David Baker
2024 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry | Director, UW Institute for Protein Design | Pioneer of Computational Protein Design & AI-Driven Biology
John Martinis
2025 Nobel Laureate in Physics | Professor, UC Santa Barbara | Co-Founder & CTO, Qolab | Quantum Computing & Superconducting Qubits Pioneer
Few scientists have done more to turn quantum mechanics into quantum machines than John Martinis. The 2025 Nobel Laureate in Physics led Google's team to achieve quantum supremacy in 2019 and now leads Qolab, his quantum hardware startup. His talks give senior audiences calibrated, evidence-based insight into quantum computing's real timeline and strategic implications.
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John Martinis biography
John M. Martinis is a 2025 Nobel Laureate in Physics whose groundbreaking experiments in the 1980s proved that the strange laws of quantum mechanics do not belong exclusively to the subatomic world — they can be harnessed in human-scale electronic circuits. A Professor of Physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Qolab, Martinis stands at the intersection of fundamental science and practical engineering in a way few physicists ever achieve.
Nobel Prize speaker John Martinis is best known for his doctoral work with John Clarke and Michel Devoret at UC Berkeley in 1984–1985, where the trio built a superconducting electronic circuit cooled to near absolute zero and demonstrated macroscopic quantum tunneling and energy quantization. Using a precisely engineered Josephson junction — two superconductors separated by a thin insulating layer — they showed that a large ensemble of electrons could behave as a single quantum particle, crossing an energy barrier it classically could not surmount. This experiment was recognized with the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences as the foundational discovery behind superconducting qubits, launching an entirely new field of quantum hardware.
After his doctorate, Martinis held postdoctoral positions at the Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique in France and at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Boulder, Colorado, where he advanced the physics of SQUIDs and quantum devices. Joining UCSB in 2004, he held the Susan and Bruce Worster Chair in Experimental Physics and led a group that produced Science magazine’s 2010 Breakthrough of the Year for the first demonstration of quantum ground state in a mechanical oscillator. In 2014, Google Quantum AI recruited Martinis and his team in a landmark deal to build a functional quantum computer. The outcome was the Sycamore processor — a 53-qubit system that, in 2019, completed a computational task in 200 seconds that would take a classical supercomputer an estimated 10,000 years. Published in Nature, this was the first experimental realization of quantum supremacy.
From Quantum Supremacy to Quantum Utility
After departing Google in 2020, Martinis co-founded Qolab in 2022, a quantum hardware startup focused on achieving something even more ambitious than supremacy: building a commercially useful quantum computer. His strategy centers on manufacturing quality, system engineering, and deep industry collaboration — disciplines he argues are as critical as the physics itself. His focus area is quantum chemistry: using quantum hardware to simulate molecular behavior, potentially unlocking breakthroughs in medicine, materials science, and clean energy.
As a speaker, John Martinis brings the rare authority of a scientist who has both written the foundational theory and led the teams that built the machines. He translates quantum mechanics — one of the least intuitive fields in science — into clear, compelling narratives about what this technology can and cannot do, on what timeline, and why it matters for industries from finance and pharmaceuticals to cybersecurity and national security. Senior audiences gain not just understanding, but calibrated judgment: how to think about quantum risk, quantum opportunity, and the gap between hype and hardware reality.
John Martinis Speaking Videos
2025 Nobel Prize lectures in physics | John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis
Quantum Computing’s Industrial Revolution: From Lab to Fab｜Dr. John M. Martinis
John Martinis Keynote Topics
Martinis traces the arc from the foundational 1984 experiments that won the Nobel Prize to the current frontier of quantum hardware development. He explains what superconducting qubits are, why they are the most mature quantum computing platform, and what the engineering and manufacturing challenges still stand between today's prototypes and genuinely useful quantum computers. Audiences leave with a grounded, non-hype view of the timeline, the milestones that matter, and the decisions organizations should begin making now.
Drawing on his direct experience leading the Google Sycamore team, Martinis breaks down what quantum supremacy actually demonstrated, what it did not prove, and what it means for the long-term trajectory of quantum computing. He addresses the gap between supremacy and utility, explains the engineering discipline required to close it, and gives audiences — including those in finance, pharma, and cybersecurity — a realistic map of when quantum advantages will begin to matter for their industries.
Quantum computers, once sufficiently powerful, will be capable of breaking the encryption that secures today's financial systems, communications, and critical infrastructure. Martinis explains the physics behind this threat without sensationalism, outlines the realistic timeline, and presents what organizations can and should do to prepare — from post-quantum cryptography migration strategies to understanding which assets are most at risk. A critical talk for financial institutions, governments, and enterprise technology leaders.
A candid, practical session on what it takes to translate frontier science into functioning technology — and then into viable business. Martinis reflects on leading quantum hardware at Google, the decisions and disputes that shaped that experience, and the different challenges of founding an independent deep-tech startup with a collaborative, horizontal model. He shares frameworks for scientific leadership, the tension between research rigor and commercial urgency, and how to build the right team at the right time for hard technology problems.
FAQs on Booking John Martinis
Why John Martinis?
Booking John Martinis for your event means bringing one of the most consequential physicists of the quantum age to your stage. As a 2025 Nobel Laureate in Physics and the scientist who led Google's team to achieve quantum supremacy, Martinis offers something no analyst or futurist can: first-hand authority over the technology that is set to reshape computing, cybersecurity, pharmaceuticals, and finance. His talks are grounded in decades of experimental physics, translated into strategic insight for executive and technical audiences alike. He connects the dots between what quantum computing is today, what it realistically becomes within the next decade, and what organizations should be doing now. Aurum Speakers Bureau is proud to represent John Martinis for speaking engagements worldwide.
What did John Martinis discover that won the Nobel Prize?
John Martinis, along with John Clarke and Michel Devoret, was awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics for experiments conducted in 1984–1985 that demonstrated macroscopic quantum tunneling and energy quantization in an electric circuit. They built a superconducting circuit incorporating a Josephson junction and proved that a large ensemble of electrons could collectively exhibit quantum behavior — including tunneling through an energy barrier — at a scale far larger than individual atoms. This discovery showed that quantum mechanics could be engineered into human-made devices, laying the experimental foundation for what would eventually become superconducting qubits and modern quantum computers.
What is quantum supremacy and did John Martinis achieve it?
Quantum supremacy refers to the milestone at which a quantum computer performs a specific task faster than any classical computer could in a practical timeframe. In 2019, Martinis led the Google Quantum AI team that published a landmark paper in Nature demonstrating that their 53-qubit Sycamore processor completed a computational task in approximately 200 seconds — a calculation estimated to require 10,000 years on the world's best classical supercomputer. While the term remains debated in terms of its framing, the experiment is widely recognized as a historic proof-of-concept that quantum hardware could achieve computational results beyond classical reach.
What topics does Nobel Prize speaker John Martinis cover?
As a keynote speaker, John Martinis covers quantum computing — from its scientific foundations to its practical roadmap — with a depth and authority that no one else on the circuit can match. His talks address quantum hardware architecture, the path to quantum utility, quantum cybersecurity implications, and the intersection of physics and industry strategy. He also speaks on scientific leadership, the experience of building breakthrough technology inside large organizations like Google, and what it takes to found a deep-tech startup. His sessions are ideal for technology conferences, financial institutions preparing for quantum risk, pharmaceutical and materials science companies, and innovation-focused leadership forums. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to check his availability and discuss the best format for your event.
How to book John Martinis as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book John Martinis as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about John Martinis's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for John Martinis or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is John Martinis speaking fee?
John Martinis speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire John Martinis to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book John Martinis.
How can I contact John Martinis?
We only work with John Martinis on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking John Martinis and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having John Martinis speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact John Martinis for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book John Martinis for a virtual keynote?
Yes, John Martinis is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book John Martinis for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
