Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) is establishing a Quantum Hub at the Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT) campus in Bengaluru, aimed at strengthening India’s indigenous quantum hardware ecosystem in line with the National Quantum Mission.
The facility, expected to become operational by September, will initially house a 25-qubit dilution refrigeration system designed for advanced training, testing, and experimentation in quantum technologies. The university plans to gradually scale the platform from sub-50 qubit systems to proof-of-concept platforms of 50–150 qubits, eventually targeting industrial-grade systems with 150–1,000+ qubits.
Lt Gen. (Dr.) M D Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor of MAHE, said the initiative is intended to move beyond academic research and focus on deployable applications.
“We are not setting this up just to produce academic papers. Our focus is to work with industry and solve real-world problems using quantum technologies,” he said.
The hub will be accessible not only to MAHE researchers but also to start-ups, companies, and other academic institutions looking to test and validate quantum technologies.
Democratising access
“This facility is about democratising access to quantum computing. Not everyone can afford such infrastructure, so we want startups, researchers, and industries to be able to come here and test or validate their ideas,” Venkatesh said.
MAHE expects the platform to support research across sectors including healthcare, manufacturing, materials science, and defence.
“Quantum is not limited to computer science. It will influence materials, semiconductors, manufacturing, healthcare, drug discovery, and precision medicine,” he added.
According to Venkatesh, the hub will play a key role in building India’s quantum research capacity while fostering collaboration with industry and government institutions.
Published on March 5, 2026