Atom Computing
A quantum computing firm in Third Point's portfolio that secured contracts with the US government.
First Mentioned
6/6/2026, 4:48:18 AM
Last Updated
6/6/2026, 4:49:11 AM
Research Retrieved
6/6/2026, 4:49:11 AM
Summary
Atom Computing is an American quantum computing company founded in 2018 by Ben Bloom and Jonathan King. Headquartered in Berkeley, California, with a commercial operations facility in Boulder, Colorado, the company specializes in developing gate-based quantum computers using optically trapped neutral atoms as qubits. Atom Computing has achieved significant milestones in scalability and error correction, including demonstrating a 1,180-physical-qubit platform in late 2023. The company has received investment from firms like Third Point, as highlighted by Dan Loeb, and has partnered with Microsoft to offer commercial quantum systems, demonstrating record-breaking logical qubit entanglement in late 2024.
Referenced in 1 Document
Research Data
Extracted Attributes
CEO
Ben Bloom
Founded
2018-01-01
Founders
Ben Bloom, Jonathan King
Industry
Quantum Computing
Technology
Neutral atom quantum computing
Headquarters
Berkeley, California, United States
Commercial Operations Facility
Boulder, Colorado, United States
Timeline
- Atom Computing is founded by Ben Bloom and Jonathan King with $5M in seed funding. (Source: Wikipedia)
2018-01-01
- Rob Hayes serves as CEO of Atom Computing. (Source: Wikipedia)
2021-01-01
- Atom Computing announces a 1,225-site optical atom array populated with 1,180 physical qubits, making it the first universal quantum platform to surpass 1,000 qubits. (Source: Web search)
2023-10-24
- Atom Computing and Microsoft demonstrate the entanglement of 24 logical qubits and run a Bernstein-Vazirani algorithm with 28 logical qubits on Atom Computing's hardware. (Source: Wikipedia)
2024-11-19
- Planned operational date for 'Magne', a 50-logical-qubit commercial quantum machine built by Microsoft and Atom Computing. (Source: Web search)
2027-01-01
Wikipedia
View on WikipediaAtom Computing
Atom Computing Inc. is a quantum computing company headquartered in Berkeley, California with a commercial operations facility in Boulder, Colorado. The company develops quantum computers based on neutral atom technology.
Web Search Results
- Atom Computing | Dynamic Tech Media
Courtesy of Atom Computing Atom Computing is a hardware company, but software remains an ongoing challenge. They have made breakthroughs in some areas, such as developing a quantum circuit compiler that optimizes how variables are assigned to individual qubits to maximize topology efficiency for nearest-neighbor entanglement. One main objective of their software R&D is to enable interoperability of quantum algorithm code. Just like how C changed classical computing by introducing a universal programming language that would operate on any machine—whereas previously every model had its own proprietary way of programming—quantum computing is on a similar trajectory. [...] Atom Computing achieves the other aspect of the quantum state, entanglement, by shining an ultraviolet ray across the array. This pulse puts an atom into a highly energized Rydberg state that entwines it with a neighboring atom. The result is that any change in one atom’s spin will instantaneously affect its entangled partner. These are called two-qubit gates, and they’re largely responsible for the QC’s ability to handle immense complexity. While the individual gates of classical bits scale linearly, the computing power of two-qubit gates scales exponentially as we add more gates. [...] When QCs provide the power of combinatorial optimization, I would not be shocked to witness an intelligence explosion. And who knows? One of the killer apps for classical computers and the internet turned out to be cat videos. Maybe for the quantum computer, it will be Schrodinger’s cat videos. ## What is the atomic array of neutral atoms modality in quantum computing? A person holding an illustration of a glowing atom between their hands Atom Computing’s unique hardware uses light to bring individual atoms to a standstill, arrange them into a grid, and then manipulate them to run computations.
- Atom Computing
Atom Computing is a fast-rising startup developing gate-based quantum computers using optically trapped neutral atoms as qubits. The company made headlines in late 2023 by announcing a 1,225-site optical atom array populated with 1,180 (physical) qubits – the first universal quantum platform to surpass 1,000 qubits. This dramatic leap (from a ~100-qubit first-generation system to >1,000 qubits in one generation) showcases the inherent scalability of Atom’s neutral-atom approach. Atom’s qubits are encoded in the nuclear spin states of neutral atoms, which yields exceptionally long coherence times (on the order of ~40 seconds). Combined with all-to-all connectivity enabled by mobile laser-trapped atoms, this platform has been designed from the outset with fault-tolerant quantum computing in [...] From the beginning, Atom Computing has prioritized techniques for quantum error correction and fault tolerance on its neutral-atom platform. A signature capability is mid-circuit measurement, which Atom demonstrated on neutral atoms in 2023. This means the system can measure the quantum state of individual qubits during the middle of a computation to check for errors, without collapsing the state of other qubits. Mid-circuit readout allows the detection of errors (or loss of an atom) on ancilla qubits in real time, enabling the quantum program to correct those errors on the fly and proceed – a crucial requirement for implementing iterative error-correction codes. Atom’s hardware uniquely allows qubit measurement, state reset, and reuse within a single algorithm cycle, which is “nearly [...] from the outset with fault-tolerant quantum computing in mind. The startup’s aggressive progress and focus on error correction have quickly made it a serious contender in the race toward practical, large-scale quantum computers.
- Microsoft and Atom Computing offer a commercial quantum machine with the largest number of entangled logical qubits on record - Microsoft Azure Quantum Blog
One type of qubit that opens opportunities for more reliable quantum computation, with more and better logical qubits, is based on neutral atoms. Our partner, Atom Computing, uses neutral atoms as qubits to store and process quantum information through manipulation with pulses of light. Compared to other qubit technologies, neutral atoms have several advantages including the ability to be tightly packed in arrays while being held in place by lasers, as well as the ability to be moved around so that they can interact with other atoms to enable all-to-all connectivity. Neutral atoms also have low susceptibility to noise and the high fidelities needed for quantum error correction to work. Due to their lack of charge, neutral atoms can be kept only microns (millionths of a meter) apart. Thus, [...] ## Commercial offering from Microsoft and Atom Computing Microsoft and Atom Computing are offering a state-of-the-art reliable quantum computer built from Atom’s neutral-atom hardware and Microsoft’s qubit-virtualization system, and that integrates with Azure Elements. This offering is a comprehensive scientific suite that combines logical qubits, cloud HPC, and advanced AI models that, together, enable exploration across multiple fields, including chemistry and materials science, while also providing opportunities for skilling and education. [...] be kept only microns (millionths of a meter) apart. Thus, atomic arrays can accommodate large numbers of neutral atoms, each of which serves as a physical qubit, in a small amount of space, offering extensive scalability.
- Atom Computing - Wikipedia
## Technology Atom Computing's technology is based on neutral atoms, specifically alkaline earth(-like) metals such as strontium and ytterbium. By manipulating the atoms in a vacuum chamber with laser beams, quantum information can be written into the nuclear spin of the atoms to perform gate operations and execute quantum circuits.[citation needed] Along with several academic groups, Atom Computing has demonstrated how to use this technology to perform mid-circuit measurements on ancilla qubits, create arrays of over 1,000 qubits, and perform entangling gates.[citation needed] [...] In November 2024, Atom Computing, together with researchers from Microsoft, demonstrated the entanglement of 24 logical qubits and running a Bernstein–Vazirani algorithm with 28 logical qubits on Atom Computing's hardware. ## Recognition In 2024 the Colorado Technology Association recognized Atom Computing as the "Emerging Tech Company of the Year" and Fast Company recognized the company as one of "The 10 most innovative computing companies in 2025". [...] Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia ## Contents # Atom Computing Atom Computing Inc. | | | --- | | Company type | Private company | | Industry | Quantum Computing | | Founded | 2018; 8 years ago (2018) | | Founders | Ben Bloom Jonathan King | | Headquarters | Berkeley, California , United States | | Key people | Ben Bloom, CEO | | Website | www.atom-computing.com | Atom Computing Inc. is a quantum computing company headquartered in Berkeley, California with a commercial operations facility in Boulder, Colorado. The company develops quantum computers based on neutral atom technology.[citation needed] ## History Atom Computing was founded by Ben Bloom and Jonathan King in 2018 with $5M in seed funding. Rob Hayes served as CEO in 2021.
- Neutral Atom Quantum Computing: 2026's Big Leap - IEEE Spectrum
A neutral-atom quantum computer consists of a vacuum chamber. Inside the chamber, a gas of atoms is cooled to just above absolute zero. Then, individual atoms are captured, held, and even moved around by tightly focused laser beams in a technique known as optical tweezing. Each atom is a single physical qubit, and these qubits can be arranged in a 2D or even 3D array. Image 2: Close-up of scientific optical equipment with colorful reflections and intricate components.Neutral-atom quantum computers consist of individual atoms that are manipulated and controlled primarily by lasers. Complex optical setups guide the laser beams to their precise destinations. Atom Computing [...] All of these options have their advantages and disadvantages, but there is a reason some of the earliest error-corrected machines are built with neutral atoms. The physical qubits that make up a logical qubit need to be close to each other, or connected in some way, in order to share information. Unlike, say, superconducting qubits printed on a chip, any two atomic qubits can be brought right next to each other (an advantage shared by trapped ions). “Neutral atoms can be moved around,” says QuEra’s Boger. “That allows us to build error-correction methods that are just not possible with static qubits.” [...] This year, these scientific advances will reach customers. The machine that Microsoft and Atom Computing will be delivering, called Magne, will have 50 logical qubits, built from some 1,200 physical qubits, and should be operational by the start of 2027. QuEra’s machine at AIST has around 37 logical qubits (depending on implementation) and 260 physical qubits, Boger says. ## Quantum computers made of atoms
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Atom computing, 918, Parker Street, Berkeley, Alameda County, California, 94702, United States
Coordinates: 37.8584682, -122.2925611
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