Q-CTRL Wins 2023 Startup Daily’s ‘Best in Tech’ Award for Most Innovative Startup

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, September 6, 2023 – Q-CTRL, a global leader in developing useful quantum technologies through quantum control infrastructure software, was crowned today as the Most Innovative Startup at the 2023 Startup Daily Best in Tech Awards celebrating the best of Australia's startup community.

Q-CTRL is a category-defining business focused on developing quantum infrastructure software to improve the utility and performance of quantum hardware. The company began its journey as Australia’s first venture-backed quantum tech startup and recently announced that it will be delivering quantum sensing navigational technology for Australian Defence and AUKUS partners. Both its quantum sensing and quantum computing divisions signed multiple multi-million-dollar contracts with the public sector this year.

The quantum tech leader’s new global headquarters being constructed in Sydney and its role as a co-chair of the Australian Quantum Alliance exemplify how the company has become a key driver for Australia to become a global powerhouse in the quantum tech industry.  Q-CTRL’s growing team now consists of over 100 members across four offices and three continents, and has delivered major technical breakthroughs as well as significant commercial successes such as integrating its software with IBM Quantum’s hardware systems.

Q-CTRL was recently recognized as a “Cool Vendor” from leading industry analyst Gartner, was featured in the New York Times for their pioneering work in quantum sensing, and took home the 2021 “Australian Hero” award from InnovationAus.

“We’re grateful and joyful for this recognition. As a young tech startup, everyone at Q-CTRL is working really hard to deliver huge commercial and strategic advantages for Australia and its allies,” said Q-CTRL CEO and Founder Michael J. Biercuk. “We’ve assembled the best team in the world, drawing on Australia’s exceptional history as a research powerhouse in quantum computing. It’s thrilling that we’ve been able to build a business around our globally unique technology which is recognized not just in quantum technology circles, but across the broader tech ecosystem.”‍

Startup Daily is Australia’s leading, trusted source of startup news, insights and stories. The digital publisher hosted the Startup Daily Best in Tech Awards to recognize the founders, investors and startups who are progressing the Australian tech landscape. An expert judging panel of industry leaders selected finalists from nearly 250 nominations across 10 categories, including Scaleup of the Year, Startup of the Year and Most Innovative Startup. Today, the panel selected Q-CTRL as the winner of Most Innovative Startup, sponsored by Dell Technologies.

"In the race to make quantum computing viable and the next great evolutionary step in technology, Q-CTRL has picked an important strategic niche in software,” said Startup Daily editor Simon Thomsen. “Michael Biercuk and his team are tackling a key issue for the sector with error correction software to give the technology real-world potential and optimisation. Our judges were impressed by Q-CRTL's traction so far, and investors have also been impressed with the company raising $39 million this year. The company has achieved much in just six years and now employs more than 100 people. It strikes me that when quantum computing does go mainstream, Sydney-based Q-CTRL will be front and centre on the global stage making it possible."

‍About Q-CTRL‍

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 and quantum sensors. Q-CTRL operates a globally leading quantum sensing division focused on software-level innovation for strategic capability. Q-CTRL also has developed Black Opal, an edtech platform that enables users to quickly learn quantum computing.

Founded by Michael J. Biercuk in 2017, Q-CTRL has pioneered the quantum infrastructure software segment, and has become the leading product-focused software company in the broader quantum sector. Q-CTRL has been an inaugural member of the IBM Quantum Network startup program since 2018, and its performance management software now runs natively on IBM quantum computers. The company has international headquarters in Sydney, Los Angeles, Berlin, and London.