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Female role models are important. They show possibilities, help define your own goals, and we can learn from their experiences. In our blog series #DigiWomenKA, Katharina Iyen meets one such role model from the Karlsruhe digital industry once a month to find out more about her, her experiences and her commitment. In our special edition she talks to the founders of CyberLab, the IT accelerator of the state of Baden-Württemberg, which is operated by CyberForum eV. It starts with Dr. Iris Schwenk, Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Co-Founder of HQS Quantum Simulations. Iris went through the CyberLab accelerator program with her startup in 2018 and is a member of the overall board of CyberForum eV. From February 23rd to 24th, 2024, the successful founder will share her experiences at the CyberLab event Empowering Female Founders with other founders.
By Katharina Iyen
On a bright sunny day, I navigate through the colorful eastern city of Karlsruhe to the iWerkX area, the headquarters of HQS Quantum Simulations. The arrival turns out to be a little adventure: I only find my way around the extensive area after a phone call – Jonas, assistant to the management of HQS Quantum Simulations, welcomes me in the inner courtyard. Accompanied by the babbling of the fountain, I enter the loft-like business premises, which remind me of trendy co-working spaces.
#DigiWoman Iris Schwenk welcomes me warmly. I immediately notice her bright orange shoes: “Cloud Sharkies,” she explains to me with a laugh and adds: “After I saw them on my brother, I wanted some too.”
Future technology shortens time-to-market and reduces costs for R&D and product development cycles
HQS Quantum Simulations develops quantum algorithms for predicting molecular properties for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, so simply put, it is simulation software for materials scientists in the chemical industry and research in general. Current quantum computers suffer from intrinsic errors that limit their performance. HQS’s algorithms can handle these errors. The company, founded in 2017, accelerates development cycles in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.
How quickly quantum computing will develop is unclear, but one thing is clear: leading global companies are investing heavily in this area. It’s not just Schwenk who is passionate about making this groundbreaking technology accessible today: “HQS Quantum Simulations doesn’t just sell products, but rather provides honest advice about what is already possible – and what is not. The physicist emphasizes how important it is to involve customers in the development process at an early stage in order to be able to develop useful and functioning products.
HQS Quantum Simulations: from research to industry
Schwenk is convinced that research must move out of the ivory tower and into direct exchange with business and users, because a technology can be as good as it wants if it is not used: “I have found that a narrow Working with customers right from the start helps identify potential problems early on and develop truly useful solutions.”
In her doctoral thesis she dealt with theoretical concepts for describing errors in quantum simulators and quantum computers, a pioneer in bridging the gap between theoretical physics and industry-relevant technology. And that despite the fact that she is personally more passionate about theory. She admits with a smile: “I prefer to read an instruction manual ten times before I press any button.”
From Essen to Karlsruhe
Schwenk completed her bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral thesis in physics at KIT. Karlsruhe came into her sights when her current husband and then boyfriend started studying at KIT. His enthusiasm for the city and the university where he studied electrical and information technology inspired her to study theoretical physics in Karlsruhe. She always loved science. She raves about studying at KIT: “The structure of the courses on offer was first-class. And I love understanding complex physical phenomena in a mathematical way.”
The co-founder was born in a small village near Idstein in Hesse. She explains to me very humorously where exactly her hometown is: “I come from the middle between Frankfurt, Wiesbaden and Limburg. My village is near the famous Idstein motorway exit, where there is always something going on on the A3.”
Schwenk now lives with her family in Stutensee Büchig and feels very well looked after there. She generally leaves her car behind and she doesn’t like to drive either: “I often use the bike or the tram to get to work in the eastern part of the city.” The summer heat and the humid air in Karlsruhe are challenging for her, but here Her pragmatic side comes into play: “Our rooms are very well air-conditioned,” she explains with a smile.
Stereotypes and pragmatism
Schwenk believes in just doing things without thinking about it too long. This pragmatic approach helps her to do pioneering work in the world of quantum computing. A favorite quote from her mother stays with her to this day: “Keep your head held high, even if your neck is unwashed!” This saying represents poise, composure and the ability to make the best of difficult situations. It encourages me to pursue opportunities even in the most challenging moments.”
She also experiences challenges from time to time, also due to her gender, explains Schwenk when asked. When asked, she occasionally comes across stereotypes in everyday life, says Schwenk. The mother of two reports with a laugh: “The daycare center had to learn to call the father if there were any concerns because the mother was currently working. But it’s working very well now.” She’s also encountered this in her career. When a professor found out that she was pregnant and would be on leave for two months, it was such an experience. “The way he handled it, the way he was overwhelmed – that was a challenge for me,” she remembers.
With pioneering and team spirit to the KIT spin-off
However, such a reaction is only one reason for the lack of female specialists in the IT and tech industry: “I attribute this to various factors, including the choice of field of study and the lack of female role models.” That too Theoretical physics is still strongly male-dominated; the founding team of HQS also consists of three men and only one woman.
Dr. Michael Marthaler founded the company together with Jan Reiner, Iris Schwenk and Sebastian Zanker – the three of them had completed their doctorates with him and then worked with him at KIT. “That was a wild time. But we found a clear focus: applications of quantum computers in the field of chemistry and materials research. And we also worked specifically with various companies and looked at real use cases,” remembers Schwenk. The hope that, after decades of basic work, the technology is at the border from research to application, from theory to practice, was and is also reflected in the financing rounds of the young company. Still a rarity for female founders, only a tiny proportion of whom receive funding of over 1 million euros.
Rolemodels
And it is precisely for this reason that role models are needed: “My mother was a lawyer and my father was a chemical laboratory technician and later a works councilor.” It was only in her adult life that she realized how unusual it was that her father, as a non-academic, had married an academic. Stereotypes put Schwenk off: “I saw a mother putting a newly purchased T-shirt on her daughter that said, ‘I’m a girl, I don’t have to be good at math.’ Then I asked myself whether this would really help us as a society.” Both her daughter and her son are allowed to pursue their interests, regardless of gender stereotypes. “My son can also wear pink and my daughter can play with cars. “I try for balance and make sure to allow my daughter to wear pink,” she says with a laugh.
But she still encounters stereotypes to this day: “As a boss, I am often praised for my caring nature. However, this praise is mixed, as I sometimes feel that I am too motherly.” It is important to her to grow with the company and with her tasks: “A valuable compliment for me was that I promote cohesion in the team. I’m also very strategic. If there is a problem or something that needs to be solved, I don’t necessarily have the solution right away, but I have a clear idea of what options to consider and what things I need to find out in order to rule out an option. One weakness I admit is that I have difficulty letting things go, especially when they don’t go as planned.”
This article was published in cooperation with karlsruhe.digital.
Contact Dr. Iris Schwenk
Iris Schwenk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iris-dreh-0638b9119?originalSubdomain=de
HQS Quantum Simulations Website:
More about the event:
Empowering Female Founders: Learn together, grow together
Framework data
Date: Feb 23 – Feb 24, 2024 | Time: 12:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. / 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. (networking open end on day 2)
Location: Church room in the CyberLab (ground floor), Haid-und-Neu-Str. 18-20, Entrance B, 76131 Karlsruhe
Who can participate?
The event is aimed at founders of startup teams in Baden-Württemberg.