EQTC 2023: Europe’s quantum sector to showcase research, business successes

Energized by the growing momentum in Europe’s quantum technology sector, stakeholders from across the quantum ecosystem will converge in Hannover Oct. 16-20 to hear the latest about research breakthroughs, funding, business launches and opportunities and the pathway to Europe’s leadership in the global quantum industry.

Organized by the EC’s Quantum Flagship and Quantum Valley Lower Saxony (QVLS), the European Quantum Technologies Conference (EQTC) will feature more than two-dozen plenary presentations and panel discussions, and more than 140 speakers on the successes and challenges for the EU’s quantum sector. Sessions will showcase developments in the four scientific pillars of the Quantum Flagship and the European ecosystem founded in basic science: communications, computation, simulation, and sensing and metrology.

“Not only is basic research booming in quantum technologies but the first approaches and prototypes for applications are already being tested worldwide,” said Michèle Heurs, co-chair of the EQTC Organizing Committee and head of the Quantum Control research group at Leibniz University Hannover. “This field is already of vast relevance to our everyday life – and this influence may exponentially grow in the future.”

Other presentations will highlight examples of quantum applications already transferred to European industry, updates on some of the EU’s most promising quantum start-ups and the future outlook for the sector.

“Quantum is a game-changer for Europe,” said Dr. Gustav Kalbe, acting director, digital excellence & scientific infrastructures at the EC’s Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology. “EQTC 2023 is the platform to showcase Europe's expertise and leadership in the quantum field and the increasing interrelation and coordination among the multiple components of this promising, fast-growing sector.”

Building momentum
Several areas of success highlight momentum generated in a short period of time since the 2021 EQTC gathering, during which goals in many critical categories were agreed. For example, a Quantum Flagship key-performance indicator review, which measured 2022 progress towards meeting 2030 goals, found noteworthy performance in various categories:

• Quantum ecosystem venture-capital, seed funding and EU public investment increased 18.6 percent to €408 million from €344 million in 2021, to reach 40.8 percent of the 2030 goal of €1 billion.
• Ramp-up of quantum start-ups, spinoffs, incubators and accelerators, as well as public/private joint ventures in Europe, increased 20.25 percent to 95 in 2022 from 79 in 2021, reaching 38 percent of the 2030 goal of 250.
• Number of complementary subsystems that advance the state of the art and are necessary for quantum communications networks or to build a quantum Internet increased from two to five – one-fourth of the 2030 goal.
• Connected European metropolitan areas and secure quantum key distribution (QKD) nodes that are integrated with a commercial telecom infrastructure increased from one metro area with eight nodes to 15 areas with 10 nodes each.
• In a measure of growing market readiness, five different (publicly known) product or service classes or use cases based on quantum sensors were developed by European companies and sold to European companies in 2022, up from three the previous year and reaching one-fourth of the 2030 target.

“These results, and more that will be made public in the coming months when our survey’s reach expands, show Europe’s quantum sector is vital, vibrant and focused on realistic goals established by Quantum Flagship,” said Philippe Grangier, coordinator of the Quantum Flagship CSA QUCATS. "They also confirm progress in structuration throughout the sector that is required for it to grow holistically, as it supplements research with applications and solutions for industry."

The conference will feature policy-making sessions along with almost 40 exhibits by companies, Quantum Flagship initiatives and European research centers. A blend of high-level and research-rich presentations plus multiple panel discussions on top-of-mind quantum topics and challenges will include Quantum Flagship presentations of progress since the previous EQTC in 2021.

For example, sessions on Oct. 17, will include a select panel on “European Leadership in Quantum Technologies” and presentations on successes featuring quantum computing & simulation and quantum communication. A panel on Oct. 18, “Presentation and Discussion of the Quantum Flagship’s Strategic Research and Industry Agenda (SRIA)”, will preview some of the changes, challenges, and thinking behind the upcoming edition of the SRIA. Managed by the Flagship, the report’s goal is the coordination and alignment of strategies and roadmaps of the EU’s main stakeholders in quantum technologies.

“This eagerly awaited report is the result of the hard work by a large number of Europe’s basic research and industry experts,” said panel moderator Salvatore Cinà of CEA (QUCATS partner). “Our panel will include insights into the main challenges that the SRIA report addresses and how it will impact the future strategy of the EU in quantum technologies.” The updated SRIA report is expected to be released by year-end.

Organizers at EQTC, Europe’s official quantum gathering, are expecting approximately 700 participants at the event. “This edition of the EQTC is designed to let Europe and the global quantum sector see and hear why Europe is a world leader in quantum,” said Grangier. “The Quantum Flagship is now embedded within many other EU actions to develop quantum science and technology, create quantum systems units (QSU), industry transfers and quantum infrastructures, while boosting applications and adoption by industry.”