Expands relationship to help organizations
innovate and create new intelligence with quantum-inspired
analytics
NEW YORK and VANCOUVER, Nov. 28,
2017 /CNW/ - Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has made a minority
investment in 1QBit, a leading quantum computing firm based in
Vancouver, British Columbia,
through Accenture Ventures. The move will help Accenture
expand its capabilities in quantum computing analytics, heralding a
new era of intelligence for businesses and organizations. Terms of
the transaction were not disclosed.
In addition, the two companies have formed a strategic alliance
under which Accenture will be 1QBit's preferred systems integrator.
Accenture has also been granted a license to use the 1QBit platform
for demonstration, training, and the development and testing of
Accenture tools and assets. Accenture will leverage its alliance
with 1QBit to develop a quantum-inspired analytics capability
through Accenture Analytics and scale pilot opportunities
identified through the Accenture Labs.
Quantum-inspired analytics harnesses the power and properties of
quantum computing to tackle business problems by orders of
magnitude faster than traditional computing.
1QBit builds quantum and quantum-inspired
software to help organizations solve their most demanding
computational challenges. Its interdisciplinary team comprises
mathematicians, physicists, chemists, software developers and
quantum computing experts who develop novel solutions to problems,
from research through to commercial application development.
"By strengthening our relationship with 1QBit,
Accenture has a significant opportunity to extend our first-mover
advantage in applying quantum computing to create breakthrough
innovations that help clients solve their most complex business
challenges," said Paul Daugherty,
Accenture's chief technology & innovation officer. "The
potential applications and benefits of quantum-inspired analytics
is generating strong interest across numerous industries including
financial services, life sciences, and oil & gas."
Andrew Fursman,
1QBit's CEO and co-founder, said, "Establishing a strategic
relationship with Accenture enables us to tap their vast
capabilities, and bring 1QBit's expertise in quantum computing to a
much broader base of clients. We are incredibly excited about the
opportunities that our new relationship provides to help
organizations take advantage of the benefits created by
quantum-inspired analytics."
"Quantum computing is a turbocharger for
analytics and the creation of new intelligence," said Narendra Mulani, chief analytics officer,
Accenture Analytics. "We see massive potential for using the 1QBit
platform on behalf of our clients to pursue quantum-inspired
analytics, which will help us unlock even more value trapped in
their data and find new opportunities to transform their
businesses."
Earlier this year, Accenture and
1QBit announced that they collaborated with Biogen to
develop a first-of-its-kind quantum-enabled molecular-comparison
application that could speed up drug discovery for complex
neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's,
Parkinson's and Lou Gehrig's
disease.
Striving to be an innovator in the development of
quantum-inspired enterprise solutions and applications, Accenture
has already filed multiple patent applications. Examples include a
multi-state quantum optimization engine that solves complex
optimization problems by using nested calls to multiple quantum
computing devices, and quantum computing methods to improve
transportation systems, for example, to optimize the flight path of
a drone system.
About Accenture
Accenture is a leading global professional services company,
providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy,
consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched
experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries
and all business functions – underpinned by the world's largest
delivery network – Accenture works at the intersection of business
and technology to help clients improve their performance and create
sustainable value for their stakeholders. With more than 425,000
people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives
innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us
at www.accenture.com.
About 1QBit
1QBit is dedicated to building quantum and quantum-inspired
software to solve the world's most demanding computational
challenges. The company's hardware-agnostic platforms and services
enable the development of applications which scale alongside the
advances in both classical and quantum computers. 1QBit partners
with Fortune 500 clients and leading hardware providers to redefine
intractable industry problems in the areas of optimization,
simulation, and machine learning. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, 1QBit's interdisciplinary
team of 50 comprises mathematicians, physicists, chemists, software
developers, and quantum computing experts who develop novel
solutions to problems, from research through to commercial
application development. For more information about 1QBit,
visit: 1qbit.com.
SOURCE Accenture