June 23, 2022

Alberta Stories

Phasers Set to Go: How a global investment accelerated a world-class quantum computing future for Alberta

It was an exciting time for Mphasis early in June, as the IT solutions provider specializing in cloud and cognitive services from India cut the ribbon at its new office in the heart of downtown Calgary. The company decided to locate its Canadian delivery centre in Alberta because of the province’s business-friendly environment, growing tech ecosystem and, more importantly, the amount of tech talent the province has to offer.  

Mphasis will offer its next-generation tech solutions to top business clients, including Fortune 500 companies. The company plans to hire up to 1000 employees in the next few years, a huge boost for Alberta’s talented workforce which is more than capable of meeting and exceeding the expectations of international business. 

But Mphasis’s commitment to their investment, and the community, doesn’t stop there. Seeing the value of partnerships and a growing talent pipeline in Alberta, they worked with the Government of Alberta and University of Calgary on a project that would change the face of quantum in Canada by announcing the Quantum City Centre of Excellence. This partnership also includes the University of Alberta, University of Lethbridge, and Alberta polytechnic schools. 

Premier Jason Kenney (centre) and Minister Doug Schweitzer (back, far right) pose with representatives from UCalgary, UAlberta and ULethbridge at the Quantum City funding announcement (June 9)

Photo credits: Government of Alberta

Quantum City focuses on developing the skills and knowledge of the future of Alberta’s tech workers. Based at the University of Calgary, the centre will serve as a hub of learning and exploration, with academic, business, and government institutions all collaborating to help realize Quantum City’s full potential. Through the exploration of machine learning and quantum computing, Quantum City looks to build ideas and solutions for the business world in areas such as cybersecurity, supply chain management, and more.  

“We are excited to partner with the University of Calgary and the Government of Alberta on Quantum City. The Quantum Computing lab at UCalgary aligns with our area of focus and will further bolster the tech transformation journey of our Fortune 500 clients. Together we aim to strengthen Calgary’s position as a global technology hub by driving research and innovation locally, and generating next-gen technology talent to meet the skill demand of the region.” 

-Nitin Rakesh, Executive Director and CEO of Mphasis said during the launch of Quantum City in June 2022. 

By offering high-quality learning, mentoring, and innovation-thinking services, Quantum City positions itself as a world-class tech innovation centre that fully supports and develops high-level talent in Alberta. By pushing the talents of Alberta’s tech-force further in the future, firms across the world will become even more attracted to the province, generating more investment and jobs overall. 

This is where 1000 jobs become much more. According to a study commissioned by the National Research Council of Canada, the quantum science and technology sector is estimated to create 209,200 jobs across Canada by 2045. Quantum City will be a key contributor to growing this sector in Canada and positioning Alberta as a leader in developing quantum technologies as they become mainstream. 

Quantum City received $23 million in support from the Government of Alberta, which will help fund the centre over the next five years. This amount of financial support from the provincial government highlights the confidence Alberta has in this initiative, seeing it as a great opportunity to build up the future of Alberta tech. 

“Quantum City will elevate quantum research in Calgary to be amongst the strongest globally. Quantum City is enabling the launch of new training programs such as a professional master’s degree in quantum computing being launched in 2023, industry internships, research scholarships and fellowships, and training tools developed with the university’s anchor industry partner Mphasis.” 

-Dr. Barry Sanders, Scientific Director at Quantum City, University of Calgary 

“Investments like [Quantum City] are critical in positioning Alberta’s economy for the future, bringing together expertise from across the province.” 

-Dena McMartin, VP of Research, University of Lethbridge 

With support from the Government of Alberta and collaboration with Invest Alberta and Calgary Economic Development, Mphasis joins the 3,000+ tech firms already in Alberta. Quantum City will be a pillar of growth for the 200,000+ tech workers in the province, expanding the workforce in both size and skill. 

Members of Mphasis, including CEO and Executive Director Nitin Rakesh (centre left) and Canadian Manager Dave Cassie (far right) at the Mphasis Calgary Office Launch (June 7) 

With international firms eager to invest in Alberta, the future of the province’s tech landscape, both near and far, continues to have a positive outlook. The moves by Mphasis are particularly significant as their initiatives show a great commitment to the province that not only supplies Alberta’s tech force with jobs in the short-term, but it also sets them up for the future as Alberta’s presence expands internationally. Together, Mphasis and Alberta can grow alongside each other and propel one another to gigantic waves of success. 

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