India, April 27 -- It's not a bullet point that appears many resumes, let alone one belonging to a teenager: "Utilized quantum computing to discover a molecule that could revolutionize water treatment."

But that's exactly what Diana Virgovicova accomplished at age 17 when she modelled a molecule that can eliminate pollutants from water when exposed to sunlight.

Originally from Slovakia, Virgovicova later made her way to the University of Toronto to study computer engineering on a Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship and founded Xatoms, a startup using quantum computing and AI to discover water-purifying molecules in an effort to solve a long-standing global health problem.

"We want to be the leading water purification company in...