Quantumania? This Kerala Startup Wants To Script A Quantum Algorithm Revolution

Do you know? Launched in 1951, the Universal Automatic Computer I, or UNIVAC I, was the first commercially available computer. Manufactured by Remington Rand and designed for storing and managing census data, payrolls, inventory, insurance, and scientific calculations, UNIVAC I was capable of performing about 1,000 additions per second and storing around 12,000 characters of data.

The world has come a long way since UNIVAC I. Quantum computers, which are capable of handling specialised problems and processing millions of combinations in parallel, far surpassing a supercomputer or a classical PC, have lately become the talk of the town.

These machines are not only pivotal in helping scientists explore quantum phenomena and test new theories, but also driving breakthroughs in drug discovery, material science, financial risk analysis, aerospace engineering and other nifty domains.

However, a key challenge is that these highly advanced machines cannot function at their peak performance without quantum algorithms, which are special sets of instructions, or programs, that unlock the real power of quantum computers. These are step-by-step instructions that allow quantum computers to solve problems faster than ordinary or classical computers.

From cracking molecular simulations to optimising global supply chains, quantum algorithms have the potential to unlock and drive the next era of computational breakthroughs.

In the global quantum computing market, expected to exceed the $5 Bn mark by 2030 from the current $2 Bn, Kerala’s Kollam-based Bloq Quantum desires a big slice of the pie as it positions itself as the software backbone of the quantum revolution.

“We want to become the next NVIDIA for quantum algorithms,” said Sreekuttan LS, the cofounder and CEO of Bloq Quantum, adding that Bloq helps enterprises build quantum computing algorithms for any of their applications at least 10X faster.

With a 10-member team of scientists and designers, Bloq (founded in May 2024) is building a low-code software platform that helps enterprises create bespoke algorithms, run them on quantum computers, and connect them to their systems through APIs.

The startup has set its sights on 510 global companies that are developing their in-house quantum computing technology. These include the likes of Boeing, Airbus, JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, BMW, and Daimler.

“At least 200 of them have designated quantum computing teams today. We are in discussion with 10 plus such end users,” Sreekuttan added.

Bloq’s ‘Quantumania’ Begins

Sreekuttan’s journey with quantum computing began at IISER Pune, where he also went on to complete his master’s degree.

In 2022, he got the opportunity to work with a quantum computing startup, Qkrishi, where he met his cofounder Jay Patel, a computer engineer.

By late 2023, the duo realised the vast market potential of quantum computing, studied the key ecosystem players, and began shaping their startup idea.

Before setting up the company in early 2024, Sreekuttan also spent time at Quantum Insider, learning more about the sector.

“We started coding around January 2024 and registered the company in May. Since then, it’s been quite an interesting journey, and now we are doing a pilot with an Indian quantum computer company,” he said.

Bloq Quantum’s Unique Spin

As of today, there is a significant dearth of entrepreneurs and tech developers who can support quantum computing teams when it comes to running and testing algorithms. That’s the core USP.

“Bloq allows companies to run quantum algorithms seamlessly on different quantum computers and simulators, enabling the hardware to achieve scalability in applications,” Sreekuttan said.

While there are existing open-source quantum algorithms, such as Grover, Shor’s, quantum neural network (QNN), and quantum approximate optimisation algorithm (QAOA), enterprises need to fine-tune these algorithms, change the number of layers, neurons, and other parameters to adapt them for specific industry problems and real-world use cases.

For example, Shor’s is efficient in factorising big prime numbers, but Grover is said to do a better job at initiating a search across a large set of unstructured data. So, how does one connect these gaps efficiently and help in the utmost utilisation of quantum computers?

The Bloq founder says that startup is looking to take these algorithms from quantum computing labs to commercial use cases. Besides, Bloq is also capable of running proprietary algorithms that enterprises build for their own use cases.

The startup categorises its customer base into two key buckets: the quantum application developers and enterprises (like pharmaceutical, fintech, or automotive companies) that are trying to integrate quantum technology into their work processes.

“Finance companies want to leverage quantum technology to better predict their ROI before investing, for better portfolio optimisation, and detecting fraudulent transactions; automotive companies are looking to find the best battery material or battery simulation processes for advanced chemistry. Organisations have already started looking at quantum technology to optimise operations and costs,” said Sreekuttan.

A Quantum Leap?

Even as the global tech industry is bullish about scalable quantum computers being ready for commercial use by 2030, uncertainties loom large. Even quantum computers built by tech giants are yet to reach the product-market-fit stage.

However, steady R&D is underway with billions of dollars in investment. It is also widely accepted by quantum physiscists that quantum tech will play a big role in writing the future course for mankind.

While much is being said and done in the quantum realm, Bloq is focussed on enabling enterprises leverage the power of quantum computing. Currently the company is setting a timeline to hit the market with its first commercial deployment, but the journey will be long.

The startup is taking small but steady steps. It recently raised INR 1.3 Cr in a round led by Inflection Point Ventures for the product development process and team expansion.

“We will start generating revenues by the first half of 2026,” Sreekuttan said. To meet its goal, Bloq is relying heavily on the UK, US, Latin American, and EU markets. The startup will deploy its products in a SaaS model.

“It can be deployed on clients’ own cloud servers or accessed through our hosted servers. For enterprise customers, it will primarily be deployed on their cloud servers with a subscription model,” the CEO added.

The startup is also looking to raise at least $1.5 Mn in the coming months to further accelerate the code development process and acquire global enterprise customers.

While it might be too early to predict how its next funding plan pans out, Bloq may not see a sudden breakthrough or windfall in terms of funding — and there are several reasons behind this equation.

However, if it succeeds in gathering a desired war chest, the next quest will be locking horns with more established global players, such as BlueQubit and Strangeworks that have raised several millions of dollars more than Bloq thus far.

But, with the world heading towards a new quantum reality, Bloq Quantum has the opportunity to put India on the global map. Though these are still early days in the quantum race.

[Edited By Shishir Parasher]

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