Quantum meets Semiconductors QBN brought quantum hardware developers, semiconductor specialists, equipment suppliers, researchers and policymakers together at Fraunhofer IPMS in Dresden on 7–8 October 2026. The Scaling of Quantum Chips workshop connected technical bottlenecks with the industrial conditions needed to overcome them. A recurring finding was that progress in individual devices must be matched by progress in manufacturing, testing, infrastructure and commercial deployment. Scaling plans must cover the entire quantum computing system. Hardware and algorithm teams need to align their requirements through co-design. Packaging, control electronics and, where required, cryogenics must influence processor design and fabrication from the outset. These dependencies require developers to involve suppliers early. A processor that becomes more demanding to connect, cool or test can shift the scaling bottleneck into another part of the system. The manufacturing goal must be consistent performance across larger numbers of processors and systems. A single “hero device” cannot demonstrate that. Developers and manufacturers must assess performance variation and the share of devices meeting requirements. Characterisation results must feed back into fabrication and system design, so the process improves the consistency of subsequent devices. Testing must develop into a repeatable industrial process. Automated characterisation requires integrated measurement workflows. Hardware teams, test providers and, where needed, cryogenics specialists must coordinate equipment, measurement sequences and operating conditions. Test throughput must match planned production volumes. For cryogenic systems, cooling must support rapid measurement cycles during development and be expandable as operational systems grow. The semiconductor industry is an important partner in addressing these challenges. Both communities must identify which established manufacturing and testing methods suit quantum requirements and where adaptation is necessary. Business leaders and engineers must work from the same assumptions about performance, cost and realistic production volumes. Manufacturing and business models must reflect these conditions; conventional semiconductor economies of scale cannot simply be assumed for quantum hardware. Europe needs financing and infrastructure access that support the transition to industrial production. Funding bodies and investors must address the capital required between development and deployment. Infrastructure providers must establish practical access to the fabrication, design and testing capabilities companies need. Research organisations, suppliers and facility operators must coordinate existing strengths around concrete industrial requirements. Customer demand must guide that development. Suppliers and industrial users need to define the performance, reliability and operating conditions an application requires, and assess usability and cost against the intended customer’s needs. A technically capable system must address a defined customer problem and be practical to operate. QBN will continue this work through its Working Group Quantum Computing & Applications. Get in touch with QBN to explore quantum opportunities for your business and connect with the right expertise and partners.

On September 29, 2026, NATO officially released its Quantum Technology Roadmap. This framework builds upon the inaugural 2023 NATO Quantum Strategy, providing an actionable blueprint to systematically transition of quantum technologies into operational deployment across land, air, sea, cyber and space domains. For defence decision-makers, industrial leaders and deep-tech innovators across Allied nations, the publication of this roadmap underscores a clear imperative: maintaining technological superiority requires clear adoption pathways, robust dual-use industrial capacity and standardisation across Allied forces. Aim of the Roadmap The primary aim of NATO’s Quantum Technology Roadmap is to make NATO and Allied armed forces “quantum-ready” by establishing a synchronised, Alliance-wide transition plan. Accelerate Adoption & Capability Development: Shorten the timeline between technological breakthroughs in quantum physics and their practical deployment in military operations. Ensure Operational Freedom of Action: Secure critical command, control and communication networks against quantum-enabled adversarial capabilities. Drive Interoperability & Harmonised Standards: Prevent fragmentation across Allied military architectures by aligning testing, validation and standardisation protocols. Protect the Allied Ecosystem: Safeguard intellectual property, critical supply chains and sovereign industrial capacity from strategic competitors and unauthorised technological leakage. Scope of the Roadmap: Technologies, Governance and Phased Execution The scope of the roadmap encompasses the entire lifecycle of quantum technologies, spanning research and prototyping to full-scale acquisition and cross-domain operational integration. Technology Domains Quantum Sensing & Metrology (PNT): Deploying high-precision sensors and atomic clocks to enable accurate position, navigation and timing in GPS-denied, underwater or electronic warfare environments. Quantum Communications & Safe Cryptography: Securing military communication channels through the rapid adoption of Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) and quantum-resistant network architectures. Quantum Computing & Simulation: Utilising advanced computational systems for complex logistics, tactical simulation, materials science and situational awareness optimisation. Execution & Governance Scope Phased Lines of Effort (LoE): The roadmap structures activities into adaptive phases, from identification and experimentation through pilot evaluations to operational adoption. Key milestones include regular prototyping, ongoing ACT Innovation Continuum evaluations and initial comparative assessments beginning in 2027. Institutional Coordination: Implementation is distributed across key NATO entities: Allied Command Transformation (ACT): Lead for use case identification, experimentation and operational piloting. Allied Command Operations (ACO): Defining operational requirements that drive procurement and force integration. Science and Technology Organisation (STO) & NCIA: Conducting research, field trials and establishing an Alliance-wide Quantum Standards Roadmap by 2029. NATO Transatlantic Quantum Community (TQC): Facilitating structured alignment between national authorities, researchers and the defence industry.   Complementary Efforts: QBN WG QDS While institutional bodies like NATO shape high-level doctrines and capability architectures, the commercialisation, industrial capacity and supply chain resilience required to deliver these systems rely on a strong European and transatlantic industrial base. To support this bridge between defence requirements and dual-use technological availability, the QBN Working Group Quantum Technologies for Defence & Security (WG QDS) operates as a high-trust, triple-helix platform bringing together ministries of defence, military stakeholders, prime integrators and leading quantum innovators. Focus Areas of WG QDS: Requirement Translation: Mapping real-world defence needs onto existing and emerging quantum hardware and software capabilities. Interoperability & Deployment: Defining structured adoption roadmaps to address procurement bottlenecks, field testing, supply chain security and dual-use scalability. Institutional Alignment: Maintaining long-term strategic engagement with NATO and relevant Ministries of Defence across Allied nations. As an active member of the NATO Transatlantic Quantum Community Industry Network (NATO TQC IN), QBN ensures that the industrial expertise, supply chain realities and scaling challenges of commercial quantum developers directly inform sovereign security objectives and Alliance-wide adoption strategies.   Further Reading To explore how defence spend targets, strategic partnerships and innovation initiatives intersect with the European and transatlantic quantum ecosystem, explore our related coverage: NATO Releases Quantum Technology Roadmap (Official NATO Text) NATO Releases News Announcement on the Quantum Technology Roadmap NATO Strategy for Quantum Technologies (Initial Strategy) QBN Helps Accelerate Quantum Readiness for Defence at NATO DIANA / German Defence Innovation Day Key Insights from the NATO Summit in Ankara: Decisions That Matter for Quantum and Deep Tech NATO Rapid Action & 5% Defence Spending Plan: Accelerating Commercialisation and Adoption Bridging the Gap to Tomorrow’s Defence Needs: QBN Presents at BWI Industry Days

QBN took part in the IAA TRANSPORTATION 2026 in Hannover on 16 September to build connections between the transportation sector and the quantum industry. Its contribution to the IAA.prototype.club programme explored how quantum technologies could address industrial needs and where industrial expertise could support the development of quantum systems. In his talk ‘The Quantum-Ready Enterprise’, Haissam Hanafi explored use cases across the transportation sector. He discussed how post-quantum cryptography can help protect communications, quantum computing could shorten planning processes, and quantum sensing could help assess batteries for reuse. The examples covered different stages of maturity, with practical value depending on the requirements of each application. QBN connects these industrial questions with the expertise of its members, helping companies identify relevant applications and find partners to explore them. This includes industrial users considering quantum technologies as well as suppliers looking to contribute their components or engineering capabilities. Get in touch with QBN to explore quantum opportunities for your business and connect with the right expertise and partners.