SoftBank Corp has joined QAI Ventures and HorizonX in a Singapore-based push to speed up commercial use of quantum-classical hybrid computing, according to an announcement.
QAI Ventures, an investor and ecosystem builder in quantum and advanced computing technologies, said it is launching an “Industry Clusters Program” from its Singapore headquarters.
The programme will bring together corporate partners, capital, and training to develop applications that blend quantum approaches with AI, per the announcement.
SoftBank will participate as a strategic member of the communications and networks cluster while HorizonX will serve as an education partner across the programme in collaboration with MIT, the companies said.
“We are growing the Quantum-AI architecture of the next decade by supporting innovators and building an ecosystem out of Singapore,” said Alexandra Beckstein, CEO and Founder of QAI Ventures.
The initiative targets four sectors where proponents argue quantum methods could deliver gains before fully fault-tolerant quantum computers arrive: network security and data infrastructure; financial services; industrial optimisation; and life sciences.
“Through this unique synergy of capital, corporate clusters, and world-class partnerships, we are ensuring that Singapore continues to drive the commercial development of quantum computing’s potential,” Beckstein added.
QAI Ventures said it will also run a staged venture-building track in Singapore that moves projects from customer discovery to proof-of-concept and a revenue-generating minimum viable product.
The company linked the effort to Singapore’s broader research and innovation agenda, including the government’s multi-year RIE2030 plan.
SoftBank will act as a vital link between AI technologies and quantum infrastructure, supporting the development of scalable platforms for future applications, like autonomous mobility, per the announcement.
