Note: Recorded in November 2023
While working at Rigetti Computing, Will Zeng experimented with open-source quantum computing. In the process, he was surprised by the interest from hobbyist developers and their ability to contribute. He created the Unitary Fund to support these newcomers and their projects. The initial small grants program has grown into the Unitary Foundation, a full-on field-building organization that develops public goods and infrastructure for quantum technology.
Key ideas:
Small grants matter. Academics only think about funding for writing papers. Industry folks scoff at the amount. But small grants can be useful for funding new tools, which are often overlooked, even if they help people justify spending a little extra time. Small grants are more than money; they’re a responsibility and an excuse to start.
“ Start small and just build stuff” - Will Zeng
Field-building organizations are “a special kind of institution.” The non-profit, for-public-good nature of field building relieves the pressure for monetization or “citationization” of their work. They’re able to build ecosystem-critical projects with a longer time horizon.
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