Zapata Quantum Announces Return of Co-Founders Yudong Cao And Jonathan Olson

Insider Brief

• Zapata Quantum announced the return of co-founders Yudong Cao as Chief Technology Officer and Jonathan Olson as Vice President of Strategy and Operations following the company’s restructuring.
• Cao returns from BCG X, where he led quantum efforts, and previously helped build Zapata’s intellectual property portfolio of more than 60 granted and pending patents spanning quantum algorithms, optimization, machine learning and software techniques.
• Olson, a quantum-focused intellectual property attorney and former Harvard researcher, is credited with helping establish a patent precedent for quantum algorithms through a successful appeal before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.

PRESS RELEASE — Zapata Quantum (OTC: ZPTA) (“Zapata,” “Zapata Quantum” or the “Company”), a leader in quantum computing algorithm and application development, today announced the return of two of its co-founders to the Company’s leadership team: Yudong Cao, Ph.D., former Head of Quantum at BCG X, as Chief Technology Officer (CTO), and Jonathan Olson, Ph.D., J.D., as Vice President of Strategy and Operations.

“Yudong and Jonny are pioneers in quantum software and have helped shape the field through foundational work spanning algorithms, applications and intellectual property,” said Sumit Kapur, CEO of Zapata Quantum. “They know first-hand what it takes to translate scientific advances into practical applications, and their decision to return following our restructuring is a powerful validation of both our position and the opportunity ahead.”

Cao rejoins as CTO following his tenure as Head of Quantum at BCG X, a 3,000‑person global tech unit inside Boston Consulting Group. During his prior time at Zapata, he helped develop a significant portion of the Company’s foundational intellectual property portfolio, which today spans more than 60 granted and pending patents across quantum algorithms, optimization, machine learning and software techniques. His work in quantum application research includes Zapata’s quantum-enabled drug discovery study co-authored with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute that was recognized as one of Nature Biotechnology’s Top 10 Papers of 2025.

“Quantum computing has made extraordinary progress, but significant work remains in turning technological advances into practical applications,” said Cao. “The next phase of the industry will require software infrastructure that helps organizations identify, develop and deploy quantum applications more effectively, including by leveraging advances in AI and formal verification methods. I’m excited to work alongside Jonny and the broader team to advance that vision.”

Olson rejoins as VP of Strategy and Operations and is one of the few intellectual property attorneys globally with a deep expertise in quantum algorithms and a background as a theoretical physicist. His postdoctoral research at Harvard University focused on quantum computing and machine learning. He also helped Zapata secure the first significant quantum computing appeal before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), establishing an important precedent that expanded the accessibility of quantum algorithm patents.

“I believe Zapata Quantum holds the key to unlocking an entirely new era of developing quantum applications at scale,” said Olson. “Organizations need better infrastructure for evaluating and developing quantum applications in a rigorous and repeatable way. Zapata uniquely combines the scientific leadership, enterprise experience and foundational IP needed to meet that challenge, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”