The NATO Allied Heads of State and Government endorsed the Rapid Action Adoption Plan (RAAP) on 25 June 2025 at the NATO Summit in The Hague – following almost all of QBN’s recommendations to maintain its strategic edge, NATO will adopt its innovation and procurement cycles and make them more agile, faster and more efficient.      As the European quantum ecosystem stands ready to make a difference on civil and defence applications of quantum, QBN took up the lead in contributing to the ongoing efforts within NATO to formulate a RAAP. The Quantum Business Network (QBN), the global industry network for quantum technologies, therefore has – in consultation with its members – compiled some of the most pressing challenges and identified recommendations on how to speed up NATO’s innovation cycle, specifically for the functional deployment of key technologies such as quantum.   Quantum is key to a secure and sovereign Europe  As key enabling technology, quantum technologies are crucial for modern defence, enabling secure communications, advanced sensing, and unmatched computing and situational awareness capabilities. NATO’s Quantum Strategy reflects this notion prioritising quantum technologies due to their implications for defence and security, providing capabilities that are unparalleled to technology that is currently available to the alliance and that could constitute a significant strategic and operational advantage. As a member of NATO’s Transatlantic Quantum Community, QBN represents and orchestrates Europe’s efforts making the defence sector quantum ready while accelerating technological advancements, and the development and adoption of civil applications.  NATO’s 5% Defence Spending – Europe and the Quantum Industry is ready  The EU and Europe’s NATO members are moving fast to gear up its defence spending with € 800 bn extra investment in defence and military capabilities from the EU, Germany’s special funds of €500 bn for defence and the NATO’s agreement on increased defence spending of 5% of GDP (3,5% for defence, 1.5% for infrastructure).  Now is up to us to position the EU as key driver strengthening NATO’s innovation roadmap. Current bottlenecks throughout the innovation & procurement systems are well-documented, including fragmented innovation ecosystems, a lack of field tests, complex procurement, and funding challenges – all of which risk slowing progress. The NATO RAAP will address these now.  NATO Rapid Action Adoption Plan – key facts  The RAAP aims to accelerate the alliance’s adoption of new technological products to a maximum of 24 months. The alliance’s vision is to win the technology adoption race by embracing a new mindset and a better approach to defence innovation, and taking decisive steps to find and foster the best technologies in the Alliance, test, and be able to adopt them at the speed of relevance. NATO will support Allies to:  Accelerate procurement and integration   De-risk new technological products      The implementation of the RAAP will align the alliance’s innovation agenda with the NDPP capability targets. It is driven by allies and considers the risks inherent in innovation and rapid adoption processes to iterate, fail fast, and reward agility and flexibility.  QBN very much welcomes the RAAP leveraging the EU’s Defence and Quantum Ecosystem  We consider the NATO’s RAAP as a great success of QBN’s efforts to identify and implement the biggest leverages to accelerate quantum innovation along the entire value chain, from the lab to world-class products to real-world industry applications and their successful market adoption.  However, while the RAAP tackles many general deeptech challenges significantly improving the ability for quantum start-ups and other deeptech innovation drivers to participate in the procurement and adoption process and thus, include dual-use applications in their business strategy, it does not seize the full potential of the European Quantum Ecosystem. It is once again up to the EU, its Quantum Industry and QBN and its members to unleash the full potential of quantum technologies.  QBN will keep its members updated on new developments and opportunities, and together with our members we will continue our efforts collaborating with NATO, the European Commission and other key stakeholders. We systematically identify barriers, gaps and opportunities, advise decision makers from governments and end-user enterprises on quantum strategies and their implementation and holistically support our members to build a thriving quantum economy for a sovereign, secure and competitive future.  QBN is proud to contribute to NATOs efforts since almost 4 years now from its Quantum Strategy to the Transatlantic Quantum Community and now the Rapid Action Adoption Plan. More to come.     Acknowledgment  A big thank you to our QBN members for their contributions and ongoing support, as well as to NATO’s Innovation Division, the Science and Technology Organization (STO), and all other partners who have played a vital role in shaping this milestone achievement.   Images:   NATO, QBN 

The Quantum Business Network (QBN) successfully kicked off the Quantum week in Munich with a meeting of the QBN Working Group Photonic Quantum Technologies on 23 June, hosted by attocube systems in Munich-Haar. The invite-only gathering brought together a diverse group of QBN members: from developers and integrators to end-users and researchers, for focused discussions on photonic building blocks for quantum technologies including photonic quantum computing, quantum sensing, and quantum communication.  The presentation and discussions included integrated photonics, light sources, detectors, and cryogenic solutions. As with all QBN WG meetings, the exchange was shaped by openness, mutual support, and a shared ambition to accelerate progress in the quantum industry. Participants explored concrete ways to support each other, share resources, and align efforts across the supply chain to strengthen the ecosystem as a whole.  The meeting offered not only insights into current technical developments but also a platform to connect with potential partners and identify shared needs. A guided tour through attocube’s NanoFactory and an informal get-together at Atomic Kitchen rounded off the day.  All presentations are exclusively available to QBN members via the QBN Portal.  QBN thanks attocube systems and all participants and speakers for their contributions to what was a purposeful and motivating start to the week. The Working Group PQT is set to drive photonics as both quantum enabling technology and quantum technology.  Learn more about the WG PQT: QBN WG Photonic Quantum Technologies

Munich, July 2, 2025 – The European Commission today published its new Quantum Strategy, setting a clear direction for Europe’s role in advancing quantum infrastructure, enabling industrial adoption, and strengthening technological sovereignty.   “As quantum science moves from lab to real-world application, Europe must maintain its leadership,” said Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy. “We have everything we need to become a leading quantum continent, from a highly skilled workforce to a robust research infrastructure.”  The strategy also marks a success for QBN and its Community, as it reflects many of the extensive contributions submitted during the consultation process, including whitepapers outlining Europe’s pathway to a successful quantum economy, in-depth expertise on quantum technologies for defence developed in collaboration with NATO, targeted reports on emerging fields such as diamond and photonic quantum technologies, as well as industry reports and broader expert feedback from the Community.  The strategy outlines five key priorities for action: advancing research and innovation, building scalable quantum infrastructures including six pilot lines for chip production, strengthening the industrial ecosystem with startup support and supply chain resilience, integrating quantum technologies in space, defence, and security, and establishing a pan-European skills initiative, including a dedicated Quantum Skills Academy to launch in 2026. It also includes the creation of a European Quantum Design Facility and a pilot initiative for the European Quantum Internet.  Notably, by 2040 the global quantum sector is expected to exceed a value of €155 billion and create thousands of highly skilled jobs across the EU. The Strategy also aims to boost Europe’s share of global private quantum investment, currently at around 5%.  QBN’s extensive input and contributions, combined with a long-term, collaborative relationship with the European Commission, have been instrumental to shaping the new EU Quantum Strategy. Representing over 100 key international organisations across the four quantum pillars, QBN and its members actively shared challenges, identified needs, and proposed concrete measures to support the growth of Europe’s quantum sector. The key Strategy’s components from building scalable quantum infrastructures and boosting startup growth, to advancing industrial adoption and establishing a coordinated quantum skills agenda closely reflect the input provided by QBN and its committed members during the consultation process with the ultimate goal of ensuring and fostering a thriving EU quantum ecosystem.  Importantly, while the Strategy sets a strong direction toward market-ready applications and industrial leadership, it leaves room for greater clarity when it comes to implementation, particularly in bridging the gap between scientific excellence and commercial adoption. Concrete mechanisms such as public-private partnerships, dedicated procurement incentives, and structured technology transfer frameworks will be essential to enable the full socio-economic potential of quantum technologies.  QBN is well positioned to help address this gap. Through our broad member industry base and ongoing strategic activities, we support startups in scaling, help corporates and governments develop quantum strategies and become quantum-ready, secure vital funding, and connect R&D with real-world applications. As implementation begins, we look forward to continuing this work – building partnerships, identifying challenges, and accelerating progress on industry adoption where it’s most needed.  QBN welcomes the new strategy, being aligned with the long-standing priorities of the broader European quantum industry.  We invite stakeholders from all sectors: industry, research, government, and investment – to join us in shaping the next phase of Europe’s quantum journey. Let us collaborate together on the process of building a sustainable, secure and resilient quantum European future.  You can download the new EU Quantum Strategy here: Factsheet_Quantum_Strategy.pdf You can download the Communication on the Quantum Europe Strategy here: Quantum_Europe_Strategy__final_doc_7SzpKuzc1iptYIlbq2vEjPFTM_117890

Munich, 01 July 2025 – The Quantum Business Network (QBN) reflects on a productive and engaging presence at this year’s edition of World of Quantum, held from 24–27 June in Munich, Germany. Over four days, QBN hosted a joint pavilion together with 11 of its valued members, creating a welcoming, collaborative hub that became a natural meeting point for the global quantum community. The spirit of the QBN Pavillion was one of trust, positiveness, and openness towards collaboration and innovation, which are also part of the values defining the QBN network. Visitors to the booth experienced the wide variety of the latest quantum breakthroughs produced by our valued QBN members, from computing and communication to sensing and enabling components. Reportedly, the booth was a platform for attracting high quality collaboration partners, leading meaningful discussions regarding potential strategic partnerships, and discussing potential job opportunities between the QBN community and the visitors. One full-stack quantum computing company alone recorded over 90 qualified contacts, with others shared similarly encouraging outcomes. German Government Engagement and Strategic Dialogue at the QBN Pavilion On Wednesday, 25 June, the QBN Joint Booth welcomed two high-level visits that underscored the growing alignment between the public sector and the quantum industry and marked a key moment for both QBN Members and their visitors. First, Dr. Engelbert Beyer, Head of the “Technology-Oriented Research for Innovation” sub-department at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), stopped by for an insightful exchange with QBN CEO & Founder Johannes Verst and several co-exhibiting members. The conversations reflected a shared commitment to fostering innovation and advancing national support for quantum technologies, particularly through collaborative industry-driven approaches. Shortly after, the Bavarian Minister of Digital Affairs Dr. Fabian Mehring visited the joint QBN Booth. In a follow-up to their previous meeting at the IHK, Johannes Verst and Minister Mehring discussed the importance of strengthening collaboration across the Bavarian, German, and broader European quantum ecosystems, in particular focusing on the domains of private investment, commercialisation and the industry adoption of quantum technologies. Minister Mehring was also introduced to the 11 co-exhibiting QBN members, gaining first insights into their diverse capabilities but also challenges. The two governmental visits not only reflect the shared values of collaboration, innovation and real-world impact that define and drive the QBN Community, but they also reaffirm and strengthen QBN’s role in shaping a sustainable and resilient quantum future. VIP Networking Reception Driving the European Quantum’s Community Forward In the summer evening of June 25th, QBN hosted once again its remarkable and rare VIP networking gathering, bringing together renowned members and stakeholders of the QBN and the wider European quantum community ranging from quantum industry leaders to high level policymakers. The evening, kicked off by the welcoming speech of QBN’s CEO Johannes Verst and Marius Almstedt (Director Strategy & Growth, QAI Ventures), provided a unique space for the invitees to engage in relaxed yet meaningful conversations while enjoying the beautiful sunset summer views of Munich. The energy of the rooftop networking evening reflected the impact of the QBN community to the wider quantum ecosystem, namely through the strength of connections formed through our network. QBN once again special thanks gold sponsor QAI Ventures and Silver Sponsors Akhetonics and Quantum Art for their support in making this unique evening possible. Spotlight on QBN Members’ Expertise & Products On the third day of the World of Quantum, QBN hosted a dedicated speaking session for its co-exhibiting members on one of the main conference’s stages, providing a visibility platform for the insightful presentations of their latest product developments and industry applications. The session demonstrated the range and depth of solutions being developed within the QBN Community, also in return, highlighting QBN’s connector role between industries’ needs and quantum technological innovation. QBN’s Pavillion Collaborative Spirit and Global Engagement Throughout the whole week of the conference, the QBN Joint Booth welcomed international visitors and delegations from around the globe, including representatives from Montana, Singapore, and Israel with the conversations providing a fruitful ground for meaningful future partnerships. During the four days, the joint booth proved to be not only an exhibition space but a real platform for future collaboration, therefore reflecting the supportive and trusted environment QBN has cultivated across its community as well. The QBN team extends its warm thank you to all 11 co-exhibiting members and their respective representatives: Amsterdam Scientific Instruments Arquimea Research Center Classiq eleQtron Fraunhofer IIS IQM Quantum Computers Oxford Quantum Circuits (OQC) Pasqal Qilimanjaro Quantum Tech Qudora Technologies Twin Photonics We are also grateful to our valued member Akhetonics for its additional support by sponsoring the Joint Booth’s delicious catering for the entire duration of the event. Looking ahead, QBN is excited to welcome new members, committed to the advancement of quantum technologies and the building of a prosperous and resilient quantum economy. We remain dedicated to deepening the industry – focused activities with new and also established partners. The great success that QBN and its devoted Community had at the overall exhibition, reaffirmed the network’s core mission, namely to foster collaboration across different stakeholders and domains, accelerate the commersialisation, and drive the adoption of quantum technologies across Europe and beyond.   Follow QBN on LinkedIn, YouTube and subscribe to our monthly newsletter for all upcoming recaps and photos from the QBN Pavillion, the VIP Networking Reception and the QBN Speaking Session at the World of Quantum.