OptQC Inc., a startup originating from the University of Tokyo, has officially launched its central “Laboratory,” the core facility dedicated to developing the world’s first commercial optical quantum computer.

This cutting-edge environment holds the potential to transform the very foundations of society. What exactly is this laboratory aiming to achieve? What kind of talent is driving the work forward, and what happens here on a daily basis?
To future engineers and researchers who may one day join us, we are pleased to share a closer look at the heart of our mission.

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Supporting the Construction of the Full-Scale Machine at AIST — The Heart of Our Technical Development

To prepare for the start of commercial use in fiscal year 2026, OptQC has established a dedicated laboratory inside our office. This facility serves as the core experimental and verification hub that supports the development of the first commercial optical quantum computer—AIST’s planned “maintenance-free model,” to be constructed at the G-QuAT facility of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST).

Our mission here is to thoroughly develop and validate all the “core technologies” required for the final machine that will ultimately be assembled at AIST. In this office laboratory, we are creating the future system’s brain and nervous system.

“The final machine will be assembled at AIST, but building it from scratch on-site would be incredibly challenging,” our development team explains.

“That’s why we first create and refine the essential units here in this lab, running repeated tests until we get them right. The success we achieve here directly shapes the quality of the first commercial machine.”

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Where Theory Becomes Implementation — The Frontline of Development

Inside the laboratory, a small but highly skilled team of professionals works every day on cutting-edge research and development. The group includes quantum scientists with expertise in both hardware and software, specialists in high-speed and high-precision electronic circuits, and other members from diverse technical backgrounds who each contribute their own deep expertise.

Their daily challenges include the precise control of quantum light sources and the design of ultra–high-speed feed-forward circuits—tasks that have few precedents anywhere in the world.

“Developing a quantum computer is not something that can be achieved with knowledge from a single field.”

The laboratory requires not only quantum physicists but also optical engineers, control-system specialists, software developers, and experts across many disciplines. By bringing together knowledge from optics, quantum physics, electronics, and information science, we aim to build a truly practical and integrated system.

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An Invitation to Those Who Will Help Build the Industries of the Future

Our laboratory is not merely a research facility. It is the front line of innovation, where we aim to create the very foundation of next-generation industries, built upon Japan’s strength in optical technologies.

If you are an engineer or researcher who feels a sense of excitement reading this, we invite you to consider applying your expertise and passion to help shape the future.

At OptQC, we sincerely welcome those who want to embark with us on this ambitious journey.