Luna: Advancing Usability and Performance in Quantum Optimization

Aqarios introduces Luna v1.0, a major upgrade designed to make quantum optimization more accessible, robust, and scalable across industries.

Munich, Germany – June 4, 2025 – Aqarios, a Munich-based quantum software provider, today announces the official release of Luna v1.0, marking a major milestone in the development of practical quantum optimization tools. Building on the public launch of Luna v0.9 in late 2024, this version delivers substantial upgrades that streamline workflows, enhance support for complex real-world scenarios, and introduce powerful new features — including the novel constraint-aware quantum algorithm FlexQAOA, developed in-house at Aqarios.

Luna is already used across sectors such as logistics, energy, manufacturing, and more. With version 1.0, the platform becomes even more capable — enabling professionals to build and deploy optimization solutions without needing any prior quantum computing expertise.

Discover how Luna can transform your organization’s approach to complex problem-solving – get started with Luna now.

Shaped by Users, Built for Impact

Since its launch, Luna has helped companies and research teams worldwide solve real optimization problems — from streamlining delivery logistics and improving production schedules to optimizing energy systems with high complexity.

Much of Luna’s evolution has been driven by direct user feedback. Over the past few months, we focused on the improvements that mattered most:

• Algorithmic innovation to better reflect real-world constraints and complexity
• Integrated workflows for easier model building, testing, and analysis
• Improved usability for both first-time users and experienced developers

Luna v1.0 brings these priorities together in a platform that’s faster, smarter, and more accessible than ever.

What’s New in Luna v1.0

Version 1.0 introduces a tightly integrated set of tools and innovations designed to make quantum optimization more usable, efficient, and impactful — from constraint-native algorithms and developer experience to model building and backend execution.

FlexQAOA: A New Constraint-Aware Quantum Algorithm

With the launch of Luna v1.0, Aqarios also unveils FlexQAOA — a groundbreaking quantum optimization algorithm purpose-built for solving real-world problems with complex constraints. Developed in-house by Aqarios, FlexQAOA is now fully integrated into the Luna platform and available to academic and commercial plan users.

Unlike conventional QAOA approaches that require constraints to be approximated using penalties and auxiliary variables, FlexQAOA embeds constraints directly into the quantum circuit. It leverages XY-Mixers for one-hot assignments and Indicator Functions for inequality bounds, enabling efficient, structure-aware optimization with reduced overhead and higher solution quality.

FlexQAOA has been successfully applied to challenging industrial scenarios, delivering clear performance advantages over other quantum-based methods.

For a full breakdown of the algorithm, architecture, and benchmark results, read our in-depth blog post:

FlexQAOA – A Practical Quantum Approach to Solving Real-World Optimization Problems

Streamlined Model Building with AqModels

Building and executing optimization models in Luna is now faster and more intuitive than ever — thanks to AqModels, our new core modeling framework integrated directly into the SDK.

AqModels simplifies every step of the workflow: users can define, test, and adapt models directly in Python without needing external tools, formats, or libraries. Uploading standard formats like QUBO and LP are still supported, but no longer required.

Key benefits include:

• Native Model Definition: Build and edit models in a clean, Pythonic interface tailored for optimization tasks.
• Seamless Backend Execution: Automatically translate models into solver-specific formats for quantum, classical, or hybrid algorithms.
• Contextual Model Analysis: Go beyond variable assignments — Luna helps you understand constraints, structure, and solution validity through embedded metadata.
• End-to-End Workflow: Move from model to solution without switching tools, all within the Luna environment.

Explore the AqModels documentation or check out this quick-start example to see how it works in practice.

Redesigned Documentation for a Better Developer Experience

Alongside the Luna v1.0 release, we’re launching an all-new documentation portal — redesigned from the ground up to support developers, researchers, and technical teams as they explore and build with Luna.

The new Documentation offers offer:

• Clean, developer-friendly layout: Easy navigation and intuitive structure to find what you need, fast.
• Step-by-step tutorials & examples: Learn by doing — from first model definition to advanced solver workflows.
• Detailed API reference: Everything you need to integrate Luna into your tools, pipelines, or research environment.

You can explore the updated documentation here.

The new LunaDocs combine clean structure with hands-on examples — shown here: defining a model using AqModels.

Beyond the headline features, Luna v1.0 includes a range of additional enhancements under the hood — from backend performance upgrades and improved job handling to tighter integration of classical and hybrid solvers. These refinements improve execution speed, stability, and scalability across a broad set of use cases.

Built for Industry, Research, and Innovation

Luna v1.0 is designed to bring quantum-powered optimization into real-world workflows — enabling users to solve practical problems, run scalable experiments, and deliver meaningful results, even without deep quantum expertise.

Whether it’s enterprise innovation teams optimizing supply chains, academic researchers testing new algorithms, or independent developers exploring hybrid solvers — Luna provides a flexible and accessible foundation that adapts to diverse needs.

By focusing on usability, integration, and performance, the platform continues to bridge the gap between theoretical potential and practical impact.

Luna v1.0 Is Available Now

The full release of Luna v1.0 is now live and accessible to all users. If you’re already using Luna, the upgrade has been rolled out automatically — just make sure to update your local SDK to access the latest features.

New users can sign up here to get started with quantum-powered optimization .

Luna v1.0 also includes native support for FlexQAOA, our new quantum algorithm for solving constrained real-world optimization problems. You can learn more about the approach and its performance in our FlexQAOA deep dive. First real-world case studies with FlexQAOA are already underway and will be published soon.

Want to see how Luna can help you solve real optimization challenges? Get in touch with us — we’re happy to explore your use case together.

About Aqarios

Aqarios, headquartered in Munich, Germany, is a leading provider of quantum computing solutions across industries such as energy, aerospace, logistics, finance, manufacturing and many more. The company delivers advanced quantum software that focuses on optimization, machine learning, and simulation, offering practical tools that address critical business challenges. Aqarios has collaborated with globally recognized organizations to deliver tailored quantum solutions that drive efficiency and innovation.

Founded in 2021 by three professors and seasoned business professionals, Aqarios is a spin-off from the QAR-Lab at LMU Munich, a globally renowned hub for quantum computing research that ranks among the world’s top quantum computing institutes. With nearly a decade of experience in quantum applications, Aqarios is at the forefront of quantum innovation, leveraging its deep expertise to bridge the gap between theoretical quantum research and real-world applications.