Quantum computing has the potential to revolutionize humanity's fight against climate change, accelerate breakthroughs in medicine, and unlock new sources of energy—but it needs to leave the lab. The fires are burning, the clock is ticking, and it’s time for action.

In this episode of Thinking on Paper, Jeremy and Mark sit down with Kathrin Spendier, Technical Prize Director at XPRIZE, to uncover how the $5 million Quantum XPRIZE is pushing this game-changing technology into the real world.

Here’s what you’ll discover:

How Google Quantum is backing this three-year global competition involving 300 teams from 46 countries.
Why quantum algorithms could transform sustainability, drug development, and material science.
The surprising link between quantum computing and natural processes like photosynthesis.
How constraints and competition fuel the innovation needed to solve humanity's greatest challenges.

Kathrin breaks down what makes quantum computing so powerful yet so difficult to develop and what it could achieve in the near future.

If you’re ready to understand the cutting-edge of technology that could shape the future, this episode is for you.

Hit play, subscribe, and join us on this fascinating journey to bring quantum computing to the world.

-- XPrize: https://www.xprize.org/home Books Mentioned: Dance of the Photons, by Anton Zeilinger The Dancing Wu Li Masters, by Gary Zukav Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!, by Richard P. Feynman --

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