- Partnering with D-Wave Quantum and Yonsei University to take the lead in future technology -
On June 17, Incheon Metropolitan City (Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok) announced the signing of a three-party memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Yonsei University (President Yoon Dong-sup) and D-Wave Quantum (CEO Alan Baratz), a global pioneer in quantum computing at Incheon City Hall.
This agreement is part of the city government’s broader initiative to build a robust quantum industry ecosystem. Through strategic collaboration with a world-leading quantum technology company and a top Korean university, Incheon aims to lay the groundwork for quantum technology demonstrations and industrialization, and to become a hub for quantum convergence.
Incheon will play a pivotal role in revitalizing the quantum sector. The agreement outlines plans for close cooperation in key areas, including strengthening mutual research and technical exchange, identifying quantum-computing use cases, and building infrastructure to support industry growth.
In particular, the three parties will hold biannual technical seminars and expert exchanges to foster practical cooperation. They will also collaborate on pilot projects that apply quantum computing to real-world challenges faced by businesses in Incheon, accelerating the introduction and adoption of quantum solutions.
D-Wave, the first company in the world to commercialize a quantum computing system, offers quantum cloud services and industrial solutions across various fields, including optimization and artificial intelligence.
D-Wave CEO Alan Baratz said, “This agreement marks a milestone in our efforts to accelerate the adoption of quantum computing worldwide. We look forward to working with Incheon City and Yonsei University to further strengthen their positions as global leaders in the quantum field.”
Yonsei University President Yoon Dong-sup added, “Our partnership with Incheon and D-Wave aligns with Yonsei’s vision to advance quantum computing literacy, enhance research capabilities, and cultivate a commercialization ecosystem. We believe this collaboration will open meaningful opportunities to propel Korea’s industry and research sectors forward.”
Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok stated, “This agreement will be a turning point for Incheon’s leap toward becoming a global quantum hub. By integrating quantum technology with core industries such as biohealth, we expect to generate innovative use cases and attract top global talent, transforming Incheon into a true quantum cluster.”
Incheon has steadily strengthened its domestic and international networks to support quantum industry development. The city revised its ordinance in February to establish a legal foundation for supporting the quantum sector and hosted exchange seminars with Finnish quantum tech firms and roundtable discussions with experts in April to build a consistent quantum industry foundation.
