Quantum computers will allow humanity to simulate nature at the quantum level, enabling the acceleration of drug discovery and the development of new materials. 

Currently, quantum engineers spend days, sometimes weeks, manually getting their silicon chips to operational conditions to realize two qubits. A qubit is the information-carrying unit of a quantum computer, analogous to a bit in a classical computer. 

We need billions of qubits to make a useful quantum computer. Therefore, automation software will be vital to realizing this goal. 

Conductor Quantum will develop AI software to remove the human from the loop, enable the scaling of silicon quantum technology and build a silicon-based quantum computer.
Quantum computers on silicon chips using AI.
Title: Conductor Quantum: Quantum computers on silicon chips using AI. | Y Combinator

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### Quantum computers on silicon chips using AI.

Quantum computers will allow humanity to understand the world at its most fundamental level, enabling the acceleration of drug discovery and the development of new materials. Currently, quantum engineers spend days, sometimes weeks, manually getting their silicon chips to operational conditions to realize two qubits. A qubit is the information-carrying unit of a quantum computer, analogous to a bit in a classical computer. We need billions of qubits to make a useful quantum computer. Therefore, automation software will be vital to realizing this goal. Conductor Quantum will develop AI software to remove the human from the loop, enable the scaling of silicon quantum technology and build a silicon-based quantum computer.



Conductor Quantum

Founded:2024

Team Size:2

Location:San Francisco

### Active Founders

### Brandon Severin, Founder

Co-founder of Conductor Quantum, where we build quantum computers on silicon chips using AI. During my PhD at Oxford, I worked with 4 institutions across the globe (IST Austria, Basel, UNSW, Diraq), developing algorithms for semiconductor quantum device control and published 4 papers on the topic including one in Nature.



### Joel Pendleton, Founder

Co-founder of Conductor Quantum, building quantum computers on silicon chips with AI. I’ve worked at many deep tech startups and research labs, exploring various quantum computing technologies — from carbon nanotubes to superconducting transmon qubits. I left my PhD at Oxford to start Conductor Quantum.



### Company Launches

[### Conductor Quantum - Quantum computers on silicon chips using AI](

**Tl;dr:**

*   [Conductor Quantum]( is using **AI software** to **create qubits** in **semiconductor chips** to **build quantum computers** at scale.
*   The two founders met during their **PhDs at Oxford**. They have experience at 5 quantum companies and institutions, plus 4 publications between them.
*   Conductor Quantum is launching **the first publicly available API** to **classify quantum transport features in semiconductors**.

**🧑‍🔬🧑‍💻The Team**
----------------------

Hi - We are Brandon and Joel! We are building Conductor Quantum.



CEO, [Brandon]( – Brandon developed **_AI for Quantum Computing in Silicon_** during his **PhD** at **Oxford**. Over the past four years, Brandon has worked with four top quantum research institutions on **software for quantum device control** and has **four publications**, including one in **Nature**.

CTO, [Joel]( – Joel has shipped software at **four deep tech companies** and has worked with a series of quantum devices ranging from **carbon nanotubes to superconducting circuits**. Joel studied **Physics at UCL** and **dropped out of his PhD** at **Oxford** to start Conductor Quantum.

During Joel’s PhD at **Oxford**, he launched [Feynman.ai]( an AI science research assistant— with Brandon, which they bootstrapped to **300 signups within a month** of launch.

**😯 The Problem**
------------------

*   **Quantum computers** will **revolutionize drug discovery** and **material development** as we will, for the first time, be able to accurately **simulate nature at its most fundamental level**.
*   Leveraging the **trillion-dollar semiconductor** industry, silicon chips offer a **scalable architecture** for building quantum computers.

→ Currently, quantum engineers **spend days, sometimes weeks,** manually configuring silicon chips to **create a single quantum bit (qubit)**, analogous to a bit in a classical computer.

**→ We need millions, if not billions, of qubits** to make a **useful quantum computer.**

Automation software to create qubits at scale is vital to realize this goal.

**✅ Our Solution - AI software to create qubits**
-------------------------------------------------

*   We are building **leading AI software** that creates qubits by **learning and understanding the principles of quantum transport** in semiconductor chips.
*   Our AI software will **replace the human** in the loop, **unlocking rapid qubit generation** and **fabrication feedback iteration cycles**.
*   Automatic qubit creation and control are the foundation of **the first quantum operating system** on **semiconductor chips**.

[Our AI Playground](

**🤝 How You Can Help**
-----------------------

*   Sign up for our [**waitlist**]( (Announcements soon!)
*   Quantum engineers who want to get back to building and save themselves 100s of hours per qubit created - Email us at [founders@conductorquantum.com](mailto:founders@conductorquantum.com)
*   We’d love intros to:
    *   Chip designers/verifiers/manufacturers
    *   Anyone who wants to **bring chip manufacturing back to the USA**

### Hear from the founders

#### What is your long-term vision? If you truly succeed, what will be different about the world?

Everyone will have access to a quantum computer from their desk.

### Selected answers from Conductor Quantum's original YC application for the S24 Batch

#### How long have each of you been working on this? How much of that has been full-time? Please explain.

We’ve been working on the problem of quantum device control individually for the past 4 years as part of our degrees and work experience. Brandon (4 years full-time), Joel (2 years full-time, 2 years part-time).
