learner cohorts
- Detailed usage analytics to ensure learning cohorts are tracking against goals
- Recognition of accomplishment with co-branded completion badges and digital learning certificates
- Dedicated customer support forum and access to experts
Based on the laws of physics at the smallest scale, quantum computing is expected to transform the world by allowing scientists and business leaders to solve problems previously considered impossible from developing new fuels and more efficient batteries to improving risk management and operational efficiencies. The Boston Consulting Group estimates the potential impact at up to $850 billion per year.
Building a quantum ready workforce is a critical challenge for enterprises seeking to get ahead of this rapidly emerging industry. Organizations need to start preparing for the arrival of this technology now. In February 2022, the US National Quantum Coordination Office (NQCO) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) released the National Strategic Plan for Quantum Information Science and Technology Workforce Development which directly identified the need for quantum-ready business leaders and professionals.
For more details on Black Opal Enterprise, see this blog post. To learn more about Black Opal, view this here. To learn more about Q-CTRL, visit q-ctrl.com
About Q-CTRL
Q-CTRL is building the quantum technology industry by overcoming the fundamental challenge in the field – hardware error and instability. Q-CTRL’s quantum control infrastructure software for R&D professionals and quantum computing end users delivers the highest performance error-correcting and suppressing techniques globally, and provides a unique capability accelerating the pathway to the first useful quantum computers. This foundational technology also applies to a new generation of quantum sensors, and enables Q-CTRL to shape and underpin every application of quantum technology.
Q-CTRL has assembled the world’s foremost team of expert quantum-control engineers, providing solutions to many of the most advanced quantum computing and sensing teams globally. Q-CTRL has been an inaugural member of the IBM Quantum Startup network since 2018, and recently announced a partnership with Transport for NSW, delivering its enterprise infrastructure software to transport data scientists exploring quantum computing. Q-CTRL is funded by SquarePeg Capital, Sierra Ventures, Sequoia Capital China, Data Collective, Horizons Ventures, Main Sequence Ventures, In-Q-Tel, Airbus Ventures, and Ridgeline Partners. The company has international headquarters in Sydney, Los Angeles, and Berlin.
