Imagine a computer so powerful it could solve a problem in seconds — a problem that today’s fastest computers would still be working on long after humans, cities, and even civilisation no longer exists.
That sounds like something from a sci-fi movie. But it’s real. And it’s being built right now in Sydney, by scientists, engineers, and small teams of people who are changing how the world will work in the future.
This growing group is known as the Tech Central quantum cluster.
It’s not one company, or one lab. It’s a community of startups, universities, researchers, and supporters, all focused on one big idea: using quantum science to build entirely new kinds of technology.
So, what is quantum technology?
The computers we use every day all work in a very simple way at their core.
They use tiny electrical switches called bits. Each bit is either on or off – like a light switch. Everything your computer does, from sending emails to streaming TV shows, comes down to billions of these on/off decisions happening very quickly.
Quantum technology works differently. Instead of using regular bits, quantum computers use quantum bits, often called qubits. These are built using the smallest building blocks of nature, things like atoms, electrons, and particles of light.
At that tiny level, the rules of the world change. Particles can behave in strange ways. They can exist in more than one state at once. They can be linked together across distances. And they can change when you try to measure them.
This might sound odd, but it’s not new. Scientists first started exploring these ideas more than 100 years ago. Over time, the science proved solid, and it led to improvements in everyday technologies we now take for granted, like:
- Lasers
- MRI machines
- Computer chips
- Smartphones
For decades, this knowledge mostly stayed inside universities and research labs. Scientists studied it, wrote papers, and taught students.
Then came a big shift. Researchers realised they didn’t just have to study quantum effects. They could build with them.
That idea opened the door to quantum computers, ultra-secure communication, and sensors so precise they can measure things we’ve never been able to measure before.
Once the science became reliable enough, startups began to form. Small teams started turning fragile lab experiments into real, working technology.
That’s the bedrock from which Sydney’s quantum cluster began to take shape.
Why Sydney?
Big breakthroughs don’t appear out of nowhere. They form when the right conditions line up over time. Sydney has spent decades quietly building those conditions.
World-class universities produced foundational quantum research long before it became fashionable. Public investment supported deep science that didn’t promise quick returns. Researchers trained students who became engineers, who became founders. Government, industry, and academia learned – sometimes slowly – how to work together.
Most importantly, these efforts didn’t stay scattered. Over time, they began to cluster physically and culturally. Tech Central emerged as a deliberate response to that progress.
It’s a place where advanced research, commercial ambition, and practical support overlap. Where startups can sit close to the universities producing new ideas. Where founders can access specialised talent, infrastructure, and networks without leaving the city.
Quantum technology thrives in this kind of environment. It’s too complex for isolated teams, too slow for short-term thinking, and too ambitious for silos. It needs patience, collaboration, and shared belief. Sydney offered all three.
Who’s part of the Tech Central quantum cluster?
Quantum technology doesn’t move at the speed of software.
You can’t release a beta version overnight or patch a bug with an update. Progress happens in careful steps: proving something works, stabilising it, scaling it, and only then thinking about practical use.
No single organisation can solve every problem quantum technology presents. One group might focus on materials. Another on hardware. Another on security. Progress comes from connecting these efforts into a working system.
That’s exactly what’s happening inside the Tech Central quantum cluster. Here’s what some of the key players are doing.
Quantum Brilliance
Quantum Brilliance is working on tiny quantum computers that run at room temperature.
Most quantum computers today need to be kept incredibly cold – colder than outer space. That makes them huge, delicate, and expensive, so they usually live in specialised labs.
Quantum Brilliance takes a different approach. They use diamonds to create their quantum systems, which allows them to work without extreme cooling. That means quantum computers could eventually be small, stable, and practical.
Instead of being locked away in a lab, they could be used in places like hospitals, research centres, satellites, or industrial sites.
The company first started small, testing whether this idea could work at all. As they proved each step, they began integrating their systems into supercomputers – a major milestone that shows the technology can be used in the real world.
In early 2025, they raised $20 million in funding to accelerate their work, following a $13 million investment from the Australian Government to help build Australia’s first quantum diamond manufacturing facility.
It’s a good example of how quantum companies grow: carefully, patiently, and only once something truly works.
Archer Materials
Archer Materials focuses on the physical foundations of quantum technology – the materials and chips that make it possible.
Quantum systems need incredibly precise components. Archer is developing quantum processors that could eventually work on standard devices, rather than specialised machines. That could make quantum technology far more accessible in the future.
They’re also applying quantum science beyond computing. One of their developments is a quantum-enabled biochip designed to improve medical testing, showing how this science can support healthcare, not just computers.
Their progress has been shared recently at major industry events, including Australia’s largest quantum conferences, helping connect research with real-world uses.
BTQ Australia
As quantum computers grow more powerful, they bring a serious challenge: security.
One day, quantum computers will be able to break many of the encryption methods that currently protect online banking, emails, and private data.
BTQ Australia is working on quantum-safe cybersecurity, new ways to protect information before that happens.
They expanded into Australia in mid-2024 and now work closely with universities, including Macquarie University, as well as the Sydney Quantum Academy. Their collaborations include PhD internships and research partnerships focused on secure communication.
In quantum, progress doesn’t come in small steps. Each breakthrough is significant. BTQ’s work helps make sure security keeps pace with the technology.
Sydney Quantum Academy
The Sydney Quantum Academy supports the entire tech community by focusing on the people in it.
Their role is to train the next generation of quantum scientists and engineers, and to connect universities, industry, and government.
They run education programs, support research partnerships, and host major conferences. Just as importantly, they help researchers turn ideas into practical solutions, and help startups find the talent they need to grow.
Without skilled people, quantum technology can’t move forward. The Academy helps build those skills for the long term.
The role of an innovation community
Quantum startups work right at the edge of what’s physically possible. The work is complex, slow, and often uncertain. Breakthroughs don’t come from rushing – they come from collaboration, shared knowledge, and trust.
Being part of Tech Central means founders can talk to peers who understand the challenges. They can share lessons, learn from failures, and connect with experts in government, research, and industry.
That kind of community is invaluable when you’re trying to build the future of computing.
Australia has a real opportunity here, not just to lead in quantum research, but to turn that research into technology that reshapes industries, improves healthcare, protects data, and supports a better future.
Quantum computing might feel like magic. But it’s powered by people – patient, curious pioneers turning strange science into reality.
And at Stone & Chalk, that future isn’t decades away. It’s happening now.
