Photonic’s Chief Quantum Officer joins leading technology innovators in Paris to highlight the transformative potential of quantum applications

Photonic Inc., a leader in distributed quantum computing in silicon, today announced its Founder and Chief Quantum Officer, Dr. Stephanie Simmons, is an invited speaker at the Opening Ceremony of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ 2025) hosted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Slated for February 4-5, 2025 at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris, France, the high-profile gathering brings together world leaders in quantum innovation to showcase the transformative potential.

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Dr. Stephanie Simmons, Founder and Chief Quantum Officer of Photonic is an invited speaker at the Opening Ceremony of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ 2025) hosted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). (Photo: Business Wire)

"Being part of this inaugural event marking the start of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology and the 100th anniversary of quantum mechanics is a privilege," said Dr. Simmons. "This milestone gives us a chance to appreciate the foundational discoveries in quantum science, while also communicating the enormous possibilities of their application in quantum technologies. The team at Photonic is proud to be accelerating the timeline to commercially useful quantum applications.”

The United Nations named 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, demonstrating quantum’s importance in both propelling global technologies forward and tackling society's problems. The landmark designation aims to raise awareness and inspire action toward its Sustainable Development Goals. Microsoft, with whom Photonic is collaborating to unlock the next stages of development in quantum networking and power the global quantum ecosystem with future capabilities, is the leading sponsor of the IYQ 2025. Dr Krysta Svore, Principal Research Manager of Microsoft Quantum, is also speaking at the opening event.

Dr. Simmons, who is also co-chair of Canada’s National Quantum Strategy advisory board, one of Canada’s representatives to NATO on quantum, a Canadian Institute for Advanced Research Fellow in Quantum Information Science and an Associate Professor at the Department of Physics at Simon Fraser University (SFU) will join Dr. Alain Aspect, Physicist and Noble Laureate in Physics, Dr. Jian Wei Pan, University of Science and Technology of China, and Dr. Dave Smith, National Technology Adviser on behalf of the Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on 4 February 2025, for a 50-minute discussion on the groundbreaking research and innovations that are pushing the boundaries of the science and shaping quantum technologies. She will be bringing her extensive background in scalable quantum computing to the table.

The IYQ 2025 Opening Ceremony will feature keynote addresses, panel discussions, art exhibits, and networking opportunities, providing a forum to delve into quantum’s immense capabilities and ethical considerations. To learn more about IYQ 2025, please visit https://quantum2025.org.

Watch video of Photonic Chief Quantum Officer, Dr. Stephanie Simmons sharing what she sees coming in 2025, the year the United Nations has proclaimed the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology.

About Photonic

Photonic Inc. is a leading quantum company developing commercial-scale quantum computers and quantum networks to solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges across materials science, drug discovery, climate change, security, and more. Photonic’s Entanglement First™ architecture is designed to deliver at scale, leveraging optically linked silicon spin qubits with high connectivity. This approach enables entanglement distribution for powerful computation, efficient error correction, and seamless integration into existing data center and telecom environments. Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, with operations in the United States and the United Kingdom, Photonic has over 150 employees and is backed by leading investors and multinational partners. To learn more, visit www.photonic.com.

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