This week on Riding Unicorns, we’re joined by Carmen Palacios-Berraquero, Founder and CEO of Nu Quantum, a pioneering company building the networking layer for the quantum computing era.

Carmen’s journey started in academia, researching quantum photonics, before she spun out Nu Quantum from the University of Cambridge. Now backed by top deep tech investors, the company is on a mission to connect quantum processors and make quantum computing commercially scalable.

🎙️ In this episode, we discuss:

🧠 What quantum networking is — and why it’s essential for unlocking quantum advantage
 📈 Nu Quantum’s pivot from photonic components to full-stack infrastructure
 🧬 How to build a team at the bleeding edge of science and engineering
 ⏳ Why quantum adoption is closer than most people think
 🔐 The importance of entanglement, secure comms & UK leadership in quantum
 💡 Lessons on commercialising research and navigating long deep-tech timelines
 🏗️ Analogies to cloud infrastructure and what Carmen learned from traditional data centres
 🌍 Carmen’s take on the global race to build the quantum internet

This is a fascinating look into a frontier technology that could reshape everything from national security to pharmaceuticals. A must-listen for founders, investors, and anyone curious about the future of computing.