AQC: Your Scientific Due Diligence Experts
Technological innovation is rife with opportunity but marked by hidden risks. AQC’s expertise, experience, and network enable informed decisions.
Led by high-profile scientists and backed by an extensive network of eminent academics, Aspen Quantum Consulting (AQC) takes technology assessment to a whole new level of expertise. With a commitment to truth and transparency, we offer authoritative, honest, and actionable reports on almost any new tech. Contact us today to discuss your due diligence needs!
AQC’s Mission
Harnessing interdisciplinary excellence and bolstered by a network of distinguished academic scientists, AQC is committed to fostering well-informed decision-making by conducting authoritative scientific due diligence.
Our combined scientific expertise, coupled with a keen understanding of the vital elements that shape technology’s trajectory, allows us to meticulously assess the intellectual merits, feasibility, scalability, and risks inherent in technological advancement.
Our mission is to take the headache out of technology assessment, empowering our clients with comprehensive insights and enabling them to navigate the intricate landscape of innovation confidently.
AQC strives to pave the way for sustainable technological development while ensuring alignment with industry standards and with the current state of science.
As Seen In
How we can help - examples
01.
Evaluation of emergent technologies
AQC is set apart by its all-star ensemble of scientists who are recognized academically as authorities in their respective fields.
Bringing a unique perspective to evaluating innovative technologies, we determine their feasibility and scalability, from the initial concept to the pivotal phases of development.
We facilitate strategic decision-making, providing a comprehensive understanding of any technical issues involved and analyzing potential success pathways and associated risks.
02.
Connecting investors and inventors
AQC has built an international network of eminent scientists, many of whom are in turn well-connected and members of closed communities.
For VC firms and established industrials: we will introduce startups led by world class experts, based on your preferred conditions and constraints.
For start-ups: identify fitting funding sources, including government agencies and private investors.
Unlock opportunities for growth and collaboration, propelling innovation forward together!
03.
Personnel identification
Many players in the emerging tech landscape are recent graduates from physics PhD programs. We have an exceptional ability to assess the scientific and intellectual status of entrepreneurs, engineers, and developers.
We help put together a winning team equipped with scientific prowess and poised to catalyze breakthroughs and to drive innovation and success.
Our recommendations are based either on personal acquaintance or on our familiarity with the evaluated individuals’ work.
04.
In-house experts
If you are a consulting firm faced with scientific or engineering questions, we will help you cut through hype, navigate complexities, and evaluate technical proposals.
If you are engaged in an innovative tech project, we will also help you craft a business plan that positions you for success.
We provide accurate, fair, and clear reports. Empower your enterprise with AQC’s comprehensive and reputable scientific expertise.
Our partners
Charles W. Clark is an Emeritus Fellow and former Co-Director of the Joint Quantum Institute of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the University of Maryland. A retired career civil servant, Clark held a variety of technical and management positions at NIST and the Office of Naval Research, United States Navy. While in the Senior Executive Service, he received the Presidential Rank Award of Distinguished Executive. Clark has held visiting fellowships at the University of Oxford, Australian National University, National University of Singapore and University of Malaya. With Victor Galitski, he co-designed and taught “Exploring Quantum Physics” on the Coursera platform. Clark designed and teaches the “Quantum Boot Camp,” an introductory course of the University of Maryland Quantum Information Specialization. He has served on the boards of the Institute of Quantum Computing (Canada) and the Centre for Quantum Technologies (Singapore), and in 2023 he joined the Board of Advisors for ScienceCast, Inc. Clark is co-investigator on a recent proposal by ScienceCast to the National Science Foundation entitled “Proto-OKN Theme 1: Quantum Understanding through Accessible Resource Knowledge Graphs (QUARK).”
Dr. Yuval Oreg has been a Professor of Physics at the Weizmann Institute of Science for over 20 years, where he served as Chair of the Weizmann Council of Professors (2020-2022) and is currently the Director of the Goldschleger Center for Nanophysics and holds the Lady Davis Professorial Chair of Physics. After earning his Ph.D. at Weizmann, he was a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard’s Lyman Institute and later a visiting professor at Stanford. Yuval received the Michael Bruno Memorial Award from the Israel Institute for Advanced Studies, the Segre Rosa and Emilio Research Award, the Morris L. Levinson Prize in Physics, the Bessel Prize of the Humboldt Foundation in Germany, the John F. Kennedy Prize of the Feinberg Graduate School at the Weizmann Institute, and the Fulbright and Rothschild fellowships. Yuval is a co-inventor (with Gil Refael) of the topological qubit of qubit technology that is a basis of Microsoft’s $1 Billion quantum computing effort. He is one of the world’s leading experts in nanotechnology and a key member of major European scientific collaborations with elite access to the European and Israeli quantum communities.
Chief Research Scientist
Research Scientist
Dr. Narang is a Professor of Physics who leads an interdisciplinary group in theoretical and computational science at UCLA. Before her move to UCLA, she was a Professor of Computational Materials Science at Harvard University. Dr. Narang has earned prestigious honors such as the Maria Goeppert Mayer Award, MRS’ Outstanding Early Career Investigator Award, Mildred Dresselhaus Prize, Bessel Research Award, NSF CAREER Award, and Moore Inventor Fellowship. Additionally, she is the founder and Chief Technology Officer of Aliro, a company specializing in quantum networks, and a U.S. Science Envoy for the State Department.
Research Scientist
Dr. Refael is a Professor of Theoretical Physics at the California Institute of Technology. He earned a B.S. in math and physics from Tel-Aviv University in 1997. He did his graduate studies at Harvard University (supervised by Profs. Daniel S. Fisher and Eugene Demler) and obtained a Ph.D. in theoretical condensed matter physics in 2003. After being a postdoctoral fellow at the KITP, UC Santa Barbara, for two years, he joined the physics faculty at Caltech. His research interests involve a variety of problems of correlated quantum matter, both disordered and out of equilibrium. Gil is also grateful for current support as a Cottrell Scholar and a Packard Fellow.
Research Scientist
Shimon is an Assistant Professor of Physics at University of Wisconsin - Madison and also serves as a Faculty Affiliate in the Department of Engineering there. Shimon is the recipient of the Packard Fellowship for Science and Engineering, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Lectureship Award, Outstanding Presentation Award, NIST Boulder Laboratories Postdoctoral Poster Symposium, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, and the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship. Shimon was a National Research Council (NRC) postdoctoral fellow at JILA and NIST at the University of Colorado. He earned his PhD in experimental physics at Harvard. His research interests include precision measurement, nanoscale sensing, metrology, timekeeping, tests of relativity, and quantum optics.
Partner
Dr. Galitski is the Chesapeake Chair Professor of Physics at the University of Maryland and Fellow at the Joint Quantum Institute there; honorary professor of physics at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia; and Editor of Annals of Physics. He holds two PhDs: in applied mathematics and quantum physics. Victor is an author of more than 150 peer-reviewed publications in quantum physics that have been cited over 10,000 times. He is also an author of Exploring Quantum Mechanics (Oxford University Press, 2013). Partly based on this book, Victor has developed and taught a massive open online course, “Exploring Quantum Physics,” which has been taken by over 100,000 students world-wide. Victor received the Simons Investigator Award, Soros Fellowship, NSF career award, and Future Fellowship from the Australian Research Council. His research in many-body quantum physics has been funded by the DOE, NSF, U.S. Army Research Office, IARPA, DARPA, and private foundations. Dr. Galitski is the CEO of ScienceCast, Inc.
Research Scientist
Dr. Steinn Sigurðsson serves as Scientific Director at arXiv, the world's premier scientific data repository and is Professor of Astronomy at Penn State University. With over 100 publications in astronomy and astrophysics, garnering nearly 10,000 citations, his research is recognized and funded by institutions like NASA and NSF. Alongside Dr. Galitski, he contributes to the board of the Aspen Center for Physics and spearheads its private fundraising. At arXiv, Dr. Sigurðsson not only shapes long-term strategies but also founded and directs arXiv Labs, fostering community contributions and innovative tools like Litmaps, Connected Papers, and Hugging Face.
Research Scientist
Igor Halperin is an AI researcher and a Group Data Science leader at Fidelity Investments. He focuses on using methods of reinforcement learning, information theory, and physics to solve financial problems such as portfolio optimization, dynamic risk management, and inference of sequential decision-making processes of financial agents. Igor has extensive industrial and academic experience in statistical and financial modeling, including option pricing, credit portfolio risk modeling, and portfolio optimization. Igor was Research Professor of Financial Machine Learning at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering. Before that, he was an Executive Director of Quantitative Research at JPMorgan and a quantitative researcher at Bloomberg LP. Igor has published numerous articles in finance and physics journals, and is a frequent speaker at financial conferences. He co-authored Machine Learning in Finance: From Theory to Practice (Springer 2020), and contributed to Credit Risk Frontiers (Bloomberg LP, 2012). He holds a Ph.D. in theoretical high energy physics from Tel Aviv University and a M.Sc. in nuclear physics from St. Petersburg State Technical University. In February 2022, Igor was named the Buy-Side Quant of the Year by RISK magazine.
Research Scientist
AQC’s cofounder, Mr. Jiranek is an experienced corporate attorney who has worked with startups and emerging companies for over 30 years. He has helped many management teams, both inhouse and as outside counsel, to structure, start-up and develop new business enterprises in deep tech and life sciences. He has assisted them with protecting IP, raising working capital and building out scientific and management teams. Mr. Jiranek is well versed in national and international tax, IP, securities, employment, regulatory, real estate and contractual issues encountered by emerging enterprises. He has assisted with raising capital from individual, institutional, public and quasi-public sources. While managing ScienceCast’s emerging phase, Mr. Jiranek also undertakes business development and legal work for select corporate clients. Mr. Jiranek graduated from William and Mary Law School with a J.D. and from Princeton with an A.B. in Economics.
President of Operations
Dr. Nikolayev, a former academic, is a polymath and a polyglot. He is also a digital marketing expert and founder of Science Marketer, a marketing firm serving deep tech d sci-tech companies. He holds two degrees in history from Harvard, a PhD in academic editing from Boston University’s Editorial Institute, and has taught at both universities. A former techie who worked as a software engineer in the past, he pursues his diverse interests in mathematics, logic, science, and analytical philosophy. Last but not least, Philip is an internationally published, prize-winning poet, literary translator, and editor.
Director of Business Development
Cut through Hype with AQC!
A comprehensive evaluation of a technological breakthrough mandates an up-to-the-minute command of the relevant science. AQC audits technological innovation across the deep tech / hardtech and sci-tech industries, including such diverse areas as electronics, quantum, nanotech, superconductors, and AI / Machine Learning,
to name a few that illustrate the range of our capabilities.
Due to our extensive network of high-caliber scientists, there is almost no limit to the types of technology that we can evaluate with authority, providing a compelling and timely review. We endorse only those technological endeavors in which we have complete confidence, and we seek to partner with our clients long-term.
Contact us to discuss how we may help you you with your technical review needs!
Aspects of Scientific and Technical DD
Our due diligence (DD) reports are tailored to your specific needs and may, depending on the details of the project, encompass any combination of the following typical aspects.
Scientific Due Diligence. This specialized form of due diligence, offered by AQC, involves a meticulous evaluation of the scientific validity, accuracy, and feasibility of a technology. Our experts examine the underlying scientific principles, research methodologies, and technical documentation, ensuring that claims are substantiated by robust scientific evidence. Particularly relevant in industries driven by scientific breakthroughs, this focused assessment reduces risks and enhances credibility by verifying the soundness of a project’s scientific foundation.
Technical Audit and Review. Our core service involves a comprehensive technical audit and review, delving into every facet of the new technology under consideration. Tailored to your unique requirements, our reports provide insightful assessments of the technology’s intellectual and practical merits. Prototype or Proof of Concept Analysis. We meticulously examine the presence and functionality of prototypes or proofs of concept. This scrutiny sheds light on the technology’s potential in real-world scenarios and its ability to fulfill its intended purpose.
Viability Assessment. We analyze the feasibility and practicality of the technology’s implementation. Our thorough evaluation considers factors such as technical intricacies, resource requirements, and alignment with your particular goals.
Technical Architecture. We scrutinize the technical design and architecture of the solution. Our assessment covers aspects such as system structure, scalability, and overall robustness. This examination ensures that the technology is built on a solid foundation and is capable of handling future challenges.
Development Stage Analysis. Understanding your technology’s current development stage and future trajectory is essential. We provide insights into where the technology stands in its development journey and outline a path forward. This analysis helps you assess the timeline, milestones, and resources needed to advance the technology.
Performance Testing. Our evaluation may involve rigorous performance testing under various conditions. We analyze how the technology performs and identify potential bottlenecks or areas for improvement, based on the resulting datasets. This testing ensures that the technology meets performance expectations and can handle real-world usage.
Infrastructure and Scalability. We assess the underlying infrastructure and scalability of the technology to determine its adaptability for future growth and its capacity to handle increased demands.
Technical Debt. Our assessment includes identifying any technical debt that might have accrued during development, resulting from compromises and shortcuts taken in development. Addressing technical debt is crucial for maintaining the technology’s long-term viability and ensuring efficient future development.
Integration Potential. We assess the technology’s potential for seamless integration with existing systems and processes. This evaluation helps you determine the technology’s compatibility with your fundamental infrastructure.
Team Expertise. We evaluate the expertise and experience of the engineering and development team behind the technology. Understanding the team’s capabilities provides insights into their ability to execute the project successfully.
Regulatory Compliance. When required, we can verify that the technology adheres to relevant industry regulations and standards.
Safety and Security. Our assessment may cover the safety and security measures implemented within the technology. We identify potential vulnerabilities and assess the technology’s overall security posture.
Business Perspectives. While we are scientists by profession rather than market experts, we are open to sharing our speculative insights, when requested. These may encompass a deeper look into the competitive landscape, a risk assessment, market fit considerations, as well as time and resource estimates, and the potential for commercial success and long-term sustainability.
AQC: Precision Partnerships for an Informed Future
Partnering with AQC for a Due Diligence (DD) reports means accessing a realm where scientific accuracy meets technological insight. Our unique approach blends interdisciplinary expertise with the insights of esteemed academic scientists, ensuring thorough and precise assessments. As a CEO, a CTO, or an investors, you’re not just merely receiving a report but gaining a strategic foundation for sound decisions and a deepened trust in your technology investments.
Our knowhow and our methodology jointly ensure accuracy and reliability. By enlisting the expertise of eminent scientists, our DD reports are anchored in meticulous examination. This means that you can feel at home in the evolving technological landscape, assured by the rigor and credibility that our scientific network brings. With AQC, you’re fostering partnerships that transcend conventional consultancy, equipping you with insights that are as dependable as they are eye-opening.
