The New Quantum Era
Quantum Engineering with David Reilly and Tom Ohki
The New Quantum Era
•March 9, 2026•48 min
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The New Quantum Era•Mar 9, 2026
Why It Matters
Understanding and solving the engineering bottlenecks—control, packaging, and thermal management—will determine whether quantum computers can scale beyond laboratory prototypes to practical, large‑scale systems. As governments and industry pour billions into quantum initiatives, Emergence Quantum’s system‑focused approach offers a roadmap for building the universal infrastructure that any qubit platform will need, making this episode essential for anyone tracking the future of computing.
Key Takeaways
- •Emergence builds cryogenic control electronics, not qubits
- •Founders left Microsoft, funded via grants, no VC
- •Team operates as agile “special ops” R&D unit
- •Australia invested $2 billion, fostering rich quantum ecosystem
- •Cryo‑CMOS enables thousands‑qubit control at 100 mK
Pulse Analysis
In this episode, host Sebastian Hassinger sits down with David Reilly and Tom Ohki, co‑founders of Emergence Quantum, a Sydney‑based spin‑out that tackles the missing "connective tissue" of quantum computers. Rather than chasing better qubits, they develop cryogenic control electronics, high‑performance amplifiers, and scalable packaging that operate at temperatures colder than outer space. Their combined pedigree—Reilly’s leadership of Microsoft’s Station Q and Ohki’s tenure at BBN and Raytheon—gives them a rare systems‑level perspective, positioning Emergence at the forefront of quantum infrastructure as the field moves from lab prototypes to commercial scale.
Emergence’s business model is deliberately lean: no venture capital, funding sourced from government grants and strategic partnerships such as IonQ and Archer Materials. The company functions like a "special ops" unit, a tight‑knit R&D‑for‑hire team that can pivot quickly on hard‑to‑solve problems. This agile culture, rooted in decades‑long collaborations, mirrors Australia’s broader quantum push, where more than $2 billion has been poured into facilities like SciQuantum and DARPA‑selected startups. By staying qubit‑agnostic, Emergence builds reusable control layers that can serve superconducting, ion‑trap, or future hybrid platforms, ensuring relevance across the rapidly diversifying quantum ecosystem.
A centerpiece of their work is cryogenic CMOS (cryo‑CMOS) technology, demonstrated in the Gooseberry chip that runs at 100 mK and can address thousands of qubits. Overcoming the thermal, signal‑integrity, and packaging challenges of dilution refrigerators is essential; without reliable control, even the most coherent qubits remain unusable. The team also explores how cryogenic cooling could revolutionize classical data‑center efficiency, hinting at cross‑industry impact. As quantum error correction and large‑scale architectures demand ever‑greater control bandwidth, Emergence’s focus on scalable, low‑temperature electronics positions them as a critical enabler of the next quantum computing era.
Episode Description
Revolutionary Quantum Engineering with David Reilly and Tom Ohki
Have you ever wondered what it takes to build computing systems that work at temperatures colder than outer space? David Reilly and Tom Ohki are tackling this exact challenge, leading a "special ops" team of engineers from their unique position at Emergence Quantum—the startup born from Microsoft's Station Q program. They're not just building quantum computers; they're creating the entire infrastructure ecosystem that will make scalable quantum computing possible.
Episode Summary
This episode explores how quantum computing's most challenging engineering problems are being solved from the ground up. David Reilly (former Station Q lead) and Tom Ohki (ex-Raytheon BBN Technologies) share their journey from academic research to building Emergence Quantum—a company focused on the systems-level challenges of quantum computing and beyond.
Unlike typical quantum startups racing to build better qubits, Emergence takes a "qubit-agnostic" approach, focusing on the critical control systems, cryogenic electronics, and infrastructure needed to scale any quantum platform. Their work spans from cryo-CMOS control systems that operate at millikelvin temperatures to revolutionary applications of cryogenic cooling in classical data centers.
What You'll Learn
How cryo-CMOS technology solves the fundamental wiring bottleneck that prevents quantum computers from scaling beyond hundreds of qubits
Why the "special ops" team model enables breakthrough engineering when tackling unprecedented technical challenges across quantum and classical computing
How cryogenic cooling could transform classical data centers by dramatically reducing power consumption and improving processor performance
The systems-level thinking required to build quantum computers that actually work at scale, beyond just improving individual qubit performance
Why Australia offers unique advantages for deep tech R&D companies focused on long-term hardware development rather than venture-driven growth
How quantum computing infrastructure development creates spillover benefits for classical computing, sensing, and other cryogenic applications
The historical parallels between today's quantum engineering challenges and the foundational R&D that built the internet and early computing systems
Why "qubit-agnostic" approaches to control systems provide more flexibility as quantum hardware continues evolving
Company & Guest Links
Emergence Quantum
David Reilly
Tom Ohki
Sponsor
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Research & Papers
Nature paper on cryo-CMOS coexistence with spin qubits (referenced Dirac collaboration)
Historical cryo-CMOS research from the 1950s-present
Organizations Mentioned
Microsoft Station Q (former quantum research division)
Raytheon BBN Technologies (internet pioneer, quantum research)
University of Sydney
Technologies & Concepts
Cryo-CMOS: CMOS electronics operating at cryogenic temperatures
Dilution refrigerators: Ultra-low temperature cooling systems
Superconducting quantum devices and control systems
Key Insights
"We recognize that although quantum is very much moving into more traditional engineering domains, there's still so much fundamental research—you have to walk both paths. It will be both fundamental science and applied engineering, all at the same time." — David Reilly on the dual nature of quantum development
"Every member had this deep expertise, and we were able to progress in a flexible agile way. That was exactly the secret." — Tom Ohki on building high-performing technical teams
"You could ask the question: what are the attributes of scalable qubits, given the constraints of what you can build at the control layer?" — David Reilly on systems-level thinking
"If you don't believe in [scaling classical cryogenic computing], but you believe in quantum computing, there's some mismatch here—because the fundamental aspects are completely identical." — Tom Ohki on infrastructure requirements
"We're not trying to disrupt the incumbent technology. We're trying to improve it. But along the way, we're building the foundation for a world beyond that." — David Reilly on their strategic approach
Community & Next Steps
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