Expected Outcomes
• At least two pilot lines for quantum chips, resulting in enhanced infrastructure capable of high-yield production of quantum chips, integrating various technologies.
• Sustainable pilot lines open to European stakeholders, including SMEs and start-ups, across the whole value chain, from materials to applications, enabling technologies, and thereby creating a community of interest for those technologies.
• Advanced manufacturing techniques and integration processes tailored to the needs of the quantum industry, aiming for significant improvements in production stability and yield rates, contributing to a more reliable supply chain for quantum chips in Europe.
• A sustainable and open-access pilot line framework, significantly boosting the innovation capacity in quantum chip technologies and providing a competitive advantage to the European ecosystem.
• Enhanced collaboration and innovation within the European quantum ecosystem, fostering long-term growth and development in the sector.
• Demonstrated ability to transition from pilot production to industrial-scale manufacturing, ensuring the commercial viability of new quantum technologies.
The pilot lines can be physically located at one or distributed over several hosting sites. A hosting site is the physical facility at which a hosting entity will host a pilot line and which is established in a Participating State that is a Member State. Proposals shall include the members that will host and develop the pilot lines for the whole duration of the SGAs.
Collaborative efforts should be clearly outlined, demonstrating how the pilot lines will build on European quantum initiatives and contribute to the broader quantum technology ecosystem.
This includes synergies and cooperation with the experimental pilot lines QU-PILOT and QUTEST of the Quantum Flagship Initiative, for R&D support, and leveraging competencies across Europe to enhance the pilot lines’ capabilities and outputs.
Proposals should exhibit a robust collaboration framework that integrates efforts across academia, industry including SMEs and start-ups, and existing quantum initiatives. Successful consortia should look for collaborations and synergies with other quantum technology projects and pilot lines. Consortia should promote the reusability of developed enabling technologies and methods, enhance the scalability of solutions, and foster a cohesive and innovative quantum technology landscape across Europe.
The pilot lines should aim to significantly accelerate industrialization and time-to-market resulting in a competitive advantage for the European quantum chips ecosystem. Proposals should also develop concrete industrialization plans, providing a roadmap for the transfer of elements or all of the process technology to industrial partners in their deployment of massproduction facilities.
Proposals should include for the FPA an overall plan for the development of this pilot line subdivided in phases and explaining for each phase the objectives, expected results, the needs in terms of equipment, estimates of required person months.
Proposals should clearly highlight important milestones and identify quantum specific, and ambitious KPIs (e.g. yield, quality of the quantum chips, reliability, reproducibility, high performance, and scalability of the production, etc…) that shall be met during the implementation of the pilot line. Technology and manufacturing process risk management plans for realistic and time-bound implementation should be also included in the proposals.
- Call Closed21 January 2025 (17:00 GMT+1)
