Threadbare
In an industry wholly dominated by men, it’s always great when you hear a woman is making her mark on the QC industry. In both startups and corporations, when it comes to executives, CEOs and founders, the list is rather threadbare.
In a TQD article I published earlier in the year, I mentioned twelve of the most influential women in the industry. Of the twelve, four were founders of startups: Rebecca Krauthamer, both the founder of Quantum Thought and QuSecure. Another is the founder of Qureca, Araceli Venegas-Gomez. Venegas-Gomez’ fellow Spaniard, Andrea Rodriguez Blanco, is the founder of Q-Lion. Last but not least, Ilana Wisby of Oxford Quantum Circuits who we interviewed earlier this year.
Here are other women who I’ve covered since then who are creating their own path within the QC space. This is by no means exhaustive.
Naimah Schütter, founder and CEO of German startup Avanetix, for instance.
Co-founder and CEO of Polish startup BEIT, Paulina Mazurek.
CEO and co-founder of Cambridge startup Nu Quantum, Carmen Palacios-Berraquero, another Spanish national.
US-based Cristina Escoda, COO and co-founder of photon-based QC startup ORCA Computing and yet another Spaniard (there’s definitely something in the Spanish water).
And finally, Kayla Farrow, who has the unique accolade of being the first African-American female CEO and founder of a QC startup (message me if I’m wrong), Virginia-based Semicyber.
But ‘finally’ was the wrong adverb to use, because we have another woman who has a role to play.
Quacoon — currently in stealth mode — is based in Lewis Center, Ohio.
Quacoon
Founded by Tina Anne Sebastian in January of this year, the startup’s mission is:
‘to accelerate the adoption and execution of quantum computing and artificial intelligence in as many domains as possible.’
Sebastian graduated with a BA in computer engineering from Cochin University of Science and Technology, India. She then went on to do an MBA at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she graduated in 2010.
Her resume as a software engineer for leading multinationals has such as Verizon, Whirpool and Proctor & Gamble gives Quacoon’s founder some big-corp scope for her startup to follow.
Quantum. AI. Human.
— Quacoon
According to Quacoon’s website, the startup’s services include:
— a comprehensive consult to help identify gaps and opportunities […] that includes a project plan with timelines and milestones
— a cost analysis, and a schedule […] while also offer[ing] a suite of quality products that will help you get there quickly and smoothly
Like the other women in the space, Sebastian has her work cut out though surely her determination, grit and brains will find a way to get where she and her startup needs to be in order to make an impact.
Good luck Quacoon. TQD is behind you.
