What I have heard and seems was considered "common knowledge" about a year ago was that the founder embezzled the money. His VCs considered suing, but decided it was just too messy. I'm not joking, something about some seriously extravagant vacations and a house renovation all paid right out of the company's bank account.
Very early in the life of the company they have undertaken some pretty dishonest accounting of their revenues, net retention and other key metrics. The CFO resigned after the first reporting quarter.
I have a strong feeling there is more to this character than just the recycling of virtue filled business models.
Looks like the project has gone quiet pretty quickly, at least in comparison to the amount of Twitter traffic from some of the people who left npm to start it.
Last PR was closed almost a month ago, same pattern with the Discourse. Issues are largely unanswered.
I've met the founder or D-Wave and have known them casually over the last few years. Few people epitomize scam artist and scientific buffoonery quite as much as this person.
They are now on to their 2nd or 3rd post-D-Wave company and each time they have taken on massive funding rounds at large valuations and then have moved on to form a new company. Call me old fashioned, but something doesn't smell right.
I hope D-Wave, Rigetti and others can move our field forward, but this company more than any other feels like a big shell game.