Kathrin Spendier, Technical Prize Director at XPRIZE, joins Thinking on Paper to explain how quantum computing could contribute to climate science, medicine, energy and materials discovery.

She also discusses the $5 million Quantum XPRIZE, a three-year global competition designed to move quantum algorithms beyond theory and towards practical applications. The competition brings together hundreds of teams working on problems that could eventually benefit from quantum computation.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How quantum computing could support climate modelling and sustainability

• Whether quantum algorithms can accelerate drug discovery

• How quantum systems could help develop new materials

• The potential role of quantum computing in energy research

• Why natural processes such as photosynthesis are relevant to quantum science

• How Google Quantum AI is supporting the Quantum XPRIZE

• What hundreds of teams from dozens of countries are trying to build

• Why competition and technical constraints can accelerate innovation

• What makes useful quantum algorithms difficult to develop

• Which practical quantum applications may emerge first

  
  

Kathrin explains the difference between theoretical quantum advantage and applications that could create measurable value in the real world.

This conversation examines whether quantum computing can move from laboratory progress to useful tools for science, industry and some of humanity’s most difficult technical problems.

Please enjoy the show.

Timestamps

(00:00) - Welcome Disruptors and Curious Minds

(02:10) - Meet Kathrin Spendier: XPRIZE Technical Prize Director

(04:42) - Quantum vs. Classical Computing: What’s the Difference?(07:26) - What Is XPRIZE and How Does It Drive Innovation?

(14:50) - The Challenges Tackled by the Quantum XPRIZE

(17:20) - Quantum Algorithms(27:14) - Who’s Competing in the Quantum XPRIZE?(29:18) - The $5 Million XPRIZE Purse: Why That Amount?(32:17) - Hot Buttons: Rapid-Fire Quantum Insights(33:44) - Are We Living in a Simulation? (33:58) - Top Quantum News and Industry Updates(36:00) - Scaling Quantum Computing(38:12) - Google’s Willow Chip and the Importance of Error Correction(47:16) - Carry-Over Question: How Can Technology Serve Social Good?(49:42) - Mark & Jeremy Reflect: Backstage Thoughts on Quantum and XPRIZE--

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJi7aP5B69A&ab_channel=ThinkingOnPaper