Core Viewpoint - Rosenblatt Securities initiated coverage of Rigetti Computing (RGTI) with a "Buy" rating and a price target of $40, indicating a potential upside of approximately 60% as interest in quantum computing grows [1] Company Overview - Rigetti Computing employs a modular approach to scaling quantum processors and possesses internal fabrication capabilities, which are seen as competitive advantages in the quantum computing sector [1] - The company operates its own quantum processing unit fabrication facility and has an installed base of 18 machines, with 6 deployed at customer sites and 12 accessible via cloud platforms [3] Technical Challenges - Rigetti announced delays in its 108-qubit Cepheus system due to two-qubit gate error rates of 99.0%, which are below the target of 99.5% [2] - Despite these challenges, management is confident in resolving the issues by the end of the first quarter [3] Competitive Landscape - Competitors such as IBM and IQM have achieved better error rates of 99.92% and 99.85%, respectively, but Rigetti's fundamentals remain strong [3] - Rigetti's ability to network multiple quantum processors through tunable couplers is viewed as a key technological differentiator [4] Market Sentiment - Mizuho Securities also issued a "Buy" rating, reflecting increasing investor interest in quantum computing stocks [5] - Rigetti has reported promising results on smaller systems, achieving 99.7% fidelity on its 9-qubit system and 99.6% on its 36-qubit configuration, indicating that scaling challenges are primarily in larger architectures [7]

Core Insights - The collaboration between Xanadu, Rolls-Royce, and Riverlane has successfully advanced quantum computing applications for modeling jet engine airflow, significantly reducing simulation runtimes from weeks to under an hour, thus enabling new prototyping opportunities in the aerospace industry [1][5] Company Summaries Xanadu - Xanadu is a Canadian quantum computing company founded in 2016, focused on building practical quantum computers and developing the open-source software library PennyLane [7] - The company has successfully reduced prototyping runtimes by up to 1000-fold for Rolls-Royce, addressing the long wait times associated with traditional simulations [4] - Xanadu's Catalyst compiler was instrumental in optimizing quantum-classical programs for Rolls-Royce, emphasizing the importance of hybrid quantum-classical computing [4][5] Rolls-Royce - Rolls-Royce is a major player in the aerospace industry, providing power solutions and services across multiple sectors, including defense and civil aviation [9][10] - The company reported an annual underlying revenue of £17.8 billion and an underlying operating profit of £2.46 billion in 2024, indicating strong financial performance [11] - Rolls-Royce's collaboration with Xanadu and Riverlane is part of its strategy to leverage advanced technologies to enhance its design processes and product offerings [3][5] Riverlane - Riverlane specializes in Quantum Error Correction (QEC) and partners with over 60% of the world's quantum computer companies to address challenges in achieving utility-scale quantum systems [12] - The company contributed novel quantum algorithms to the collaboration, enhancing the overall efficiency of the simulation workflow for Rolls-Royce [4][5] - Riverlane's expertise in QEC is crucial for unlocking the potential of quantum computing in various industries, including aerospace [12]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenues in Q1 2025 were $1,500,000, down from $3,100,000 in Q1 2024, indicating a significant decline [12] - Gross margins decreased to 30% in Q1 2025 from 49% in Q1 2024, primarily due to lower margins from a contract with the UK's NQCC [12] - Total operating expenses (OpEx) increased to $22,100,000 in Q1 2025 from $18,100,000 in the same period last year, driven by salary increases, new hires, and higher stock compensation expenses [13] - The operating loss for Q1 2025 was $21,600,000, compared to $16,600,000 in the prior year [13] - The company recorded a net income of $42,600,000 in Q1 2025, a turnaround from a net loss of $20,800,000 in the previous year, largely due to favorable non-cash changes in derivative warrant and earn-out liabilities [14] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company is focusing on advancing its utility scale quantum computer concept through collaborations and government contracts, which are critical for future sales [4][5] - The NQCC contract is noted for its lower gross margin profile, impacting overall profitability [12] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company has been awarded multiple contracts, including a $1,000,000 award from DARPA for the Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, which is seen as strategically important despite its relatively small monetary value [34] - Interest in quantum computing remains primarily in R&D, with significant reliance on government contracts and academic research funding [41] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to demonstrate a chiplet approach to scale qubit counts, targeting over 100 qubits by the end of 2025 [16][19] - The strategy includes collaborations with various institutions to enhance quantum error correction capabilities and improve chip fabrication technology [5][6] - The company is optimistic about the NQI reauthorization, which is expected to provide funding for quantum computing initiatives, although delays in passing the bill are noted [22][50] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the chiplet approach as a means to scale up qubit counts, emphasizing its importance for the entire industry [19] - The company is optimistic about the future of quantum computing, although it acknowledges that achieving quantum advantage is still several years away [39] - Management highlighted the strategic importance of government contracts and collaborations in driving future growth [41][42] Other Important Information - The company has closed a $35,000,000 investment from Quanta Computer, which is expected to strengthen their partnership and reduce R&D costs in non-QPU hardware areas [10][96] - The company is exploring optical signaling as a future technology to improve scalability and reduce thermal load in quantum computing systems [80][84] Q&A Session Summary Question: Progress on chip tiling to reach 36 qubits - Management confirmed that the chiplet approach is critical for scaling qubit counts and expressed confidence in achieving the target by mid-year [16][19] Question: Updates on NQI Reauthorization Act - Management noted bipartisan support for the NQI reauthorization but indicated that it has not yet passed, with funding expected to take additional time to flow [21][50] Question: Details on the DARPA contract - The DARPA Quantum Benchmarking Initiative is crucial for developing utility scale quantum computing, with specific milestones related to qubit fidelity and gate speed [27][90] Question: Customer interest in acquiring processors - Management stated that interest remains high, but funding issues are currently hindering conversion to orders [41][42] Question: Timeframe for the 36 qubit QPU upgrade - Management indicated that the upgrade could occur in the second half of the year, depending on the demonstration of the chiplet approach [51][54] Question: Importance of optical signaling - Management emphasized the significance of optical signaling for future scalability and the transition from coax to fiber optic cables [80][84] Question: Revenue recognition from NQCC and Air Force contracts - Management expects revenue from the NQCC contract to be recognized over the next year, with the Air Force contract contributing approximately $1,000,000 over its three-year term [87]

Summary of Rigetti Computing Conference Call Company Overview - Rigetti Computing is a pioneer in full-stack quantum computing, operating superconducting quantum computers since 2017 through a cloud services platform and selling on-premise quantum computers since 2021 [2][8] - The company developed the first multichip processor in the industry and manufactures superconducting quantum processing units (QPUs) in-house at a dedicated facility [2] Core Industry Insights - Quantum computing is an emerging technology that fundamentally differs from classical computing by using qubits instead of bits, allowing for exponential computing capabilities and lower energy consumption [5][6] - Rigetti focuses on gate-based quantum computing, which is expected to dominate the industry, while acknowledging niche applications for other modalities like annealing [12][14] Technological Advantages - The advantages of superconducting technology include scalability and gate speed, with Rigetti's gate speeds comparable to current CPU and GPU technologies [16][17] - Recent advancements have improved two-qubit gate fidelity to 99.5%, with a target of reaching 99.8% to enable commercial applications [24][25] Roadmap and Future Goals - Rigetti aims to demonstrate a quantum computer with over 100 qubits and maintain high fidelity in 2024, with plans to increase qubit count and fidelity in subsequent years [27] - The company is pursuing a modular chiplet architecture to facilitate scaling, which has shown promising results in initial deployments [28][34] Quantum Networking and Error Correction - Rigetti believes in a hybrid computing model where quantum computers coexist with classical systems, rather than requiring a separate quantum network [41][42] - The company is collaborating with Riverlane to develop real-time error correction codes, which are critical for future quantum computing applications [46][51] Strategic Partnerships - Rigetti has formed a strategic partnership with Quanta Computer, which includes a $35 million investment and a commitment of $250 million over five years for non-quantum hardware development [82][86] - This partnership is aimed at enhancing Rigetti's manufacturing capabilities and reducing R&D costs as the business scales [85] Government Funding and Legislative Updates - The National Quantum Computing Act is pending reauthorization, which is crucial for long-term funding and support for quantum initiatives [90][92] - Rigetti has secured funding from DARPA and the Air Force Research Lab, indicating strong government interest in quantum technologies [93] Conclusion - Rigetti Computing is positioned at the forefront of quantum computing technology, focusing on scalability, fidelity, and strategic partnerships to drive future growth and commercialization [95]

Core Insights - Rigetti Computing has been selected to participate in DARPA's Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) to assess the feasibility of achieving utility-scale quantum computing by 2033 [1][4] - The company aims to develop a Utility-Scale Quantum Computer (USQC) using its proprietary multi-chip architecture and scalable quantum error correction (QEC) codes, in collaboration with Riverlane [2][3] Group 1: DARPA QBI Participation - The QBI will evaluate quantum computing concepts through a multi-stage approach, with Rigetti advancing to Stage A, which includes a 6-month performance period and potential funding of up to $1 million [1] - The initiative's goal is to determine if any quantum computing approach can achieve utility-scale operation by 2033 [1] Group 2: Technology and Collaboration - Rigetti's USQC concept will utilize Quantum Low Density Parity Check (qLDPC) codes, which are more efficient than traditional surface codes, allowing for better scalability and reduced physical qubit overhead [3] - Riverlane, a partner specializing in QEC technology, will assist in refining and validating Rigetti's USQC concept [2] Group 3: Company Expertise and Roadmap - Rigetti has spent a decade developing intellectual property and expertise in quantum computing, positioning itself to deliver on the QBI program [4] - The company has made significant advancements in superconducting qubit technology, including a novel chip fabrication technique called Alternating Bias Assisted Annealing (ABAA) [4][5] - Rigetti's current 84-qubit Ankaa-3 system demonstrates a 99.0% ISWAP gate fidelity, with plans to scale to over 100 qubits while reducing error rates by 50% [5]