The Spaces That Shape Us – Eoin Scanlon
Eoin Scanlon - VP of Operations, Horizon Quantum
Eoin Scanlon
Last year, I became Vice President of Operations at Horizon Quantum, a company dedicated to making quantum computing accessible to everyone, not just quantum experts. While much of the industry focuses on hardware breakthroughs, our mission is different—we’re solving the software challenges that stand in the way of widespread quantum adoption.
Even if functional quantum computers became available tomorrow, only a small fraction of people would know how to program them. Writing quantum algorithms usually requires quantum computing expertise at a master’s or PhD level. At Horizon Quantum, we’re providing software developers with traditional programming backgrounds the tools they need to deploy their code on quantum processors. By building a compiler that enables interoperable code for both classical and quantum systems, we’re working to make programming quantum computers as easy as programming conventional ones.
An unconventional journey
My path to the quantum computing industry was an unconventional one. It began when I took physics part time for my Leaving Certificate—Ireland’s end-of-secondary-school exam—and continued studying part time throughout my 22-year journey with the Irish Defence Forces.
During my military career, I gained invaluable experience in leadership roles in operations and technology. I also continued to nurture a deep-seated passion for science and mathematics that began during those secondary school physics classes. I’ve always had a general interest in the progress of science and technology, but, as a mature student, I began to specifically devote time to studying physics and maths, keeping up with the literature and steadily expanding my knowledge. In 2021, I began a PhD in quantum field theory in curved spacetimes with Dr. Cormac Breen in TU Dublin, and although it’s challenging, I am enjoying it tremendously. Over time, I sought to professionalise my personal interests in these fields.
An opportunity on the Horizon
In late 2023, Horizon Quantum commenced operations in Ireland. Leaving the military was a tough decision, but the opportunity to join a company with such strong potential in a fascinating field was too compelling to pass up. The role offered a rare chance to apply both my operational expertise and passion for science at a company with a bold vision.
My time in the Defence Forces was extremely varied: I worked in many different settings, at home and overseas, with each testing my skills in unique ways and to varying degrees. It is an excellent organisation that gives you back what you put into it; however, after weighing my options, I decided to leave the military. I retired as a Lieutenant Colonel and as a Commanding Officer, a position I was honoured to attain.
I haven’t regretted my decision. As Vice President of Operations, I now ensure our team has the systems and processes needed to support the success of our software technologies and quantum computing testbed.
Solving problems in silo-free spaces
A strong parallel between my military experience and my work in quantum computing is the way that tackling complicated, real-world challenges depends on open conversations among team members with diverse expertise. Productivity arises in environments that facilitate cross-functional collaboration, where teams are willing to have tough discussions and make the difficult decisions required to solve problems, regardless of whether they’re of an operational or deeply technical nature.
In the Defence Forces, we regularly participated in training exercises designed to simulate high-pressure scenarios. I’ve been involved in these exercises both in Ireland and deployed overseas in places like the Middle East and Africa. They’ve happened at headquarters, in tents, on mountains—pretty much anywhere you can imagine. In the military, specialists tend to focus on narrow tasks, which is important for developing expertise. However, these intense environments demand that team members break out of silos and defined roles—such as logistics, intelligence, or personnel—and collaborate across disciplines to make quick, well-informed decisions.
Perhaps it’s difficult to see what a military exercise has in common with daily life at Horizon Quantum, where discussions happen in meeting rooms filled with whiteboards covered in equations and tables stacked with books, but the same principle applies. It’s a blend of structured expertise and open collaboration that drives our success.
One of our foundational principles is that we will succeed or fail as a team. Everyone’s shoulder is to the wheel. Our technical teams spend their days knee-deep in difficult problems. Like all experts, they need uninterrupted time for quiet work—to delve into equations, immerse themselves in algorithms, and lose themselves in projects. However, when it comes time to use that expertise to solve high-level problems, the more collaborative the space, the better.
From command to collaboration
When I first stepped into Horizon Quantum’s headquarters in Singapore, the collaborative environment shaped my thinking in new ways. After decades in the military, I was deeply familiar with its physical spaces and institutional structures. By necessity, the military operates as a strict hierarchy. Walking into Horizon Quantum’s office felt like a sharp left turn. It was a beautiful, open space, with complex information scrawled across the walls. Within those walls, every person contributed to the debate and offered input for solving problems. In the military, collaboration exists within the chain of command. Even when silos break down, decision-making is influenced by rank.
In Horizon Quantum’s collaborative meeting space, the merit of the ideas, rather than their source, was driving the discussions. For many, that scene might not have been remarkable. For me, it arrived at a pivotal moment: I was still figuring out what kind of leader I wanted to be outside the military. The way Horizon Quantum’s team worked was both inspiring and foreign to me. I knew I had to step back and recalibrate to understand the type of leadership that would support their success.
In the Defence Forces, leadership is studied extensively—in theory and in practice. You analyse different philosophies, apply them in training, and refine them through experience. It’s my belief that authentic leadership is the most effective and sustainable approach to leading teams.
If you behave authentically and focus on building relationships, then you can adapt the way you lead to suit the situation around you. If you define yourself as a specific type of leader—by authority, by example, by charisma—you risk forcing your actions into a mould rather than reacting to the needs of a situation. Leadership should be fluid: you can bring your personal style and lessons learned, but ultimately, your behaviour must respond to the environment you’re in and the team you’re working with.
Our Dublin team is small, so our office currently isn’t as large as the company’s Singapore headquarters. Nonetheless, we tackle the same challenging problems, and so our workspace also needs to foster open dialogue and collaboration. When Horizon Quantum expanded to Ireland in 2023, we established our offices at Glandore’s 24 Fitzwilliam Place.
Glandore has been a great partner for hosting our Dublin offices. Its team has removed the overhead of setting up a new office by handling the logistical challenges, allowing us to knuckle down and focus on our core work. Many other interesting companies are also located on Glandore’s premises, and there are regular member events where we get to meet the people working in them. Socialising with these teams helps us gain situational awareness about developments in different industries and Ireland’s broader business landscape. It’s another example of how spaces that facilitate open conversations can broaden experience, expand knowledge, and spark new ideas.
Read more about Glandore’s Flexible Workspaces
