Quantum Computing in Financial Services
Completed
Academic Lead
Paul Robert GRIFFIN
Associate Professor of Information Systems (Practice), SCIS
Industry
Jmem Tek (Taiwan)
A hardware security company specializing in post-quantum cryptography chips.
Okura Labs (Japan)
A fintech/crypto startup working at the intersection of post-quantum cryptography, blockchain, and AI for financial applications.
Why this Collaboration
Students often see quantum computing as a single technical challenge, when in practice it's a stack — hardware, software, infrastructure, deployment, transition, and cost. This collaboration lets students test their final assignment against two different industry lenses: what's technically possible, and what a buyer in business would actually push back on.
Industry Involvement
Jmem Tek CEO, John Chang, recorded a 7-chapter video case walking through quantum-safe hardware, PUF chips, and post-quantum cryptography.
Okura Labs Co-Founder, Roibeard O'Corragáin, worked with the team to build a knowledge base powering an AI avatar of Catherine Lim, an institutional buyer persona, who challenges students on the commercial viability of their project.
Student Learning Experience
This fully online experience is designed for Week 10 of the Quantum Computing in Financial Services course in the Master of IT in Business (MITB) programme, whose students arrive with strong technical skills.
Ahead of assignment submission, students watch John's interview case and work through online reflection questions. They then defend their proposal in a 10-15 minute one-to-one conversation with an AI avatar. Playing an institutional buyer, the avatar raises the objections a real client might have. This pushes students to test their proposal’s commercial feasibility as well as its technical merits.
In Their Own Words
Student
“John's interview showed me quantum safety isn't one fix… it's a full stack of hardware, software, protocols, and cost. Learning how PUF chips regenerate keys instead of storing them was a real eye-opener… Then Catherine's questions turned my project from a technical exercise into a commercial one… she pushed me to quantify my claims with real numbers and timelines, not just 'quantum advantage,' and made me question whether my solution actually solves a problem a senior finance professional would care about."
- An MITB Student (Jun '26 Term)
Faculty
"Jmem Tek and Okura Labs have been great industry partners, giving students direct exposure to post-quantum cryptography, blockchain, and emerging technologies through real-world applications and expert insights. Their contributions have strengthened student learning and created lasting opportunities for future cohorts to benefit from industry-informed teaching, practical engagement, and innovation."
- Paul Griffin
Partner(s)
"Collaborating with SMU has been a fantastic journey. It is inspiring to see students engage so passionately with real-world quantum security challenges in financial services, and Jmem Tek is proud to contribute to shaping a quantum-ready future alongside such an exceptional team."
– Dan Liu, Jmem Tek Brand & Partnerships Project Manager
"Our engagement with the SMU has been exciting at every level - a real partnership that flows in both directions. The Centre for Teaching and Excellence, who use AI platforms in a genuinely innovative and productive way, even asked us to collaborate with them on a student avatar for a "Quantum Computing in Financial Services" course. It was truly satisfying to co-deliver such valued material with the team and see it immediately used."
- Rick Chan, CEO of Okura Labs
Get involved with i.Connect
Whether you teach at SMU or work in industry, tell us what you have in mind. CTE will explore what could fit and follow up with you.