(Alice & Bob, Paris, France) A quantum computer company spun out of research labs in Paris in 2020. Alice & Bob is developing a unique quantum processor that uses a different type of qubit called a "cat," which is named after Schrodinger's quantum mechanics thought experiment involving a hypothetical cat.
Cat qubits are designed to reduce quantum errors by an order of magnitude, and the company is expected to develop a quantum processor with cat qubits toward the end of the 2020s. See
quantum coherence.
Why Alice & Bob?
Rather than A and B, Alice and Bob are common names used to illustrate interactions between two parties. The names were popularized in RSA's 1978 white paper and have been used ever since (see
RSA). Obviously, the company chose not to be branded with a scientific name.