HPE Ramps Up Quantum Positioning

Hewlett Packard Enterprises (HPE) is diving deeper into quantum computing with a couple of recent moves: launching a Quantum Scaling Alliance and accelerating quantum innovation through HPE Labs.

Accelerating quantum computing breakthroughs

HPE recently formed the Quantum Scaling Alliance, a global initiative to make quantum computing scalable, practical, and transformative across industries. 

Dr. Masoud Mohseni from HPE Labs – the applied research arm of HPE – will oversee the initiative and serve as the quantum system architect, coordinating efforts among eight organizations.

The Quantum Scaling Alliance will also be co-led by John Martinis, co-founder and CTO at Qolab.

“Quantum computers hold the key to transforming industries through their unique ability to tackle intrinsically quantum problems,” said Martinis. “By harnessing quantum systems, we can achieve breakthroughs in areas ranging from semiconductor manufacturing to sustainable fertilizer production – solving challenges previously thought insurmountable.”

Quantum Scaling Alliance includes university and technology leaders

Among the founding members of the Quantum Scaling Alliance are those with areas of expertise across quantum computing. The members include:

• 1QBit: Fault-tolerant quantum error correction design and simulation, algorithm compilation, and automated resource estimations.
• Applied Materials, Inc.: Materials engineering and semiconductor fabrication.
• HPE: Full-stack quantum-HPC integration and software developments.
• Qolab: Qubit and circuit design.
• Quantum Machines: Hybrid quantum-classical control for scalable quantum computing.
• Riverlane: Quantum error correction.
• Synopsys: Simulation and analysis technology, EDA tools, and semiconductor IP.
• University of Wisconsin: Algorithms and benchmarks.

The Alliance was formed to design and develop a practical, cost-effective quantum supercomputer by leveraging members’ expertise across disciplines. It brings together cross-functional expertise to scale quantum computing from proof-of-principle demonstrations to industry-scale applications.

“For quantum to succeed as a viable long-term computing paradigm, it must scale by integrating with classical supercomputing systems,” said Mohseni. “The Quantum Scaling Alliance is offering a full-stack solution – a large partnership with horizontal integration that unlocks compute potential that is otherwise unachievable through a vertical approach.”

HPE Labs accelerating quantum innovation

At the SC25 conference in St. Louis, Mo., HPE Labs’ quantum team showcased advancements in quantum computing research to demonstrate the integration of HPC and networking with quantum hardware.

According to HPE, they are driving the convergence of quantum and HPC – not seeing quantum as a replacement for classical computing.

HPE Labs’ sessions at SC25 were meant to illustrate how HPE’s expertise in HPC and networking can unlock quantum’s true potential, enabling familiar HPC workflows to work with quantum hardware.

HPE says that the best approach for getting the best of hybrid quantum-classical computing stacks is tight integration at every layer:

• Programming environments: HPE is extending familiar HPC programming tools to include quantum capabilities, offering a quantum accelerator API and smart workload schedulers for seamless execution.
• Hardware optimization: Real-time quantum error correction and circuit compilation handled by leveraging HPE’s ultra-low latency interconnects and heterogeneous coprocessing, including CPUs, GPUs, QPUs, and emerging probabilistic processing units.
• Vendor-agnostic integration: HPE’s flexible, third-party-friendly approach ensures that customers can adopt the best available quantum technologies for their specific needs.

Earlier this year, HPE also made a bet on agentic AI by debuting GreenLake Intelligence, a new agentic AI framework. Read more about how this move works to simplify hybrid IT with autonomous operations and intelligent cloud insights.