12 November 2025 — Copenhagen brought together Europe’s quantum community this November for the European Quantum Technologies Conference 2025, held under Denmark’s EU Council Presidency. With the EU Quantum Strategy now adopted and the EU Quantum Act on the horizon, the event marked a decisive moment for science, policy, and industry.
Across keynotes, panels, and informal exchanges, one message resonated clearly: Europe holds world-class expertise in quantum science yet still faces barriers in turning research excellence into industrial leadership. The continent’s universities and startups are leading in innovation, but when it comes to patents, private capital, and market-ready products, Europe continues to fall behind the United States and China.
European leaders including Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy at the European Commission, and Danish Minister for Higher Education and Science Christina Egelund, called for closer cooperation between research, industry, and government. Their message was clear and direct: Europe must move faster, act with a unified voice, and create the conditions for industrial scaling. Success will require not only sustaining scientific excellence, which Europe already has with many Nobel laureates and innovative startups, but also building a real market pull, reducing regulatory fragmentation, and giving researchers and industry the time and resources to develop quantum solutions.
QBN was represented in Copenhagen by our Quantum Technology Manager, Haissam Hanafi, together with a diverse group of QBN members from across Europe’s quantum ecosystem: Alice & Bob, DESY, Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI, IQM Quantum Computers, Jij Inc., kiutra, Kvantify, Pasqal, QAI Ventures, Qblox, QUDORA Technologies, Quantinuum, Quantum Delta NL, Single Quantum, and Sparrow Quantum. This mix of startups, scale-ups, and established research and technology organisations illustrated the depth and breadth of Europe’s quantum innovation, and highlighted the collaborative spirit needed to translate scientific excellence into industrial-scale solutions.
The discussions in Copenhagen reinforced priorities that have long shaped QBN’s work: tackling fragmentation, stimulating private investment, and helping quantum research translate into industrial applications. QBN brings together stakeholders across the value chain to turn innovation into impact — connecting technology developers, investors, end users, and policymakers to accelerate market adoption and build a sustainable quantum industry for Europe, the Aisa Pacific region, and beyond.
EQTC 2025 was a timely reminder that Europe already has the foundation for a strong quantum economy. What is needed now is collective action and a shared commitment to scale, collaborate, and commercialise. Working together across borders and disciplines, Europe can turn its quantum excellence into long-term industrial strength.
If your organisation wants to contribute to this journey and help shape Europe’s quantum future, connect with QBN and be part of a community driving the next phase of quantum innovation and its economy: Contact us.
Media contact:
Mila Korunovska
Marketing & Event Manager
+49 176 8499 6747
m.korunovska@qbn.world
www.qbn.world
