QuEra Executives | Leadership Team & Company Leadership

Date August 22, 2025
Q

QuEra

COMPANY INFO

QuEra Computing Inc., founded in 2018 by Mikhail Lukin, Vladan Vuletić, Markus Greiner, Dirk Englund, Nathan Gemelke, and John Pena, is a quantum computing company headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts with approximately 78-95 employees. The company develops large-scale quantum computers using neutral atoms and offers cloud access to its 256-qubit Aquila quantum processor, aiming to tackle classically intractable problems in the quantum computing industry. Website: www.quera.com.

10 Key QuEra Computing Inc. Executives

QuEra Computing Inc. is an innovative quantum computing company based in Boston, Massachusetts, pioneering the development of neutral-atom quantum computers. The company, founded in 2018, offers cloud access to its groundbreaking 256-qubit Aquila quantum processor to address complex, classically intractable problems within quantum computing.

QuEra Computing Inc. boasts a deeply technical and accomplished leadership team with expertise spanning quantum hardware, research, business operations, and scale-up of frontier technologies. The QuEra Computing Inc. management team draws on distinguished backgrounds in both academia and business, mixing seasoned technology executives and world-leading quantum scientists to guide the company’s rapid growth and scientific breakthroughs.

Key Executives

Andy Ory - CEO

As CEO, Andy Ory leads QuEra Computing Inc.'s strategic direction and oversees the company’s growth in commercial quantum computing. He spearheads initiatives to expand QuEra’s neutral-atom platforms, strengthens partnerships through channels such as AWS Braket, and drives the execution of the product roadmap toward achieving fault-tolerant, large-scale quantum systems.

Ory brings over 20 years of experience scaling hardware-centric startups and an extensive background in technology leadership. Before joining QuEra Computing Inc., he served in senior positions within the enterprise software and semiconductor industries, focusing on product strategy and operational excellence. His multi-disciplinary expertise spans quantum hardware, complex systems integration, and leading cross-functional teams toward market leadership.

Thanos Pantazis - President

As President, Thanos Pantazis manages QuEra Computing Inc.’s business operations, strategic partnerships, and customer engagement. Pantazis has led enterprise sales enablement, the negotiation of cloud-service agreements, and the scaling of global customer support, elevating the company’s commercial reach.

Pantazis holds a BS in Physics from Cornell University and brings over 25 years of experience in high-tech management, most notably 21 years at Ametek (SVP), where he drove revenue growth in precision instrumentation. His areas of expertise include P&L management, strategic business development, and building operational scalability within dynamic technology companies.

Alexander Keesling - COO

Alexander Keesling supervises the day-to-day operations, manufacturing scale-up, and supply chain management for QuEra Computing Inc. He orchestrated the commercial launch of the 256-qubit Aquila system and drove improvements in production yields via process automation.

Keesling holds a PhD in Physics from Harvard University and previously served as QuEra’s founding CEO. He has a decade of research experience at Harvard and MIT, specializing in ultracold atoms, optical tweezers, and the transition from laboratory research to production-ready quantum technology.

Ed Durkin - CFO

Ed Durkin manages QuEra Computing Inc.’s financial planning, capital raising, and investor relations to support rapid quantum hardware growth. He led the company’s Series B funding round and optimized cost structures to extend key technology milestones.

Durkin earned a BS in Finance from University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and has over 15 years’ experience as CFO with high-growth technology companies (Casa Systems, Fuze, Actifio). His strengths include strategic corporate finance, M&A activity, and scaling finance organizations across hardware and software sectors.

Vladan Vuletić - CTO

Vladan Vuletić orchestrates QuEra Computing Inc.'s technology roadmap, research collaborations, and core hardware development. Vuletić leads efforts in neutral-atom trapping and laser-cooling system improvements, culminating in the development of the world’s first 256-qubit neutral-atom quantum processor.

As a Professor of Physics at MIT, Vuletić co-founded QuEra Computing Inc. based on his pioneering work in Rydberg-atom arrays. He holds a PhD in Physics from University of Belgrade, has authored over 150 publications in quantum optics, and commands deep expertise in experimental quantum systems and photonics.

Nathan Gemelke - Co-Founder & Chief Technology Strategist, PhD

Nathan Gemelke helps define QuEra Computing Inc.'s long-term technology strategy, linking the company’s academic research foundation with practical productization. He has led the advancement of error-correction algorithms and software frameworks specifically for quantum simulation applications.

Gemelke received a PhD in Physics from Harvard University and conducted postdoctoral work at JILA. He co-developed key neutral-atom control techniques at both MIT and Harvard, and has further experience in leadership roles developing quantum software and algorithms for real-world use.

John Pena - Co-Founder & Board Member

John Pena provides strategic oversight as a board member, focusing on corporate governance, IP portfolio growth, and aligning R&D with business objectives for QuEra Computing Inc. He ensures the company’s long-term objectives are met through careful planning and integration of technological and commercial roadmaps.

Pena holds a PhD in Physics from MIT and was a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard, working on neutral-atom quantum simulators. He has co-founded qubit control companies and is a trusted advisor on technology licensing and venture investment strategies.

Mikhail Lukin - Co-Founder & Chief Scientific Advisor

Mikhail Lukin offers scientific direction for QuEra Computing Inc., guiding research partnerships and publication strategy. His leadership accelerated development from prototype 51-qubit systems to the current commercial 256-qubit platform.

Lukin is a Professor of Physics at Harvard University and received his PhD there. An early pioneer of Rydberg-atom quantum simulators, he has published more than 200 peer-reviewed articles and serves on several quantum technology scientific advisory boards globally.

Markus Greiner - Co-Founder & Scientific Advisor

Markus Greiner provides expertise in condensed-matter physics and quantum optics, advising QuEra Computing Inc. on system architecture and experimental protocols to boost qubit coherence and performance.

Greiner is a Professor at Harvard University, holds a PhD from ETH Zurich, and was a postdoctoral researcher at MIT. His breakthroughs in ultracold atomic gases and phase transitions strongly inform QuEra’s platform development.

Dirk Englund - Co-Founder & External Science Liaison

Dirk Englund manages relationships between QuEra Computing Inc. and leading academic institutions, coordinating grant applications and cross-institutional research projects. He ensures early access to emerging photonic technologies for integration into the company’s neutral-atom systems.

Englund is a Professor of Electrical Engineering at MIT with a PhD from MIT. He is renowned for developing photonic-quantum interfaces and brings extensive experience in hybrid quantum systems, nanophotonics, and applied quantum engineering.

Company Leadership

The QuEra Computing Inc. leadership and executive team features a blend of proven industry veterans and world-renowned quantum scientists. This unique combination of inventive research expertise, sophisticated operational management, and commercial rigor positions the company as a global leader in quantum computing innovation. With founders deeply embedded in both science and technology transfer, and executives driving scale and business momentum, the QuEra Computing Inc. management team is strategically structured to deliver sustained breakthroughs.

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