Equal1 Named Overall Winner of Silicon Start-up Contest run by Silicon Catalyst in Partnership with Arm
Equal1, a pioneering silicon quantum computing company and a spin-out of University College Dublin (UCD), has been announced as the overall winner of the ‘Silicon Start-ups Contest’ run by Silicon Catalyst in partnership with Arm.
Silicon Catalyst, based in California, is the world’s only incubator focused exclusively on accelerating semiconductor solutions, built on a comprehensive coalition of in-kind and strategic partners to dramatically reduce the cost and complexity of development.
The contest offered an opportunity for silicon start-ups, from around the world, to win valuable commercial, technical and marketing support from Arm and Silicon Catalyst.
Equal1, with offices in NexusUCD in Dublin and in California, is dedicated to making quantum computing affordable and accessible. As the overall winner of the contest, Equal1, will now receive Arm credit worth $150,000.
“Building on our close working relationship with Arm, as both a Silicon Catalyst Strategic Partner and an In-Kind Partner, we launched our world-wide contest for early-stage entrepreneurial teams to compete for valuable commercial and technical support from Arm. The resulting applicant companies represented an impressive range of technologies and application targets, as well as geographic diversity,” said Pete Rodriguez, CEO, Silicon Catalyst.
He added, “The response to this contest was a clear indicator of the breadth of products in the Arm portfolio, adding to the significant value of their Flexible Access for Startups program. The applicant companies represented the most interesting emerging applications using Arm technologies, including quantum computing, consumer products, massively parallel AI, cryptography and wireless communications.”
Equal1 is the first company to demonstrate silicon spin qubits using standard CMOS processes. The company has already developed three generations of quantum SoC hardware, the latest solution is a breakthrough server-sized quantum computer, which is one percent the size of the competition.
Jason Lynch, CEO, Equal1, said, “We are thrilled to be the winner of the 'Silicon Startups Contest'. Arm's support, partnership, and technology credit are invaluable to the development of our QSoC processors. Just as the evolution of classical computers was driven by advancements in silicon processors, we firmly believe quantum computing will follow the same silicon path. Like the majority of chips today, the new era of quantum computing will be powered by Arm, with a focus on power efficiency, performance, proven reliability and a robust ecosystem."
Jason Lynch, CEO, Equal1
He added, “Equal1’s QSoC integrates a quad core Arm Cortex-A55, which enables classical computing components to operate within the extremely power-constrained environment of the quantum cryo chamber. The merging of quantum and classical computing within QSoCs eliminates latency and I/O bandwidth restrictions and expands the capabilities of Equal1's quantum computer to process a broader, more complex set of algorithms. Through the QSoC single-chip, minimal external components, integrated cryocooler, and a mere 1.5kW power consumption, Equal1’s server-sized quantum computers will deploy in tower or rack mounted configurations.”
In addition to Equal1 there were two runner-up finalists; SpiNNcloud from Germany, which delivers a unique solution combining Deep Learning, Symbolic AI, and Neuromorphic computing and weeteq from Scotland. weeteq is pioneering a new approach to circuit design that defines a new technology category of ‘circuit-level machine learning’ which we call Ultra Edge®.
Rodriguez concluded, “I congratulate these three winning companies and look forward for our extensive Silicon Catalyst ecosystem to support their business growth.”
Equal1 was founded by Dr Dirk Leipold, Mike Asker and Professor R. Bogdan Staszewski as a spin-out from the UCD School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.
ENDS
13 July 2023
For further information contact Micéal Whelan, Communications and Media Relations Manager, UCD Research and Innovation, e: miceal.whelan@ucd.ie
Editors Notes
As Silicon Start-ups Contest’ winners Equal1, SpiNNcloud and weeteq will also receive:
- Access to the full Arm Flexible Access for Startups program, which includes:
- No cost, easy access to an extensive SoC design portfolio including a wide range of Cortex processors, Mali graphics, Corstone reference systems, CoreLink and CoreSight system IP.
- Free tools, training, and support
- $0 license fee to produce prototypes
- Cost-free Arm Design Check-in Review with Arm’s experienced support team
- Entry to the invitation-only Arm ecosystem event and be featured, along with the networking and connecting with Arm’s broad portfolio of silicon, OEM and software partners
- Investor pitch review and preparation support by Silicon Catalyst, and an opportunity to present to the Silicon Catalyst Angels group and their investment syndication network.
Equal1 is a pioneering silicon quantum computing company dedicated to making quantum computing affordable and accessible. Quantum Computing offers unprecedented potential to unlock societal advancements in climate modelling, carbon capture, drug discovery, and AI modelling.
Equal1's pioneering Quantum System-on-a-Chip (QSoC) processors, now in their third generation, integrate entire quantum computing systems onto a single chip, merging millions of qubits, control systems, and real-time error correction capabilities. These QSoCs, built via standard foundry processes, will form the core of the world's most powerful, compact quantum computers, designed for deployment into standard HPC environments. As one of the top patent holders in quantum silicon, Equal1 is paving the path to the future of quantum computing. www.equal1.com.
Silicon Catalyst is the world’s only incubator focused exclusively on accelerating semiconductor solutions, built on a comprehensive coalition of in-kind and strategic partners to dramatically reduce the cost and complexity of development. More than 900 startup companies worldwide have engaged with Silicon Catalyst and the company has admitted 97 exciting companies. Over the past seven plus years, the Silicon Catalyst model has proven to dramatically accelerate a startup’s trajectory while at the same time de-risking the equation for investors. Silicon Catalyst has been named the Semiconductor Review’s 2021 Top-10 Solutions Company award winner. www.siliconcatalyst.com
The Silicon Catalyst Angels was established in July 2019 as a separate organization to provide access to seed and Series A funding for Silicon Catalyst portfolio companies. www.siliconcatalystangels.com