Opening Remarks by Minister Josephine Teo at the Launch of Quantinuum Singapore R&D Centre

I am delighted to join you for the launch of the Quantinuum Singapore R&D Centre. Thank you for inviting me.

When I started work at the EDB in the early 1990s, hardly anyone talked about semiconductors or AI, much less quantum. The technology landscape was vastly different then.

Fast forward three decades, Singapore has become a major manufacturing hub for semiconductors, contributing about 15% of global chip output and 20% of global equipment output.

In AI, there are now over 60 Centres of Excellence. Recently, we launched the National AI Impact Programme to help 10,000 enterprises integrate AI into their businesses, and 100,000 knowledge workers become AI-bilingual, meaning strong in both their domains as well as in AI.

In Quantum, the story began nearly 20 years ago. In 2007, we established the Centre for Quantum Technologies as the focal point for research and capability development.

In 2024, we doubled down with our National Quantum Strategy, committing $300 million to develop and deploy quantum technologies in Singapore.

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   Building on upstream research excellence, our five national-level quantum programmes are driving downstream research translation.

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   We have a growing ecosystem of quantum start-ups and spin-outs that are demonstrating world-leading capabilities.

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   One of them is Squareroot8, which is pushing the boundaries of quantum communications.

So it is against this backdrop that we very much welcome Quantinuum becoming part of our ecosystem, and your collaboration with Squareroot8.

In fact, Singapore's partnership with you has been growing steadily since your first MOU with our National Quantum Computing Hub that was just 20 months ago.

More recently, you entered into a Strategic Partnership Agreement with our National Quantum Office.

I thought that reflecting on that partnership agreement, three aspects are especially significant.

One, Singapore will become the first country outside of the United States to host an on-premise Helios system.

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   The Helios-2 is one of the most advanced trapped-ion systems in the world.

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   More than the access to cutting-edge compute, it offers our researchers the chance to work on real-world problems.

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   This will hopefully translate into practical applications for quantum computers sooner rather than later.

The second reason why the Agreement is special is that, Singapore will host Quantinuum's R&D Centre.

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   This reflects your confidence in the talent and research opportunities available here, such as in computational biology, financial modelling, as well as advanced materials and chemistry.

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   We hope to see deeper collaboration between Quantinuum's experts and Singapore's researchers and enterprises, to develop commercially relevant solutions.

The third reason we are excited is because, Quantinuum will strengthen Singapore's quantum ecosystem.

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   I am glad that you have an intention to focus on talent development. This include internships, workshops and conferences. Being plugged into this vibrant ecosystem already gives you a foundation upon which to grow the pool of specialists here.

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   I'm sure that skills building in our local workforce will certainly accelerate and overall, we can look forward to a stronger pipeline of quantum specialists.

Singapore aims to be a global hub for the development of algorithms and applications for quantum computers.

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   We will tap on our strengths in sectors of potential application, such as finance, logistics, and pharmaceuticals.

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   Doing so will not only benefit these industries in Singapore, but elsewhere in the world.

At the same time, we can grow our capabilities in hardware and components across the quantum computing value chain.

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   We have traditional strengths in semiconductors, advanced packaging, and precision manufacturing.

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   They can be adapted to also support quantum developments.

In time to come, we believe Quantinuum will be one of many frontier quantum companies to find a home in Singapore and realise the full potential of quantum computing from our shores.

Let me congratulate Quantinuum once again on this major milestone in your enterprise journey. As you (Dr Rajeeb Hazra) said so well, it is not just opening a new centre. This is a new chapter in the story of Quantinuum, and possibly the new story of quantum computers in the world.

Thank you also, for your trust and confidence in Singapore.