Brief
Former Australian of the Year launches atomic‑scale quantum chip plant in Sydney
Silicon Quantum Computing aims to create Australia’s answer to OpenAI with a new atomic‑scale manufacturing facility.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Michelle Simmons, a former Australian of the Year and chief executive of Silicon Quantum Computing (SQC), said on 16 October 2026 that her company is establishing the world’s first atomic‑scale chip plant in Sydney. Speaking at the John Monash Foundation oration, she asserted that Australia could produce a quantum counterpart to OpenAI or Anthropic, adding, “Yes, it will be us.”
What happened
Simmons announced that SQC is expanding manufacturing with a new facility, though the company did not disclose the plant’s location, opening date or cost. The plant will use a technique developed over 25 years at the University of New South Wales, placing individual phosphorus atoms in silicon to create quantum chips. The federal government’s National Reconstruction Fund contributed $60 million to SQC this year, alongside investments from London‑based Firgun Ventures and Tin Alley Ventures.
What the reports add
The article notes that SQC’s first product, a chip named “Watermelon,” is not a full quantum computer but works with conventional AI models to improve prediction accuracy. Tests with energy multinational Schneider Electric reportedly increased next‑day energy network forecast accuracy by about 20 percent. Simmons listed five paying customers for Watermelon: Schneider Electric, Telstra, the Commonwealth Bank, the Australian Defence Department and an unnamed high‑frequency trading firm. Both Commonwealth Bank and Telstra are early investors in SQC.
What was said
During the oration, Simmons told the audience at the Commonwealth Bank’s Sydney offices, “We are establishing an atomic‑scale manufacturing plant in Sydney. It’s the first one in the world.” An SQC spokesperson confirmed the expansion but declined to provide further details on the new facility.
How it came about
SQC’s atomic‑scale approach builds on two decades of research at UNSW, where Simmons and her team refined the phosphorus‑in‑silicon method. Federal backing through the $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund this year has accelerated the company’s growth, enabling the launch of the new plant and the commercial rollout of Watermelon. Earlier Felo coverage on quantum technologies, such as the September 2026 reports on quantum‑enhanced electron microscopes, highlighted the broader national push toward quantum research and its potential industrial applications.
Key facts
- Michelle Simmons announced a world‑first atomic‑scale chip plant in Sydney. (smh.com.au)
- The Australian federal government’s National Reconstruction Fund contributed $60 million to SQC this year. (smh.com.au)
- SQC’s first product, the Watermelon chip, has five paying customers including Schneider Electric and Telstra. (smh.com.au)
- Watermelon improves AI prediction accuracy by about 20 percent in energy network forecasts. (smh.com.au)
Sources
- [1] smh.com.au — originally reported as “Quantum computing: Silicon Quantum Computing building chips”
