The surprisingly swift commercialization of quantum computing is signaled by the emergence of three startups originating from Harvard research over the last decade. LightsynQ, co-founded in 2024 by Mihir Bhaskar, was acquired by IonQ last year, and Bhaskar now serves as senior vice president for research and development, demonstrating a clear trajectory from academic innovation to industry leadership. QuEra has already shipped its second commercial quantum computer, built on Harvard technology, to Japan, while CavilinQ recently secured $8.8 million in seed funding to further develop quantum networking. “Where are we now compared to where we thought we’d be in 2018? We are so much farther ahead than I think any of us could have imagined,” says Evelyn Hu, Tarr-Coyne Professor of Applied Physics and of Electrical Engineering, reflecting a sentiment that this once theoretical science is rapidly approaching practical application. LightsynQ, QuEra, and CavilinQ: Harvard Quantum Startups Emerge These ventures, LightsynQ, QuEra, and CavilinQ, demonstrate a rapid transition from theoretical physics to tangible technology, exceeding expectations set as recently as 2018. LightsynQ, co-founded in 2024 by Harvard Ph.D. Mihir Bhaskar, exemplifies this trend. Bhaskar acknowledges the surprising pace of development, stating, “I couldn’t have predicted this…the pace of innovation, the pace of development, the pace of—honestly—capital going into the technology has far exceeded what I could have possibly imagined.” QuEra, established in 2018 by Mikhail Lukin and Markus Greiner with partners from Harvard and MIT, recently shipped its second commercial quantum computer to Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, showcasing the practical application of research. Brandon Grinkemeyer, a postdoctoral fellow and CavilinQ founder, explains the importance of quantum networking, drawing parallels to classical computing: connecting processors increases computational power, enabling solutions to problems beyond the reach of single processors. Harvard Quantum Initiative Fuels Fault Tolerance Advances The