Today, practically every business thrives on data. Data has become omnipresent, and is omnipotent. Despite being such a crucial component of daily transactions, data still remains highly vulnerable and prone to a series of threats. As global scientists and researchers strive to build the computers of the future - quantum computers, which can effortlessly crunch millions of datasets, data security needs to be stronger. As things stand, cyber attacks are a near-daily occurrence, becoming more complex and sophisticated. India has been witnessing a data boom in the past decade and more significantly since demonetisation in 2016. The advent of economical and fast Internet has enabled the imminent data explosion. However, encryption standards continue to lag. And this is where Sunil Gupta, Srinivasa Rao, Mark Mathias and Dr. Anil Prabhakar wanted to make a difference with Bangalore-based QNu Labs - India's sole builder of a quantum safe security product, and the world's fourth company to do so.  

Classic or computational cryptography rely on complex mathematical probabilities and data-driven simulations to keep data secure. However, a quantum computer can easily solve these encryptions. Instead of relying on math, the foursome turned to physics - by developing Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), which uses photons or light particles to provide random keys, cyber criminals cannot access or clone data from optic cables. 

"We wanted to build a future-ready cyber security system that is not computation based, but driven by physics and independent of compute power. The biggest problem in the cybersecurity domain is playing catch-up with cyber criminals. What is the point of solving yesterday's problems with today's technologies? We need to be ready with future-first technologies and safeguard data proactively," explains Gupta. QNu Labs offers a random number generator called Tropos, a quantum key distributor called Armos, and a quantum secure platform for key management called Hodos. Recently, the company added Qosmos, which offers Entropy as a Service which effectively addresses the challenge of 'entropy starvation' - be it on cloud, on edge or on embedded systems. Qnu Labs solutions are ideal for companies in BFSI, defence, healthcare, telecom, governance and automobiles. 

With the influx of technologies like 5G, blockchain, AI, IoT and quantum computing, data has never been more in supply, and also never more vulnerable. While all these technologies are leveraging data and transacting solely through it, they cannot survive on existing computational cryptographies, adds Gupta. "There is a huge gap that exists between the data advantage and the leverage hackers have, which needs to be bridged otherwise businesses are going to continue spending inordinate amounts of money on security measures as hackers will continue to disable these security measures with something even more sophisticated. Quantum safe security can break the chain that hackers diligently follow of Harvest Now, Decrypt Later."

Gupta, who was the COO at cybersecurity companies Paladian Networks and EdgeVerve, was keen on developing technology that would propel the ongoing data revolution. The startup was conceptualised in 2016, and the team spent three years developing the product, another year to run pilots and is set to launch globally this year. Gupta says they have done successful pilot programmes with the Indian Army, signed an MoU with Bharat Electronics in addition to providing technical briefings to the NSA and DRDO. Recently, QNu Labs, through its US subsidiary QNu Inc, collaborated with a US-based client specialising in AI microcloud services to help clients accelerate their AI journey. QNu Labs has already filed four patents, and will file nine more. The startup has also graduated from the Cisco Launchpad and NetApp Excellerator programmes.