The Quantum Spin

How do you make your quantum startup stand out in an industry where every company name starts with the letter Q? One powerful way to do that is to tell the stories of the people building the technology. Christopher Godfree , Commercial Director at Across the Pond , has worked with Ai executives, robotics experts and Google’s Quantum Team to explain how their work will change the world. In this epi...

Kids ask the best questions: simple, direct and sometimes painfully honest. Science communicator Katia Moskvitch , MPHIL , uses this approach in the podcast she hosts with her young son Kai. The co-hosts of “ The Quantum Kid ” channel Kai’s curiosity and enthusiasm for STEM into an educational show about quantum tech. Katia also shares her experiences working with IBM, the importance of effective...

In this episode of The Quantum Spin by HKA, host Veronica Combs takes a deep dive into how to make difficult topics interesting and engaging with Rachel Rayner , Science Explainer. A communicator, writer, and performer, Rachel shares her unique journey of combining science with the arts, highlighting her one-woman comedy show, “A Flying Photon,” and her work on the EV Nautilus. They discuss the im...

In this episode of The Quantum Spin by HKA , host Veronica Combs interviews Carmen Palacios Berraquero , founder and CEO of Nu Quantum . They discuss the company’s entanglement fabric, a cutting-edge mechanism for connecting individual quantum processors into a larger, more powerful machine. Carmen also explains the importance of industry collaboration as supported by the new Quantum Datacenter Al...

In this episode of The Quantum Spin by HKA , host Veronica Combs discusses the intersections of quantum technology and cybersecurity with Chuck Brooks , an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and the president of Brooks Consulting International. Chuck discusses how the evolution of technology, particularly AI and quantum computing, has dramatically transformed cybersecurity. The conversatio...

In this special episode, host Veronica Combs is joined by Leland Miller and Mike Kuiken , members of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. They discuss the Commission's 2025 report on U.S.-China relations and one of the Top 10 recommendations: Quantum First by 2030. Leland and Mike share what they learned from visiting quantum labs and the strategic importance of funding a ro...

Dr. Bob Sutor has seen the tech industry from multiple perspectives: IBM executive, industry analyst and now independent consultant. He tracks the quantum news from this informed point of view and advises companies on how to expand the industry. In this episode of The Quantum Spin by HKA , Bob and host Veronica Combs discuss quantum networking, the qubit competition and the vital role of communica...

Farai Mazhandu, physicist, high school teacher, and dynamic social entrepreneur, first worked with quantum tech in 2019. To continue the energy and enthusiasm he experienced from a Qiskit coding class, he first led the Africa chapter of One Quantum and more recently founded the African Quantum Consortium (AQC). In this episode of The Quantum Spin, Farai and host Veronica Combs discuss the challeng...

Government, business and innovation have always been intertwined and quantum tech is no exception. In this episode of The Quantum Spin by HKA , Petra Söderling , CEO of Petra Söderling and Company , explains how government investments in deep tech pay off for private companies that commercialize the inventions. Petra also shares the details of her unique career, from working at Nokia to launching...

In this episode of The Quantum Spin by HKA, host Veronica Combs talks with Karina Robinson , CEO at Redcliffe Advisory and founder of the City Quantum and AI Summit. The discussion explores Karina's journey into the quantum industry, the inspiration behind the City Quantum Summit and the intricacies of advising CEOs on emerging technologies. The episode also covers the broader implications of...

Steve Suarez sees innovation as a way to expand opportunities and knowledge for everyone. He has spent his career helping individuals develop new skillsets and companies roll out new technology. Now he’s turning his expertise to quantum by consulting with HorizonX clients, teaching an MIT Pro course and serving as a senior advisor with McKinsey & Company. On this episode of The Quantum Spin by...

Yuval Boger , also known as The Superposition Guy , has been podcasting for more than 15 years and discussing technology ranging from wireless charging to VR headsets. The subject of his latest show is quantum technology. He discusses with guests the why behind their quantum journey. On this episode of The Quantum Spin by HKA, he and host Veronica Combs discuss the industry and how to explain the...

In this episode of The Quantum Spin by HKA, host Veronica Combs discusses the barriers to scaling quantum hardware and how QuantWare is removing them with the company’s co-founder and CEO Matthijs Rijlaarsdam. QuantWare’s technology platform helps customers build exponentially more powerful quantum computers. The company also runs a fab that produces quantum chips. Matt credits the Dutch governmen...

At university, Kirsty McGhee studied physics but always liked writing a paper a little more than conducting an experiment. She worked at several industry-leading publications before landing at Qruise , a quantum machine learning startup. Now she is learning Python and writing the company’s experiment catalog. She and Veronica Combs , host of The Quantum Spin by HKA , talked about how collaborating...

What do you do with 450 scientists in 15 labs across the country? You take on the country’s biggest energy challenges and bolster national security in the process. This leadership role is one of Bert de Jong ’s jobs at the Berkeley Lab . He leads the Quantum Systems Accelerator which pairs advanced quantum prototypes with algorithms as part of the National Quantum Initiative . Bert is also the Dep...

Postdoc researcher Joel Hutchinson discusses quantum materials and innovative science communication with host Veronica Combs in this episode of The Quantum Spin by HKA. Joel is an experimentalist at the University of Basel who specializes in 2D quantum materials. He is also a science communicator who helped to build the “Save the Cat'” quantum quest, a game that incorporates physics puzzles as wel...

Anurag Saha Roy, the Chief Product Officer of Qruise, found the perfect place to combine his two interests of physics and science: building hardware solutions for quantum computers. In this conversation with host Veronica Combs, Anurag describes the complexities of booting up a quantum computer and the necessity for continuous calibration. Qruise works with researchers and quantum hardware enginee...

Colorado has a full-stack quantum hardware ecosystem: home to companies making all the components that go into a quantum computer as well as companies making the computers. Vescent CEO Scott Davis and his team are right in the middle of this vibrant ecosystem. In the latest episode of The Quantum Spin by HKA , host Veronica Combs talks with Scott about how his company helps scientists and engineer...

In this episode, host Veronica Combs talks with Michaela Eichinger, PhD, a Product Solutions Physicist at Quantum Machines. The company builds advanced quantum control technologies to ensure classical and quantum components work together seamlessly. Michaela also is a skilled scientific communicator, posting detailed and easy-to-understand explanations of quantum tech on LinkedIn. The conversation...

During its annual March meeting, APS celebrated the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology with a week-long Quantum Fest. The two directors of the event combined their scientific expertise with their love for art to tell stories of quantum physics. Smitha Vishveshwara, PhD and Marilena Longobardi, PhD, brought acrobats, musicians and scientists together on stage to display the wonder...

Human biology is complex and doctors can always use a new tool to understand everyday illnesses, diagnose rare diseases and personalize treatment. Dr. Frederik F. Flöther, Chief Quantum Officer, QuantumBasel , is working with pharma companies and quantum startups to build new data tools for physicians and researchers that use the power of quantum technology. In this episode of The Quantum Spin by...

Recorded live at the APS Global Quantum Summit in Anaheim, California in March 2025 Quantum hardware isn’t quite ready for server racks in data centers, but that is the vision driving engineers at Qblox. This Dutch company builds control electronics for all qubit modalities. In this episode of The Quantum Spin by HKA, Niels Bultink, co-founder and CEO of Qblox, explains how he built a team that he...

In this episode of The Quantum Spin by HKA, host Veronica Combs talks with Elena Yndurain, a professor, business leader and author. She teaches at IE Business School and specializes in the practical application of theory in Quantum, Artificial Intelligence, SaaS, and more. She created the first Quantum Computing curriculum for executives. In her new book, she analyzed four use cases in 11 industri...

In this episode of The Quantum Spin by HKA, host Veronica Combs interviews Nancy Kawalek, a Professor and Distinguished Fellow in the Arts, Science, and Technology at the University of Chicago's Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering. Nancy shares her journey from a theater performer in New York to a professor integrating arts and science at UC Santa Barbara and the University of Chicago. They d...

In this episode of The Quantum Spin by HKA, host Veronica Combs speaks with Cierra Choucair, a quantum journalist and analyst at The Quantum Insider. Cierra shares her unique journey from working in data science to becoming a self-taught expert in quantum computing. She discusses the motivations behind her switch to quantum journalism and the challenges of presenting complex scientific concepts to...