Toronto’s Xanadu and Coquitlam, BC-based Photonic, two Canadian quantum computing firms, are among 19 semi-finalists in the Canadian federal government’s latest defence technology competition.
Through the Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) program, the Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) is providing grants to companies developing early-stage technology solutions to enhance North America’s defence against aerospace and maritime threats.
The IDEaS program is awarding Photonic, Xanadu, and the other semi-finalists $1 million CAD each to progress their projects as part of the NORAD modernization contest.
Among the other recipients are Irreversible from Sherbrooke, Quebec, the Canadian Space Mining Corporation, Montréal’s ARA Robotics, the University of Toronto, the University of Waterloo, the University of British Columbia, and the Canadian branch of American defence contractor Lockheed Martin.
Xanadu intends to use the funds to develop quantum computing algorithms for advanced, resilient batteries.
Photonic aims to improve its quantum repeater and networking technology to overcome existing repeater design limitations and contribute to next-generation quantum sensing and communication systems.
The DND’s IDEaS program, launched in 2018, is a 20-year, $1.6-billion initiative focused on creating new solutions for Canadian defence and security issues.
While the IDEaS program has been active for a while, these selections coincide with the Canadian government increasing its defence budget under Prime Minister Mark Carney. Carney has pledged to invest five percent of Canada’s GDP in defence by 2035, marking the most significant rise in defence funding since World War II. Recently, Canada has been investing less than two percent of its GDP in the military.
Canada’s Minister of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Innovation, Evan Solomon, confirmed that the government plans to introduce new policies to retain companies in Canada, especially in light of the US Department of Defense’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, which involves Xanadu and Photonic. The Canadian government aims to prevent the migration of quantum companies to the US.
Solomon predicts increased Canadian defence spending will support AI and quantum companies developing dual-use technologies, considering boosting AI, quantum, and cybersecurity as both economic and national security imperatives.
Feature image courtesy of Photonic.