LOVE THE PROBLEM
LOVE THE PROBLEM
João Pires da Cruz – Chief Executive Officer
João Pires da Cruz is a physicist, entrepreneur, and researcher whose career spans over three decades at the intersection of science, technology, and industry. Holding a PhD in Physics from the University of Lisbon, João has built a distinguished career uniting theoretical insight with real-world impact. From pioneering analytics in financial institutions to developing physical models for economic systems, his work reflects a deep commitment to solving complex problems with clarity and innovation.
He co-founded Closer, a company focused on data engineering and actuarial science, and served as CEO of Red Zebra Analytics in London, delivering cutting-edge consumer behavior solutions. João has advised global clients—from banks to energy companies—on data-driven transformation and has published extensively in physics and complex systems. After Closer merger into Smart4Engineering in Paris, João become Chief Research and Innovation Officer of the group.
Currently, he's a Senior Researcher at the Center for Theoretical and Computational Physics of the University of Lisbon, and a professor of Physical Models in Economics and Finance. As CEO of The Quantum Computer Company, he leads the vision of building tomorrow’s quantum capabilities—one qubit at a time.
Visionary. Pragmatic. Relentlessly curious. João believes in one fundamental principle: “To know more tomorrow than we knew yesterday.”
After more than thirty years in consulting, building solutions for clients across industries, I began to realize something quietly profound: I was more interested in the problem than in the solution.
Around me, teams would eagerly catalogue the capabilities of tool X or platform Y to solve a given challenge. But at some point, that began to feel empty. After all, if a problem can be solved by a tool, is it really a problem?
As my career progressed, I found that the real reward was not the title or the recognition—it was time. Time to explore the questions no one could answer. I gradually stepped away from the problems that everyone could solve, and leaned fully into the ones no one could.To love the problem means to be willing to go where no one else has. Maybe that journey leads to a solution. Maybe it doesn’t. But either way, new questions will emerge—and that is where discovery happens.
The Quantum Computer Company was founded to tackle one of those problems that may never be solved:
Why does quantum mechanics exist?We believe that not knowing the "why" is what forces us to build quantum computers from the quantum systems we happen to understand—rather than designing synthetic ones from first principles.Whether we find the answer or not is beside the point. What matters is the path we take—because it’s one no one has taken before.
Just...Love the problem. There's no real scientific achievment without economic value.
We welcome collaboration from labs, independent researchers, and theoretical institutions. We are also open to people that what to invest in intelectual achievments. Contact us if our mission resonates with yours.
Email: joao@quantumcomp.pt