How Alice&Bob Company Solves Quantum Noise with Cat Qubits
Horizon Quantum and Alice & Bob Create Fault-Tolerant Computing again
Alice&Bob Company
Horizon Quantum Computing and Alice & Bob have partnered to bridge the gap between abstract quantum algorithms and robust, fault-tolerant hardware, advancing quantum utility. Horizon Quantum's “Triple Alpha” development environment and Alice & Bob's bespoke “cat qubit” emulators will be used in the partnership. The two companies seek to give developers a “full-stack” approach to constructing quantum-physics-resistant programs by combining Horizon's hardware-agnostic compilation with Alice & Bob's error-correction architecture.
The Noise Problem: Finding Fault Tolerance
Quantum computing has reached a turning point. Although “Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum” (NISQ) devices show promise for quantum speedup, decoherence—the tendency of quantum information to evaporate when disturbed by even the slightest heat or electromagnetic interference—plagues them. For banking, chemistry, and cryptography difficulties, industry must adopt Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computing (FTQC).
This shift requires Quantum Error Correction (QEC), which combines many physical qubits into a single “logical qubit” that is stable even if some of its pieces fail. However, typical QEC methods require millions of physical qubits to yield a few reliable logical ones. For years, this huge overhead has prohibited quantum computers from being economically viable.
The Efficiency Breakthrough of Alice & Bob
The “cat qubit” technology developed by Paris-based hardware pioneer Alice & Bob has garnered global notice. Unlike normal qubits, cat qubits include “built-in” safeguards against bit-flips, one of the two basic quantum blunders. Alice & Bob addresses one hardware problem, simplifying software error correction.
The company recently demonstrated that its architecture may reduce large-scale system physical qubit overhead by 200 times compared to standard superconducting approaches. The competitor's computer may only need 100,000 cat qubits to execute a task that requires 20 million physical qubits. This efficiency makes large-scale system realization easier.
Horizon Quantum: Quantum Stack Automation
Horizon Quantum Computing provides the “navigation system,” while Alice and Bob build the “engine.” Horizon, from Singapore, has been developing Triple Alpha for years. This software architecture automatically converts high-level code into efficient quantum circuits.
Horizon lets software engineers without PhDs in quantum physics use quantum computing. Their Triple Alpha platform lets programmers design device-independent apps and optimizes them for the hardware. Automation is needed to scale quantum applications outside labs.
Strategic Collaboration Details
The new agreement involves numerous important technology integrations to accelerate development:
Hardware Emulation on the Cloud: Alice & Bob will sell “virtual versions” of their forthcoming quantum processing units on Horizon's Triple Alpha platform. This lets programmers test their algorithms on cat-qubit hardware before the chips are deployed.
Horizon's advanced resource analysis capabilities will benefit Alice & Bob's backends. This lets developers track total qubit count, gate depth, and error rates at many abstraction levels. This knowledge is essential for "right-sizing" algorithms for early fault-tolerant computers.
Direct Compilation Pipeline: The deal makes Triple Alpha one of Alice & Bob's hardware compilation pipelines. Horizon's software will instantaneously apply advanced, error-corrected algorithms to Alice & Bob's next-generation QPUs.
Leadership Views on Future Rigor
Horizon Quantum Computing CEO Dr. Joe Fitzsimons said fault-tolerant systems are necessary to maximize quantum computing. By combining Alice & Bob's fault-tolerant hardware architectural expertise with Horizon Quantum's quantum programming and compilation expertise, he believes the collaboration will enhance fault-tolerant quantum computing.
Alice & Bob CEO Dr.”au Peronnin agreed, emphasizing the need for a research-based strategy. Peronnin added “building a complete quantum software stack requires careful integration of algorithms, error correction and compilation”. He believes Horizon Quantum can solve these issues.
Future: 2026 and Beyond
This relationship occurs as businesses grow rapidly. Horizon Quantum, based in Singapore, is the first software company to operate its own quantum computer. Additionally, the company is merging with dMY Squared Technology Group to pursue a Nasdaq public offering.
Meanwhile, Alice & Bob meet hardware plan goals. With over 150 employees and €130 million in investment, the company is ready to launch real-world hardware for difficult QEC operations.
Horizon's automated software deployment and Alice & Bob's hardware efficiency are accelerating the "Quantum Advantage" timeline, when a quantum computer can solve a commercially significant problem that a classical supercomputer cannot. The Horizon-Alice & Bob alliance offers a faster, more reliable path to the quantum future for financial institutions wanting faster optimization and pharmaceutical giants seeking innovative molecular simulations.
