Alice & Bob, a quantum computing company with operations in Paris and Boston, has been awarded €3.4 million ($3.9 million) in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s ARPA-E programme.
The grant will support the development of quantum algorithms aimed at identifying rare-earth-free permanent magnets, a critical component in electric motors and energy infrastructure. The project focuses on applying fault-tolerant quantum computing to accelerate materials discovery in the context of the global energy transition.
What The Company Does
Founded in 2020 by Raphaël Lescanne and Théau Péronnin, Alice & Bob develops quantum computing systems based on cat qubits, a technology designed to improve error correction and scalability in quantum hardware.
The company’s approach aims to reduce the number of physical qubits required for large-scale quantum computation, potentially lowering hardware requirements significantly compared to conventional architectures. This efficiency is particularly relevant for complex simulations in fields such as materials science and chemistry.
Through this project, Alice & Bob is applying its quantum systems to simulate the electronic interactions that determine magnetic properties, a task that remains computationally intensive for classical systems.
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Market Context / Industry Background
High-performance permanent magnets are essential for a range of technologies, including electric vehicles, wind turbines, and industrial systems. Many of the most widely used magnets, such as neodymium-iron-boron, depend on rare-earth elements that are subject to supply constraints and geopolitical risks. These dependencies have raised concerns about the long-term availability and cost stability of critical materials.
Developing alternatives without rare-earth materials has proven difficult due to the complexity of quantum interactions governing magnetic behaviour. Classical computing methods often struggle to model these systems accurately at scale. This limitation can slow down the exploration of new material configurations and restrict the ability to predict their properties with high precision.
Quantum computing offers a potential pathway to address this limitation by enabling more precise simulations of highly correlated electronic systems. As interest in energy security and sustainable materials increases, the ability to accelerate discovery in this area is gaining strategic importance. Improved modelling capabilities may also support more efficient material design processes and reduce reliance on trial-and-error approaches in experimental research, potentially shortening development timelines and improving resource efficiency in materials innovation. This could contribute to more resilient supply chains and reduce dependency on critical raw materials over time.
Founder / Investor Commentary
Juliette Peyronnet, U.S. General Manager at Alice & Bob, noted that designing high-performance magnets without rare-earth elements remains one of the most challenging problems in materials science. She explained that combining classical and quantum approaches could significantly improve the speed and accuracy of simulations, enabling faster identification of viable materials.
Growth Plans / Use Of Funds
The funding will support a three-year research programme led by Alice & Bob in collaboration with Los Alamos National Laboratory, GE Vernova’s Advanced Research accelerator, and Professor Emanuel Gull.
The project aims to achieve a substantial increase in simulation speed, targeting a 10,000-fold improvement compared to existing methods. This would enable realistic material simulations to be completed within approximately one day.
Collaborators will contribute specialised expertise, including the development of tensor network tools for quantum circuit optimisation and techno-economic analysis of newly discovered materials.
If successful, the initiative could accelerate the development of more sustainable and cost-effective magnets, with potential applications extending beyond energy systems to broader challenges in chemistry and materials science.
About Alice & Bob
Alice & Bob is a quantum computing company focused on developing fault-tolerant quantum systems using cat qubit technology. Founded in 2020. Headquartered in Paris with operations in Boston. The company aims to make quantum computing scalable and practical for complex industrial applications, including materials discovery and advanced simulations.
