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QUBITWIRE 100 · 2026 SELECTION

Hartmut Neven

Vice President of Engineering; Founder and Lead, Google Quantum AI

Google

Google

Built Google’s quantum research program around superconducting processors, quantum algorithms and error correction, helping connect experimental milestones with a sustained effort toward useful large-scale computing.

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United States · work baseIdentification checked 2026-10-20
QUBITWIRE 1002026 selectionPermanent record

Recognized for

Building Google’s quantum research program across superconducting processors, algorithms and error correction, connecting collaborative experimental milestones with the sustained organizational effort needed to investigate and develop useful large-scale quantum computing.

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QubitWire 100, 2026 selection card for Hartmut Neven. For building Google’s quantum research program across superconducting processors, algorithms and error correction, connecting collaborative experimental milestones with the sustained organizational effort needed to investigate and develop useful large-scale quantum computing.
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Hartmut Neven
Selected for the QubitWire 100, 2026.
For building Google’s quantum research program across superconducting processors, algorithms and error correction, connecting collaborative experimental milestones with the sustained organizational effort needed to investigate and develop useful large-scale quantum computing.
https://qubitwire.com/people/2026#hartmut-neven

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WHY INCLUDED

Why this contribution matters

Neven’s contribution is the creation and leadership of a research program that joins hardware, algorithms and error correction. His own account dates the founding of Google Quantum AI to 2012. The Willow announcement documents a later milestone: logical error rates falling as the error-correcting code grows. Together these show both institutional continuity and a technically meaningful target. The profile credits the experiments to the research team and distinguishes benchmark or error-correction demonstrations from general commercial usefulness.

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The work behind the recognition

Work, in context
  1. 2012

    Founding Google Quantum AI

    Founded the program with the stated goal of developing a useful, large-scale quantum computer and the algorithms needed for scientific applications.

    Founder of Google Quantum AI, with the founding date and program goal documented in his company-published account.

    Source-supported recordGoogle
  2. 2024

    Willow and scalable error correction

    Led Google Quantum AI when the team reported progressively lower logical error rates as surface-code sizes increased, a step toward scalable logical qubits.

    Google Quantum AI program leader at the time of the team’s published surface-code experiment; shared technical credit.

    Source-supported recordGoogleNature
  3. 2026

    Broadening the research program into neutral atoms

    In a March 2026 announcement, Neven described Google Quantum AI expanding into neutral-atom computing alongside superconducting qubits. The announcement names Adam Kaufman as the lead of the experimental neutral-atom hardware team. This is a research-program expansion, not a demonstration of a complete fault-tolerant computer.

    Neven authored the program announcement; Kaufman and the wider research teams retain credit for the experimental work.

    Company-reportedGoogle
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The evidence map

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Hartmut Neven
Contributed to
Supported by

Founding Google Quantum AI

Credit & limits: Founder of Google Quantum AI, with the founding date and program goal documented in his company-published account.

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Contributions and their source records
ContributionEvidence & what it supportsCredit & limits
Founding Google Quantum AI2012
Company recordMeet Willow, our state-of-the-art quantum chip

Program founding, leadership and Willow announcement

Published 9 Dec 2024 · Checked 19 Sept 2026
Founder of Google Quantum AI, with the founding date and program goal documented in his company-published account.
Willow and scalable error correction2024
Company recordMeet Willow, our state-of-the-art quantum chip

Program founding, leadership and Willow announcement

Published 9 Dec 2024 · Checked 19 Sept 2026
Primary paperQuantum error correction below the surface code threshold

Team demonstration of decreasing logical errors with code scaling

Published 9 Dec 2024 · Checked 19 Sept 2026
Google Quantum AI program leader at the time of the team’s published surface-code experiment; shared technical credit.
Broadening the research program into neutral atoms2026
Company recordBuilding superconducting and neutral atom quantum computers

Neven-authored announcement of the program expanding into neutral atoms alongside superconducting qubits; Adam Kaufman is identified as the experimental neutral-atom hardware lead.

Published 24 Mar 2026 · Checked 20 Oct 2026
Neven authored the program announcement; Kaufman and the wider research teams retain credit for the experimental work.

Follow the evidence

5 sources

Primary papers, institutional records and attributed announcements. Each source supports the claims linked above.

QubitWire editorial · Content edition 2026-09-19.1Independent coverage. Inclusion does not imply endorsement.