EXCLUSIVE: Quantum’s SpaceX Moment? Ashlee Vance on PsiQuantum’s Moonshot
N of 1 Million Qubits, Explaind. | PsiQuantum's $1B Series E
N of 1 Million Qubits, Explained.
Founder, Silicon Valley Science Expert, & a once–quantum skeptic, Ashlee Vance sits down with me & PsiQuantum’s Co-Founder & Chief Scientific Officer Pete Shadbolt for a candid, wide-ranging conversation breaking down the complexities of quantum computing.
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After touring PsiQuantum’s secretive labs—more than five years after first covering the company—Ashlee found his skepticism shaken, likening PsiQuantum’s ongoing uphill climb to SpaceX’s decade-long, near-death march toward liftoff.
Meanwhile, Pete reveals why mission, mindset, & a team mantra of “always be impressive” are non-negotiables for a company attempting a moonshot so ambitious that may take many many more years to fully realize.. & maybee induce psychosis.
If PsiQuantum succeeds, this may be remembered as the moment where skeptics began to believe. A truly inspiring pursuit, by a relentless team.
6 Key Quotes
This makes sense.
“When I first met the PsiQuantum team, I thought: these are brilliant academics, but can they actually do the Silicon Valley thing? Coming back years later, seeing things operating in buildings, it was like—okay, this is making more sense now.” — Ashlee
SpaceX Moment?
“I’ve seen this pattern with rockets. For the first 10–12 years, people think you’re ridiculous, that it will never work. And then, suddenly, you flip the entire industry. PsiQuantum feels like it could be one of those stories.” — Ashlee
See it for yourself.
“Of course you shouldn’t believe me when I say we’re going to do this.
You should come & look at it. Come & see the facility, come & see the data, come & see some wafers.” — Pete
One for the history books.
“I don’t think it’s totally arrogant for me to say that we will be in the history books. At least a footnote—hopefully more. — Pete
No half measures.
“Early on, people asked how we raised so much money. My observation is PsiQuantum has always been the most extreme in pigheadedly insisting we’re just going for the real thing—not half measures. And that’s the rocket fuel.” — Pete
Always be impressive.
“My refrain endlessly is: be impressive. You can’t win by slinging mud in quantum computing. People can tell if you’re sincere and if you’ve done what you said you were going to do.” — Pete
Timestamps
(00:00) Quantum Expert Arrives.
(00:53) Ashlee’s history covering quantum since 2007
(03:11) What makes PsiQuantum different
(05:11) Touring PsiQuantum labs: hardware challenges & scale
(07:20) Why Ashlee trusted PsiQuantum’s story
(08:43) Pete: “Come & see the wafers”
(10:23) The academic → startup culture gap in quantum
(13:24) Ashlee’s “mind palace” shoot in chaotic engineer’s office
(16:12) How PsiQuantum keeps its team motivated for a decade-long mission
(17:02) Apollo 11 as a model for focus & alignment
(20:01) Pete’s management mantra: “Always be impressive”
(20:25) The mud-slinging problem in quantum pitches
(22:51) Hardware timelines: SpaceX as a 10–15 year lesson
(24:47) Closing reflections: Quantum’s future and PsiQuantum’s place in history
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