  In this paper we explore the use of quantum machine learning (QML) applied to
credit scoring for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME). A
quantum/classical hybrid approach has been used with several models, activation
functions, epochs and other parameters. Results are shown from the best model,
using two quantum classifiers and a classical neural network, applied to data
for companies in Singapore. We observe significantly more efficient training
for the quantum models over the classical models with the quantum model trained
for 350 epochs compared to 3500 epochs for comparable prediction performance.
Surprisingly, a degradation in the accuracy was observed as the number of
qubits was increased beyond 12 qubits and also with the addition of extra
classifier blocks in the quantum model. Practical issues for executing on
simulators and real quantum computers are also explored. Overall, we see great
promise in this first in-depth exploration of the use of hybrid QML in credit
scoring.
