AQT awarded as Technology Pioneer by World Economic Forum

June 2020: AQT, the Innsbruck-based Austrian quantum computing company, was selected among hundreds of candidates as one of the World Economic Forum’s “Technology Pioneers”.  AQT is a spin-off of the University of Innsbruck and the Austrian Academy of Sciences, founded by the quantum physicists Prof. Rainer Blatt, Dr. Thomas Monz and Prof. Peter Zoller. The company develops hardware for quantum computers based on trapped-ion technology.

The World Economic Forum’s Technology Pioneers are early to growth-stage companies from around the world that are involved in the design, development and deployment of new technologies and innovations, and are poised to have a significant impact on business and society. Technology Pioneers community is an integral part of the larger Global Innovators community of start-ups at the World Economic Forum.

Following its selection as Technology Pioneer, CEO Thomas Monz of AQT will be invited to participate at World Economic Forum activities, events and discussions throughout the year. AQT will also contribute to Forum initiatives over the next two years, working with policymakers and private sector leaders to help define the global agenda on key issues.

“We’re excited to welcome AQT to our 20^th cohort of Technology Pioneers,” says Susan Nesbitt, Head of the Global Innovators Community, World Economic Forum. “AQT and its fellow pioneers are developing cutting edge technologies all over the world. Beyond their innovations, these firms are contributing greatly to improving the state of the world.”

“We are delighted to be acknowledged as pioneer by the World Economic Forum”, said AQT’s Thomas Monz. “This is a confirmation that our ion-trap technology is a top contender for a future quantum computer that can tackle meaningful, real-world problems. Our technology will support the development of new pharmaceuticals or materials with designed properties. Better catalysts, for instance, could curb emissions and help fight climate change. We look forward to contributing to the Forum dialogues on this challenge.”

This year’s cohort selection marks the 20^th anniversary of the Tech Pioneers community. Throughout its 20-year run, many Technology Pioneers have continuously contributed to advancement in their industries while some have even gone on to become household names. Past recipients include Airbnb, Google, Kickstarter, Mozilla, Palantir Technologies, Spotify, TransferWise, Twitter and Wikimedia.

2020 Tech Pioneer firms are shaping the future by advancing technologies such as AI, IoT, robotics, blockchain, biotechnology and many more. The diversity of these companies extends to their leadership as well, as over 25% of 2020 Tech Pioneers are female led. The firms also come from regions all around the world, extending their community far beyond Silicon Valley. The full list of Technology Pioneers can be found here.

Technology Pioneers have been selected based on the community’s selection criteria, which includes innovation, impact and leadership as well as the company’s relevance with the World Economic Forum’s Platforms.

All info on this year’s Technology Pioneers can be found here: http://wef.ch/techpioneers20

More information on past winners, information on the community and the application link can be found here.

About AQT: AQT is a quantum computer start-up located in Innsbruck, Austria, building on decades of experimental and theoretical expertise in the field of quantum information processing. The intention of AQT is to get quantum technologies out of the laboratory environment and turn these technologies into everyday-products. The long-term goal is a quantum computer based on trapped ions that can be readily operated from any PC or laptop.

About World Economic Forum: The World Economic Forum, committed to improving the state of the world, is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. (www.weforum.org).

About the Global Innovators: The Global Innovators Community is a group of the world’s most promising start-ups and scale-ups that are at the forefront of technological and business model innovation. The World Economic Forum provides the Global Innovators Community with a platform to engage with public- and private-sector leaders and to contribute new solutions to overcome current crises and build future resiliency.

Companies who are invited to become Global Innovators will engage with one or more of the Forum’s Platforms, as relevant, to help define the global agenda on key issues.