Insider Brief:
- Sorbonne University selected five companies, including Qubit Pharmaceuticals and Welinq, to join its upcoming Innovation Centre, a research and business hub opening in early 2026.
- Qubit Pharmaceuticals integrates quantum computing and AI to accelerate drug discovery, with its Atlas platform and Gaia supercomputer improving molecular simulations.
- Welinq focuses on developing quantum interconnects to enable scalable quantum networks, advancing practical quantum computing infrastructure.
- The Innovation Centre intends to connect academic research with industry, housing an incubator and business spaces in a sustainable facility.
- Image Credit: Sorbonne University
PRESS RELEASE — In a recent release, Sorbonne University announced the selection of five companies—Biomemory, HyVibe, Qubit Pharmaceuticals, Tortoise, and Welinq—to join its upcoming Innovation Centre. This facility, slated to open in early 2026, is intended to bridge academic research with industry, supporting collaboration in a 15,000 m² space on the Pierre and Marie Curie campus in Paris’s 5th arrondissement.
Among the selected enterprises, Qubit Pharmaceuticals and Welinq stand out for their advancements in quantum computing.
Qubit Pharmaceuticals: Drug Discovery with Quantum Precision
Qubit Pharmaceuticals uses quantum physics to enhance drug discovery and design, focusing on treatments for diseases such as cancer and inflammatory conditions. Their proprietary platform, Atlas, integrates advanced molecular modeling with artificial intelligence to identify and optimize drug candidates. A notable component of this platform is Gaia, a supercomputer equipped with 200 GPUs, developed in collaboration with Nvidia. This infrastructure enables Qubit Pharmaceuticals to perform large-scale computations with quantum-level accuracy.
In October 2024, Qubit Pharmaceuticals, in partnership with Pasqal, introduced an analog quantum computing algorithm designed to improve predictions of water molecule behavior in protein structures. This advancement holds the potential to accelerate drug discovery by enhancing the precision of molecular simulations.
Welinq: Advancing Quantum Interconnects
Welinq specializes in developing quantum interconnects, essential components for building large-scale quantum networks. Their technology focuses on creating efficient links between quantum processors, which is highly relevant for the scalability and functionality of quantum computing systems. By advancing these interconnects, Welinq contributes to the broader goal of realizing practical and interconnected quantum computing infrastructures.
Sorbonne University Innovation Centre: A Hub for Collaborative Advancement
The Innovation Centre is designed to spark synergies between research and industry. It will house an incubator, a business center, and demonstration spaces, all within an eco-responsible building certified for High Environmental Quality. Construction commenced in September 2022, with a budget of €69 million (approximately $72 million), co-financed by the City of Paris, the French State, the Île-de-France Region, and Sorbonne University.
As noted in the release, Nathalie Drach-Temam, President of Sorbonne University, emphasized the center’s mission: “We wanted a place where fundamental research and innovation meet and mutually enrich each other. A space where new ideas take shape and where fledgling companies flourish within an unprecedented collaborative ecosystem.”
The inclusion of Qubit Pharmaceuticals and Welinq highlights the presence of quantum-related technologies within the Innovation Centre’s broader focus on research and development. Their participation not only enhances the center’s research capabilities but also provides students and researchers with opportunities to engage with current developments in quantum computing.
