QUANTROLOX’S QUANTUM EDGE POWERS THE FIRST UNIVERSITY IN CANADA TO OWN AND OPERATE A VENDOR-SUPPORTED, FULL-STACK, OPEN-ARCHITECTURE QUANTUM COMPUTER
Onsite system with Quantum EDGE and Quantum EDGE Academy to accelerate quantum hardware research and workforce development in the Canadian Prairies
Photo credit: University of Saskatchewan
PRESS RELEASE
March 31, 2026 – Saskatoon, Canada & Espoo, Finland
QuantrolOx, developer of the Quantum EDGE measurement and automation platform for quantum hardware, today announced that its software Quantum EDGE is powering the first full-stack, open-architecture, vendor-supported, university-owned and -operated quantum computer installed on a Canadian university campus. As part of the solution, QuantrolOx is also delivering Quantum EDGE Academy, a virtual lab for mastering superconducting quantum hardware. With professionally written courses and interactive simulated hardware, it prepares students by teaching them the essential physics, measurements, and calibration behind real quantum systems – giving students, researchers, and educators a hands-on “peek under the hood”. This is part of QuantrolOx’s commitment to quantum workforce development in Canada.
In partnership with the University of Saskatchewan, Qblox, Rigetti Computing, and Zero Point Cryogenics, the new system at the University of Saskatchewan’s Centre for Quantum Topology and Its Applications (quanTA) lab combines Quantum EDGE, Rigetti’s Novera QPU, Qblox’s modular control stacks, and Zero Point Cryogenics’ Model L dilution refrigerator into a complete, on-premises quantum computer for education and research.
The project has been made possible through generous funding from Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) and Innovation Saskatchewan, marking a major step forward in strengthening the quantum workforce in Canada and advancing quantum science and innovation across the Prairies.
As part of the deployment, the University of Saskatchewan will also adopt Quantum EDGE Academy, QuantrolOx’s virtual training environment. Quantum EDGE Academy provides professionally written courses and interactive simulated hardware, enabling students to learn the essential physics, measurements, and calibration behind superconducting quantum hardware without needing direct access to a cryogenic lab at all times.
At 14 qubits across two chips, the new system will help undergraduate, graduate, and PhD-level students understand quantum hardware, noise, and basic algorithms, while enabling purposeful studies in areas ranging from health to agriculture. Because sub-kelvin cryogenic temperatures are required to initialise qubit states, students will also gain first-hand experience operating a commercial-grade dilution refrigerator as part of their training.
By combining on-premises hardware, Quantum EDGE automation, and Quantum EDGE Academy, the University of Saskatchewan is building a pipeline of hands-on quantum talent in the region and helping the wider ecosystem move from slow, manual workflows to fast, automated quantum R&D.
Open-Architecture, Automation-First Approach
The Saskatchewan deployment reflects QuantrolOx’s commitment to open-architecture quantum systems. Quantum EDGE integrates with leading control stacks and QPUs while giving researchers low-level access to tune, characterize, and optimize their devices – rather than locking them into a closed, black-box stack.
With Quantum EDGE, teams can:
- Automate bring-up, characterization, and tuning workflows
- Move from days or weeks of manual work to minutes for core calibration tasks
- Capture best-practice workflows in code, making them repeatable and shareable across cohorts and research groups
With Quantum EDGE Academy, the same platform becomes a teaching and training tool, allowing students to “peek under the hood” of superconducting quantum hardware in a safe, simulated environment and then seamlessly transition those skills to the real system on campus.
Together, Quantum EDGE and Quantum EDGE Academy help the University of Saskatchewan build a modern, modular, and scalable testbed that can evolve as new QPUs, control electronics, and research directions emerge.
Quotes
“There is a healthy and vibrant quantum ecosystem in the country of Canada, and the Prairies have a massive role to play,” said Steven Rayan, Executive Director of the Centre for Quantum Topology and Its Applications (quanTA) and Professor at the University of Saskatchewan. “Entirely new research directions in quantum for agriculture, health, and the energy sector will be launched. The novel training opportunities afforded by on-campus access to this full-stack quantum computer will inspire our students and ignite a generation of quantum scientists – who will be not only the users – but creators of the future quantum ecosystem.”
“To secure the future of the quantum ecosystem, investing in upskilling and workforce education is one of our highest priorities,” said Niels Bultink, Co-founder and CEO of Qblox. “By putting our control stack technology in the hands of students, we’re helping turn quantum potential into real-world impact and accelerate the future of the industry.”
“Education and hands-on hardware access are foundational to building a sustainable quantum ecosystem,” said Vishal Chatrath, CEO of QuantrolOx. “Within the QuanTA project at the University of Saskatchewan, Quantum EDGE is used to empower the next generation of quantum engineers and scientists, supporting both learning and advanced experimentation across modern QPU control and optimization workflows. We are proud to contribute to an initiative that enables students not only to use quantum technology, but to actively shape its future.”
“We are proud that the Novera QPU has been selected to be at the core of the University of Saskatchewan’s first quantum computer,” said Dr. Subodh Kulkarni, Rigetti CEO. “We look forward to seeing the Canadian Prairies’ quantum computing ecosystem continue to push the boundaries of this revolutionary technology. Professor Rayan has already been leveraging Rigetti’s quantum systems for bio-discovery, and we look forward to seeing that research flourish with an on-premises system.”
“Professor Rayan’s lab will play a key role in continuing Canada’s transformation into a powerhouse of quantum technology and education,” said Chris Cassin, Co-founder and CEO of Zero Point Cryogenics. “Preparing Canada for a quantum future starts with the next generation – our students. Zero Point Cryogenics, a fellow Prairies-based organization, is thrilled to support this work.”
About QuantrolOx
QuantrolOx develops Quantum EDGE, a measurement and automation platform for quantum hardware, along with Quantum EDGE Academy for training future quantum engineers. QuantrolOx also offers VIDYAQAR, an integrated, open-architecture superconducting quantum system for education, research, testing, and benchmarking. Together, these products help teams move from slow, manual workflows to fast, automated quantum R&D.
Learn more at: quantrolox.com
About Qblox
Qblox is accelerating the quantum revolution as the global leader in scalable quantum control. The company provides the essential control engine that empowers researchers and engineers to build high-performance, robust, and scalable systems. Trusted by industrial and academic leaders worldwide, Qblox sets the standard for quantum control and delivers the backbone for a new era of computing. Learn more at: www.qblox.com
About Rigetti
Rigetti is a pioneer in full-stack quantum computing. Rigetti quantum computers are based on superconducting qubits, which are widely believed to be the leading qubit modality given their maturity, clear path to scaling, and fast gate speeds. Current Rigetti quantum computing systems achieve gate speeds of 50-70ns, which is about 1,000 times faster than other modalities such as ion traps and neutral atoms.
Rigetti sells on-premises 9-qubit to 180-qubit quantum computing systems, supporting national laboratories and quantum computing centers. Rigetti’s Cepheus 36-qubit to 108-qubit systems are based on the Company’s proprietary chiplet-based technology and include the Company’s control electronics. Rigetti’s 9-qubit Novera QPU supports a broader R&D community with a high-performance, on-premises QPU designed to plug into a customer’s existing cryogenic and control systems.
The Company operates quantum computers over the cloud through its Rigetti Quantum Cloud Services (QCS) platform, enabling global enterprise, government, and research clients to pursue R&D. The Company’s proprietary quantum-classical infrastructure provides high-performance integration with public and private clouds for practical quantum computing
Rigetti developed the industry’s first multi-chip quantum processor for scalable quantum computing systems. Leveraging this proprietary technology, Rigetti deployed the industry’s largest multi-chip quantum computer in 2025 with Cepheus-1-36Q, based on four 9-qubit chiplets tiled together. The Company designs and manufactures its chips in-house at Fab-1, the industry’s first dedicated and integrated quantum device manufacturing facility. Learn more at www.rigetti.com
About Zero Point Cryogenics – Colder for Longer
Zero Point Cryogenics (ZPC) manufactures cryostats and dilution refrigerators, which are the primary low-temperature platform enabling quantum computing. The company is focused on designing robust and reliable dilution refrigerators to enable quantum technology research and innovation. ZPC is the only manufacturer of its kind in Canada and one of the few manufacturers of this technology in the world. The company is actively bridging the gap between customized and commercially scalable solutions, creating flexibility for quantum research and innovation while having the depth to scale. At Zero Point Cryogenics, the company is proud to improve and iterate cooling infrastructure designs based on customer optimization and are driven to build products that stay colder for longer.
Learn more at www.zpcryo.com
Media Contact:
Vishal Chatrath
Chief Executive Officer, QuantrolOx
Email: vishal@quantrolox.com