writer：Kartik Kohli

Toppan Holdings Inc., Aisin Corp., Asahi Kasei Corp., SoftBank Corp., AGC Inc., and DIC Corp. — have jointly announced that their collaborative proposal, “Research and Development of Innovative Materials Development Platforms Using Quantum Technology,” has been selected by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).

 Following this recognition, the consortium has entered a joint agreement to conduct research and development from fiscal 2026 through fiscal 2028, aiming to construct a next-generation materials development platform that leverages quantum computing and artificial intelligence.

The project seeks to bridge the gap between laboratory demonstrations and real-world applications by integrating quantum-computing-based calculations with AI technologies such as machine learning. This approach is expected to develop materials discovery , which is considered essential for Japanese chemical and materials manufacturers to maintain global competitiveness, said the companies.

They said while recent advances in data-driven methods and computational science have improved materials development, both approaches face significant limitations: data-driven methods require extensive high-quality training data, and computational science methods struggle with high costs for large-scale and high-accuracy calculations.

Quantum computers, operating on the principles of quantum mechanics, offer the potential to simulate molecular and electronic properties more efficiently than conventional computers. However, current limitations in qubit count and error rates mean quantum computers cannot yet handle large-scale calculations alone, they added.

The companies said the project aims to overcome these challenges by combining quantum computing with AI, thereby mitigating constraints on calculation precision and scale. The technologies developed will be applied across a broad range of industrially important materials, with each company verifying methodologies in their areas of expertise.

The consortium said they will collaborate with specialized quantum computing institutions to verify the applicability of quantum computing for various materials with high industrial demand, including those required for next-generation batteries, optical functional materials for displays and sensors, and superconducting materials for advanced devices.

The project will also focus on synthesizing materials and evaluating their performance based on simulation results, comparing experimental outcomes with simulation data to improve predictive accuracy and validate the practical benefits of quantum computing.

Toppan will execute hybrid quantum-classical algorithms for additive materials and develop combined quantum computing and AI methods, providing feedback from experiments.

AGC will develop and evaluate methods for both inorganic and organic materials, deriving insights and establishing design guidelines for enhanced exploration and design.

DIC will use quantum computing, simulation and data science to predict material properties for colorants and semiconductor materials, accelerating efficient design and development.

Asahi Kasei will verify platforms for organic compounds, polymers and inorganic materials, integrating quantum computing with experimental feedback.

Aisin will focus on superconducting materials, comparing quantum computing results with conventional methods and forecasting practical implementation timelines.

SoftBank will connect quantum computers with supercomputers to generate valuable data for material development and develop AI-driven data utilization technologies, optimizing material development in areas such as next-generation batteries.