Beyond the Bit: Quantum Pathways

In this episode, I am joined by Nicolas Adam, Head of People & Culture at eleQtron, the German quantum computing company building machines with its own microwave-based MAGIC technology, and now delivering systems to Forschungszentrum Jülich and DLR.

Nicolas came into quantum from outside the field: 12 yearsin automotive, latterly as a global HR director responsible for 14 countries, before joining eleQtron, a spin-off from the University of Siegen, ahead of its Series A.

This episode explores what it really takes to scale aquantum hardware company once the funding lands, from growing headcount from around 70 to nearly 130 in a year, to bringing together researchers and industry engineers who need each other but do not yet speak the same language.

We discuss:
🔄 Why the talent shortage is partly a job description problem, and why a missingcapability is a business risk, not just an HR vacancy
🧩 Build, borrow, partner, convert and combine, a practical framework forassembling the capabilities a roadmap actually needs
🚗 Converting engineers from automotive and aerospace who already bring 70 to 80%of the skills, and closing the gap with training
🏗️ The "two worlds" challenge, physicists and industry engineerslearning to work to shared standards, processes and delivery timelines
👥 Why great technical experts should not be pushed into management by default,and why succession planning and knowledge transfer matter from day one
🇪🇺 What Germany and Europe need to do to keep pace in the race for quantum talentand investment

Guest: Nicolas Adam
Head of People & Culture, eleQtron

In this episode, I am joined by Ben McElfresh, Product Manager at Nu Quantum, the company building the infrastructure that links quantum computers together into a single, more powerful machine.

Ben has one of the more unusual routes into the field I have come across: a degree in mechanical engineering rather than physics, an early career building scientific instruments including SQUID magnetometers, the same superconducting technology quantum computers are built on, then photonic quantum computing at Orca, and now product at Nu Quantum.

This episode explores why building a bigger quantum processor is only half the story, how connecting many processors into a single distributed machine could unlock the millions of qubits that real commercial value demands, and why Ben believes a large share of the people this industry needs next will come from outside quantum entirely.

We discuss:
🔗 Quantum networking in plain terms, connecting separate processors so they behave as one machine, much like a classical data centre
🧩 The two building blocks, the Qubit-Photon Interface and the Quantum Networking Unit, and what each one does
🌍 Why Nu Quantum is expanding into Spain and the US, and how the talent map shaped those decisions
📈 Why quantum roadmaps are firming up, with companies now actually hitting their qubit targets
🤝 The translatable skills coming from high-frequency trading and manufacturing, and why you do not need to be a physicist to contribute

Guest: [Ben McElfresh](LinkedIn URL to confirm)
Product Manager, [Nu Quantum](LinkedIn URL to confirm)

In this episode, I am joined by Burns Healy, Director ofQuantum Practice at Quantum Sky

We recorded this the same week the company rebranded from Tyto Athene to Quantum Sky, so you are hearing that news here first.

Burns has one of the most interesting routes into the field I have come across: a PhD in pure mathematics, a self described diehard academic, then a move to Dell in 2020 that pulled him into quantum computing and infrastructure, and now a mandate to build a quantum practice from close to a blank page.

This episode explores why the old ten-to-fifteen-yeartimelines are being replaced by firm dates, what a serving federal customer base actually needs from quantum today, and why Burns believes the future belongs to subject matter experts who bring quantum into their own field, notjust to quantum engineers.

We discuss:

🛰️ The rebrand to Quantum Sky, and why the aperture is far wider than quantum computing alone
🧮 Burns' path from pure mathematics and academia into emerging technologyresearch at Dell
🗺️ Building a quantum practice from a blank page, and what belongs at the top ofthe list
🔐 Post-quantum cryptography, the recent US executive order, and cryptographic inventory as a starting point
📅 Why the language has shifted from "in five years" to "by2028," and what that accountability signals
🌍 Sovereignty, domestic capability, and why geography is becoming a moat for QPUvendors
📦 The Dell supply chain project, and why he embedded with the team for six months
🤝 Hiring for diversity of skill set, the Quantum Trainer role, and why you do not need a PhD to contribute

In this episode, I am joined again by Brian Lenahan, Founder of the Quantum Strategy Institute and a leading voice on the business adoption of quantum technologies, for our second conversation on Beyond the Bit: Quantum Pathways.

Last time we traced Brian's journey up to the present. This time we pick up where that left off and look firmly at the present and the future, from his recent TEDx stage to the national strategies and mandates that are turning quantum from a research story into a business one.

This episode explores the growing urgency around quantum readiness, why the old ten-to-fifteen-year timelines are shrinking fast, and what leaders should be doing about it today rather than later.

We discuss:
🎤 Brian's recent TEDx talk and the message that when one door closes, another opens
🌍 National quantum strategies and why 2027 is emerging as a genuine inflection point
🔐 France's post-quantum cryptography mandate, and the recent US executive orders
🕵️ "Harvest now, decrypt later," and why it is a threat happening today, not tomorrow
🏛️ Sovereignty, and whether pulling data back on-shore is about security, trust or control
🗺️ What belongs on a business leader's quantum roadmap in 2026
⚙️ Scalability, error correction, and the race toward break-even
🤝 D-Wave, AT&T, and annealing proving the doubters wrong

Guest: Brian Lenahan
Founder, Quantum Strategy Institute | Aquitaine Innovation Advisors
Substack: https://lnkd.in/gepCcJGt
Books: https://lnkd.in/ehgyqENY

In this episode, I am joined by Sierra Clouse — co-founder of Barclo, a venture studio focused on deep tech, advanced compute, and the commercialisation of emerging technologies.

Sierra brings a fascinating perspective from Microsoft, Xbox, startups, cybersecurity, blockchain, and now quantum-adjacent venture building.

This episode explores what it really takes to move deep tech from research into commercial reality — from product thinking and venture studio models, to early-stage hiring, workforce strategy, fractional talent, and the gap between policy ambition and practical execution.

We discuss:

🧠 Why deep tech needs more than research — it needs roadmaps and revenue
🚀 How Barclow is building and backing companies through a venture studio model
🔬 Why commercialisation starts with demand, product, and practical use cases
💸 How early-stage teams should think about capital, grants, runway, and dilution
👥 Why the first five hires in deep tech matter so much
🧩 The role of fractional, contract, and specialist talent in quantum and deep tech
⚖️ Why workforce policy often misses the reality of hiring scarce technical talent
🛠️ Why GitHub portfolios, practical tools, and hands-on experimentation matter
🔐 Quantum readiness, crypto agility, and the security implications of emerging technology
🌍 Seattle Deep Tech Week and the role of regional ecosystems in building momentum

A key theme running through the conversation is that quantum and deep tech companies do not just need more funding, more research, or more hype.

They need better pathways from capability to product, and from product to market.

Guest: Sierra Clouse
Co-founder, Barclo

In this episode, I am joined by Matthias Kaiser — Founder of PexMachina — who returns to the podcast fresh off securing investment from Wavepeak Ventures, Eric Hall’s new quantum applications fund.

Since our first conversation, Matthias has founded Pex Machina, a quantum applications company focused on pharmaceutical drug development, using quantum simulation to model molecular interactions more precisely.

This episode explores the reality of building in quantum today — from finding meaningful applications and validating customer workflows, to fundraising, IP, AI-assisted software development, and hiring in deep tech.

We discuss:
🧠 Why quantum needs real applications, not just technical promise
💊 How Pex Machina is applying quantum simulation to pharmaceutical drug discovery
🧬 Why oncology, therapeutic windows, and molecular interactions are such important use cases
🔬 The role of wet lab validation in making simulation useful for pharma
💸 Bootstrapping, accelerator funding, and securing early VC investment
🚀 Why Eric Hall’s investment through Wavepeak matters for quantum applications
⚖️ Why IP strategy matters early in pharma and biotech
🤖 How AI is changing software development and early hiring strategy
👥 Building the right founding team, advisory board, and company culture
🌍 Why customer workflows matter as much as the quantum algorithm

Guest: Matthias Kaiser
Founder, PexMachina.com

In this episode, we are joined by Brian Lenahan — Founder of the Quantum Strategy Institute and a leading voice on the business adoption of quantum technologies — who transitioned from a career in banking and AI into becoming one of the early strategists focused on quantum’s commercial future.

Since entering the space in 2019, Brian has worked at the intersection of business and emerging technology, helping organisations understand not just what quantum is — but how and when it matters.

This episode explores the reality behind quantum adoption —from early curiosity and white space, to strategy, risk, and the growing urgency for organisations to act.

We discuss:
🧠 Brian’s transition from banking and AI into quantum strategy
🚀 Why quantum isn’t just a technology shift — but a business adoption challenge
📉 The early gap between research, vendors, and real customers in quantum
📚 His books and frameworks for helping organisations think about quantum today
🔐 The growing importance of post-quantum cryptography and “Q-Day” risk
🏢 Why companies don’t need quantum physicists — but do need quantum strategists
🌍 Government investment, ecosystem growth, and what it means for industry
🎓 How individuals can realistically enter the quantum space without a physics background

Guest: Brian Lenahan

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-lenahan-innovation/
Founder, Quantum Strategy Institutehttps://www.linkedin.com/company/quantum-strategy-institute
Substack: Quantum’s Business
Books: Available on Amazon

New episode from Beyondthebit.co!

In this episode, we are joined by Orlagh Neary — former Vice President of Quantum, AI, and Space Go-To-Market at Microsoft — who spent more than two decades leading commercialization strategy across some of the world’s most advanced emerging technologies.

Since stepping away from Microsoft, Orlagh has launched Quantum Links, advising deep-tech founders on positioning and go-to-market execution, and founded the ORB Network — a fast-growing leadership and community platform supporting women navigating careers in technology, transition, and entrepreneurship.

In this episode we explore what happens when frontier technology meets personal reinvention — from leading quantum inside Big Tech to building new ecosystems outside it.

We discuss:

🧠 Orlagh’s 22-yearjourney inside Microsoft and leading quantum commercialization
🚀 Her transition from Big Tech into advisory, venture building, and communitycreation
📈 The most common go-to-market mistakes quantum and deep-tech startups make
🤝 Why trust and positioning matter as much as technical capability
🌍 The current state of quantum talent — and why the ecosystem isn’t ready yet
🎓 How non-physicists can realistically break into the quantum industry
👩‍💼 The vision behind the ORB Network and building opportunity, resilience, andbelonging

Guest:Orlagh Neary
Founder, Quantum Links | Creator, ORB Network

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/orlaghneary/
ORB Network: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-orb-network/

Full Circle: Quantum, Business and Building Ecosystems – with Amro Imam

In this episode, I’m joined by Amro Imam — my very first guest on Beyond the Bit: Quantum Pathways — exactly one year after we recorded the first episode of the show.

Amro is a physicist turned deep-tech operator who recently completed an MBA at NYU Abu Dhabi and is now building QAM, a new initiative focused on growing the quantum ecosystem across the Arab world through research collaboration, education, translation, and large-scale hackathons.

The conversation goes beyond hardware roadmaps into what it actually takes to scale quantum: talent, capital, ecosystems, and long-term thinking:

We discuss:

🧠 How the quantum industry has changed over the past 12 months
🎓 Why Amro moved from pure research into business and venture building
💼 The real challenges quantum startups face when dealing with investors
🤖 The growing overlap between quantum and AI funding narratives
🌍 Building sustainable quantum ecosystems in the Middle East and North Africa
📚 Removing language barriers through Arabic quantum education and translation
⚙️ Why hackathons are one of the most effective tools for developing new quantum talent

🔗 QAM on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/qam-%D9%83%D9%85/
💬 Join the QAM community on Discord: https://discord.gg/dH4H8rTayh

#QuantumComputing, #QuantumEcosystem, #DeepTech, #QuantumStartups, #QuantumCareers, #MiddleEastTech, #MENAtech, #TechEcosystems, #VentureBuilding, #BeyondTheBit, #Podcast

In this episode, Amir Rasool speaks with John Barnes, Founder of Entangled Positions and one of the earliest specialist recruiters to work in quantum.

John has been operating in the space since 2014—long before quantum hiring became commercial or mainstream. The conversation goes beyond job titles and buzzwords into what actually shapes successful quantum teams.

They discuss:

🧠 How early-stage quantum teams are really built
🚀 Common hiring mistakes that slow startups down
⚙️ Why perfection is the enemy of progress in technical hiring
🌍 Global quantum talent movement across the UK, Europe, and the US
⚖️ The role of ethics in recruitment within a small ecosystem
🎓 Whether a PhD is truly required for a serious career in quantum
🤝 Why collaboration between “competitors” often works better in quantum than in other industries

Guest: John Barnes
Founder, Entangled Positions
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/entangled/
Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/entangled-positions/

Host: Amir Rasool
Founder, QAi Talent | Host, Beyond the Bit: Quantum Pathways
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirrasool/
Website: https://www.qaitalent.com