Interview | Tony Uttley, President at Honeywell Quantum Solutions

Tony Uttley, President at Honeywell Quantum Solutions shares his thoughts on the biggest challenges facing the adoption of Quantum technology in 2021, the progress of Quantum computing adoption in the year ahead and the biggest area of focus for Honeywell Quantum Solutions within Quantum over the next 12 months.

What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the adoption of Quantum technology in 2021?

A decade ago, commercial quantum computers did not exist, and today, we offer two commercial systems at Honeywell. The conversation has shifted from whether this technology is viable to what problems quantum can potentially solve. This is a huge opportunity for companies and organizations that are thinking strategically about the business advantages and applications of this disruptive technology. We are delving into how quantum can help manage supply chains, improve forecasting in the financial industry, and develop new materials or more efficient chemical catalysts. Forward thinking customers understand that now is the time to begin their exploration of quantum and to develop expertise in applying quantum capabilities.

Looking ahead a year from now, how do you see the adoption of Quantum computing progressing?

We are seeing a significant growth in the number of organizations that have both the knowledge and desire to participate in quantum computing. A year from now, I would expect to see a near doubling again in the number of companies committing real resources to drive the technology forward.

What is going to be the biggest area of focus for your organisation within Quantum over the next 12 months?

Our focus has and will continue to be on developing the highest performing commercial quantum computers in the world and making them available to our customers and partners. This is not a science project for us. We believe quantum computing will help organizations solve critical problems and tackle complex challenges that currently cannot be addressed with classical computers. Our unique capabilities will enable algorithm developers to find new ways to address world-changing applications.

Can you share an example of how your platform or application has been used by a new customer?

We’ve made significant progress in this area over the past year. We are collaborating with several leading companies and organizations that recognize the business advantage of investing in quantum now. We recently worked with the BMW Group and Entropica Labs to explore using quantum to manage supply chains and also with Samsung and Imperial College London on a battery project. We also are working with other business units within Honeywell to use quantum to address challenges or problems within specific industries and offer our customers better products and solutions.

Top tips: How can you best engage and support the business to adopt Quantum technologies?

Honeywell Quantum Solutions is in a unique position. We are part of a highly successful company that sells products and solutions across the world. This gives us a lot of insight into what customers need and want and how quantum can address challenges or solve problems that are specific to certain industries. For us, it’s more than building high-performing quantum computers to sell. It’s about understanding challenges and developing solutions. We leverage an established network to help companies and organizations that are just hearing or learning about quantum computing and help them tap into this technology to gain business advantage.

What are you most looking forward to at the Quantum.Tech digital event?

I always look forward to seeing what advancements have happened in the quantum computing space over the past year. Similarly, I look forward to updating attendees on the significant progress Honeywell Quantum Solutions has made over the past year. We’ve released two commercial quantum computers and our newest trapped-ion technology, the System Model H1, has set three consecutive industry records for measured quantum volume. We also are collaborating with global companies such as DHL, BMW, Samsung, and JP Morgan Chase to solve enterprise-level problems of interest. It’s an exciting time for Honeywell Quantum Solutions and the quantum computing industry.