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Join the Quantum revolution

As part of QDNL’s Visitor’s Programme, Ziyan Zhang, a PhD researcher from the University of Amsterdam, visited both Telefónica and Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M). During the exchange, he explored how programmable quantum network protocols perform in realistic conditions.Specifically, he worked closely with both researchers and engineers using the quantum network emulator, Enreditto.  Together, they explored its potential to evaluate quantum position-verification protocols and how factors such as timing uncertainty, synchronisation errors, device limitations, and control-plane latency influence protocol performance. The visit also provided valuable insight into the hardware and software limitations that could affect protocol performance and deployment in future quantum networks.

Refining research through practical insight

Working with the team in Madrid on more practical applications opened a new line of thought for Ziyan, prompting him to refine assumptions made in his previous theoretical research.

“Part of my purpose for this visit was to strengthen the connection between my PhD research on programmable quantum networks, and practical quantum networking systems. Since much of my previous work has been theoretical or simulation-based, it was especially valuable to discuss ideas with researchers and engineers who already work directly with real quantum networking hardware and experimental platforms.”

Extending network collaboration

Ziyan’s visit helped him establish new connections with researchers and engineers from Telefónica and UC3M, bringing together expertise from both academic and industry perspectives - something those involved on both sides wish to continue. “We already have plans to continue the collaboration in three ways: further developing the emulator, refining the quantum position verification use case, and preparing a journal publication based on the work conducted during the visit,” adds Ziyan.The QDNL Visitor Programme supports knowledge exchanges to foster collaboration and accelerate innovation across Europe’s growing quantum ecosystem.

Article

Articles

Nathalie Thielen

Visitor's Programme Spotlight: PhD researcher Ziyan Zhang bridges quantum networking theory and practice

As part of the QDNL Visitor’s Programme, Simon Höfer, a PhD candidate at the Université Grenoble Alpes, Laboratoire d’Informatique de Grenoble (LIG), visited the University of Amsterdam. The purpose of his five-month-long visit was to collaborate with Florian Speelman on research into non-local quantum computation (NLQC), a key area for quantum position verification (QPV) and quantum cryptography. Their joint work explored the amount of entanglement required to perform distributed quantum operations and how this varied based on the type of quantum operation performed.During the visit, the pair developed new theoretical results that compare the complexity of different NLQC tasks. Their findings, which will appear in the upcoming paper, “Equivalence of non-local computation tasks beyond Clifford operations”, show that all single-qubit f-measure protocols have essentially equivalent entanglement costs.The collaboration also revealed that certain multi-qubit non-Clifford operations can be implemented nearly as efficiently as simpler quantum operations in this setting. The findings will help extend our understanding of the fundamental limits of quantum cryptography and could inform the design of future quantum communication protocols.Beyond the research, Simon also met with Llorenç Escolà Farràs, a leading researcher in quantum position verification. The visit and collaborations helped strengthen connections among experts working in this emerging field.The QDNL Visitor Programme supports knowledge exchanges to foster collaboration and accelerate innovation across Europe’s growing quantum ecosystem.

QDNL Visitor’s Programme Spotlight: Simon Höfer explores efficient NLQC implementations

We’ve recently expanded our team! We are honoured to introduce Cristina Cerioni, programme manager for Quantum Communications Infrastructure (QCI) and our catalyst programme in quantum communications (CAT-2), and Yanelle Stolwijk, senior policy advisor.

Throughout Cristina Cerioni’s expansive career, she has managed international programmes in diverse technology-driven environments, including space and security. Her experience also includes managing projects within academic and EU institutions. Cristina’s role at QDNL allows her to bring her vast international experience to the evolving field of quantum-secure communications and to contribute to Europe’s leadership in QCI.Professionally, she identifies as both an international programme manager and an executive holistic coach. Both of her career passions connect to her aspirations to build and maintain strong connections with people and companies in the Dutch quantum ecosystem. In particular, she explains that her interest in working in the quantum physics space stems from its connection between the scientific and the philosophical, including the potential to explain why and how we are all interconnected.

Advancing ecosystem connections

“I have always been fascinated by the connections that unite people, organisations, and ecosystems. Joining QDNL is an exciting opportunity to learn from the quantum community and contribute to a field that challenges us to think differently about innovation, collaboration, and our shared future."

Identifying strategic opportunities

Formerly a strategic advisor on quantum technology for the Dutch Ministry of Defence, and a graduate of both Radboud University and TU/e, Yanelle Stolwijk brings a merged technical and policy background in cryptology, quantum computing and quantum communication to her role at QDNL.Working with the strategy team, she is focused on identifying strategic opportunities and designing procedures that empower the Dutch quantum ecosystem, enable stronger national and international collaborations, and secure sustainable economic growth.

“QDNL is evolving and refocusing its role with the greater Dutch and European quantum ecosystems. I’m very pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to shaping both the strategic position of QDNL and its work, and the future of the quantum ecosystem as a whole."

Both Cristina and Yanelle’s work within QDNL contributes meaningfully to our next phase of growth, and we are excited to welcome them both to our team.We’re hiring! QDNL is recruiting additional roles within its core team.

QDNL welcomes two new hires

We’re pleased to announce the most recent addition to our Top Talent Initiative (TTI) programme: Talieh Ghiasi, Assistant Professor in the Department of Quantum Nanoscience at TU Delft.In her <a href="https://quspinlab.tudelft.nl/">QuSpin Lab</a>, she investigates and controls the interplay between charge, spin, magnetism, topology, and superconductivity at the quantum limit in nanoscale devices. By combining these effects, her team aims to develop quantum spintronic circuits with novel functionalities, useful for future low-power advanced operations and computing.  We spoke with Talieh about her approach to spintronics and how her research led her to the recognition in our Top Talent Initiative.

New quantum devices with novel spin-related functionalities

Talieh’s research focuses on developing new quantum devices with novel spin-related functionalities, based on graphene and atomically thin magnetic materials.“In spintronic devices, we typically use the quantum mechanical property of electrons, called spin, to transfer information”, she explains. “With this new generation of quantum spintronic devices, we aim to control the spin of electrons at the ultimate limits of confinement, corresponding to two, one, and zero dimensions.”When asked to explain further, she highlights the goal of creating electrically controlled quantum building blocks. These include spin filters, quantum dots, and spin readout elements that could contribute to future spin-based quantum technologies.

Putting her unique “spin” on upcoming projects

For Talieh, it’s essential not to treat quantum materials as passive systems. Instead, she and her team actively design and tailor their properties by stacking different atomically thin layers. This approach gives rise to novel phenomena, advanced functionalities, and new quantum-device concepts that are difficult to realise with conventional material platforms.

Making a lasting impact in the quantum ecosystem

Talieh hopes her work will expand the platform for quantum hardware. She notes that many of today&#039;s spin-qubit technologies rely on established semiconductor platforms, such as silicon or germanium. Her work, on the other hand, explores a complementary route based on 2D materials.“In the short term, we aim to demonstrate and benchmark 2D material heterostructures as quantum-device building blocks. We do this by developing graphene-based spin-selective channels, gate-defined quantum dots, and electrical methods to read out spin states. Establishing both the capabilities and limitations of such a novel material platform will be valuable for the broader quantum community.”In the longer term, she points out, this research could contribute to more energy-efficient quantum spintronic technologies. It could also strengthen connections within the Dutch quantum ecosystem by uniting expertise in materials, spintronics, nanofabrication, and qubit physics.

Talieh’s motivation comes from the idea of creating quantum functionality by design. She compares atomically thin materials to a “quantum Lego system.”

Rethinking materials with a “functionality by design” principle

“By stacking different layers, we can make electrons experience magnetism, spin-orbit coupling, superconductivity, or topology in a controlled way. This setup gives us a powerful playground to discover new physics and, potentially, new device concepts.”

Through her work, she highlights the need to improve existing platforms and asks if entirely new material systems might offer distinct advantages and unexplored opportunities. She hopes to bridge fundamental quantum spintronics research and future quantum technologies.

About the Top Talent Initiative

QDNL’s TTI programme is designed to support and accelerate the careers of exceptional early-stage quantum professionals in the Netherlands. The Top Talent Initiative helps promising researchers and innovators grow their impact, expand their networks, and contribute to the Dutch quantum ecosystem. Each selected talent receives funding, mentorship, and visibility within the national and international quantum community. This interview was condensed and edited for clarity.

Marike Boertien

Talieh Ghiasi selected for QDNL’s Top Talent Initiative

Results from the Quantum Solutions Forward Challenge in Life Sciences and Health

QDNL is pleased to showcase the first projects to receive funding under its Quantum Solutions Forward Challenge programme. The programme’s first open call invited applicants to create roadmaps for quantum solutions that will deliver real end user value in the life sciences and health industries.  In the initial stage, project leaders and partners are asked to conduct a feasibility study to evaluate their R&amp;D approach and the early-stage business opportunity, before investing heavily in R&amp;D. Grant recipients must complete this phase by December 31, 2026.

QDNL’s Quantum Solutions Forward Challenges are designed to enable researchers, industries, and end users to deepen their innovation potential and create value using quantum solutions made for the sectors of those end-users. This first call marks the beginning of a broader ambition to apply a challenge-based model across multiple sectors, ensuring that experts can co-develop ambitious, societally relevant solutions. The following projects are currently underway as part of the inaugural Quantum Solutions Forward Challenge.

A new challenge model that encourages industry collaboration

High failure rates and rising trial complexity have put drug R&amp;D productivity under pressure. A new collaboration between Leiden University (<a href="https://aqa.liacs.nl/">aQa</a> and <a href="https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/science/drug-research">LACDR</a>), SURF, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, TNO, CWI, and the University of Amsterdam, unites Dutch expertise in quantum software, generative AI, machine learning, and drug design, to address challenges in R&amp;D productivity and improve drug optimisation processes. While classical generative AI methods can support disease research, the results are often unreliable due to an inefficient ability to explore the astronomically large search space of molecules. Quantum computing may support far more accurate predictive modelling of molecular systems that are hard to compute with classical methods alone. This means that quantum computers could help generate prediction-improving datasets beyond the capabilities of classical computing models.  The proposed study considers both generative AI and machine learning approaches to find the chemically valid and synthesizable candidate molecules that have the potential to disrupt a disease pathway – a method known as Hit Identification. Success with this approach will mean faster drug design, discovery of new molecular families, fewer dead ends in the research phase, and improved credibility of in-silico drug discovery.

Quantum software development through generative AI and machine learning for drug discovery

Cardiovascular diseases are among the leading causes of death globally, and atherosclerosis is a major underlying condition. QT Sense, a fast-growing startup using quantum sensing to advance drug research, has partnered with the University Medical Centre Groningen (UMCG), an innovative research hospital, to address the rapid progression of cardiovascular disease.  The project proposal indicates that the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease can be better understood through the study of free radicals. Free radicals are atoms or groups of atoms with an unpaired electron that easily chemically reacts1. They are critical, yet poorly understood, factors in the rapid progression of atherosclerosis specifically.  The Cardio-Q project uses diamond-based quantum sensing to dynamically map free radical generation with nanoscale precision, improving the abilities to both predict complications and evaluate cardiovascular drug efficacy.

Cardio-Q: Quantum sensing for cardiovascular diagnosis and drug testing

The QS-BCMAP project focuses on the application of quantum sensing in the field of biomolecular condensates, enabling study of their chemical and structural dynamics at previously unstudied temporal and spatial resolution. The project is led by Leiden University under the direction of principal investigator Alireza Mashaghi and conducted in partnership with QT Sense. Quantum sensing is a non-invasive approach, allowing for real-time monitoring of cell components. Real-time monitoring through sensing offers more precise, reliable results compared to classical methods and has significant implications on understanding cellular organisation and enabling further innovation in disease diagnostics and drug discovery.  If successful, the project will establish the foundation for a larger R&amp;D effort to develop quantum-enabled analytical tools for the life sciences, opening new avenues for precision medicine and pharmaceutical advancement.

QS-BCMAP: Quantum sensing biomolecular condensates for medical and pharmaceutical applications

The Quantum Solutions Forward Challenge highlights the importance of user-centric projects and industry and research collaborations across the life sciences and health industry. Quantum technologies are opening new possibilities in biomedical research, diagnostics, and drug development, but their value must be tested with end users in realistic application contexts.

Advancing Dutch quantum and life science industry collaboration

Want to learn more?

First projects announced in Quantum Solutions Forward Challenge

During Quantum Meets 2026, the Research and Innovation Action Line within the QDNL programme hosted a pitch competition. Attendees and judges heard from six emerging voices in quantum innovation, showcasing their work across quantum computing, quantum networking and quantum sensing.Ultimately, Elisa Pioldi, a PhD student in post-quantum cryptography at the Eindhoven University of Technology, delivered the winning pitch – wowing both the judges and fellow researchers with her comprehensive research, confidence and professionalism.Following her successful pitch, we asked Elisa about her research and the value of pitching in competitions like these.  Could you describe your research in your own words and what led you to this field of study?Many of today&#039;s building blocks for secure communication methods, commonly known as &quot;cryptography&quot;, are based on mathematical problems that are labelled as &quot;hard&quot;. This means that even supercomputers would take millennia to solve them.The advent of quantum computers, which are expected to solve these hard problems quickly, poses a threat to the privacy and security currently ensured by classical cryptography. If quantum computers can solve the hard problems on which classical cryptography relies, then the building blocks of secure communication are compromised.This is where my research comes in: we have to change the way we do cryptography. We need to base it on problems that are considered &quot;hard&quot; even for quantum computers. This is what is called &quot;post-quantum cryptography&quot;, which is resistant to attacks from quantum computers.In particular, I focus on &quot;protocols&quot;, which are not just these building blocks, but also the complex interactions between them and the different actors involved.

"It was love at first sight with cryptography. I have always enjoyed solving puzzles and enigmas, as well as reading and writing mystery stories. Cryptography is the perfect intersection of these interests with mathematics and computer security."

How many times have you pitched your work to an audience, and what is something you have learned from the pitch process?I have spoken about my research many times, but this was the first time I had to &quot;pitch&quot; it.However, I adopted the same process I do with all presentations. I don&#039;t try to explain everything, but I try to help my audience understand everything I say (and enjoy it in the process!). To do this successfully, I usually adopt a narrative style, like telling a story, and enrich it with graphics and animations.

"When doing this kind of outreach, where the audience is broad (rather than being highly technical), I imagine explaining my work to my parents, who do not have a mathematical or technical background. If they can understand my pitch, then I know I am doing it right."

I am always excited to talk about my research, especially when I feel it could have an impact on the people listening. Every speaking opportunity is a chance to enrich someone&#039;s knowledge about what I do and what I am passionate about, and I always try to convey my enthusiasm through the way I speak.What do you see as the value of these types of pitch “competitions”?Researchers often focus mainly on the technical details of their work when giving talks, assuming that the audience already has the necessary background. Therefore, they spend little time on the broader context.Competitions encourage researchers to rethink this approach. In particular, pitch competitions with a broad audience push contestants to explain the context and importance of their research, rather than simply presenting the latest technical results.Science needs to be communicated beyond the research community in order to grow and have a broader impact. Making it accessible to people outside the field is just as important as sharing it with experts. QDNL is pleased to support programmes that encourage ongoing dialogue and open new opportunities for both emerging and established researchers.

PhD student Elisa Pioldi wins pitch competition at Quantum Meets 2026

The Centre for Quantum and Society (CQS), in collaboration with QDNL and Leiden University, has released a new vision paper titled &quot;From Quantum Enthusiasm to Quantum Engagement.&quot; The paper contends that as quantum technologies approach practical use, communication should shift from merely generating awareness to actively building public trust, fostering dialogue, and enabling meaningful engagement. Led by Dr. ir. Julia Cramer, head of the Quantum and Society group, the jointly authored paper reflects on the importance of interweaving doing science communication with researching it for maximum impact and responsibility. The publication addresses essential questions: What exactly are we communicating about quantum technologies, and, more importantly, why? Are communications intended to boost hype, or are they fostering public understanding and developing a workforce that can sustain the future quantum ecosystem? “If we believe quantum technologies have the potential to transform encryption, influence geopolitics and revolutionise medicine, then we also have a responsibility to engage society while the technology is still shapeable,” the authors write. Diederick Croese, director of the Centre for Quantum and Society, highlighted the strategic contribution of this initiative as it represents a step towards priming societal readiness and giving it the same rigour as technological readiness.

“Communicating the close connection between quantum innovation and its societal impact makes it more accessible to a broad audience. We want people to have the tools to understand both how the technology works and, on a deeper level, why it matters.”

Rather than relying on the traditional “deficit model” of science communication—which assumes that public scepticism stems from a lack of knowledge and can be addressed by providing more information—the paper argues for an evidence-based, participatory approach. Research shows that increasing scientific literacy alone does not necessarily build trust or public support.Instead, the authors call for communication that enables genuine dialogue. The public does not simply need an explanation of quantum physics. People need opportunities to discuss how quantum technologies affect society and to feel genuinely included in these conversations.The paper also stresses the value of expertise beyond the natural sciences. Insights from communication science, anthropology, philosophy, social sciences, and the arts can help create approaches that resonate widely and support responsible innovation.

Building towards public engagement

The vision paper proposes three core approaches for making communication around QS&amp;T more effective in driving public engagement:<ul><li>A shared language: developing communication that moves beyond technical jargon towards a model based on trust, agency and shared inquiry, enabling more people to participate in democratic discussions about quantum technologies. </li><li>Strategic thinking: designing communication with clearly defined objectives, tailored to different audiences, and evaluating success from the perspective of public engagement rather than expert expectations alone.</li><li>Evaluating outcomes: measuring the impact of communication activities not only through knowledge acquisition but also through changes in trust, attitudes, interest and people’s sense of agency.</li></ul>The authors emphasise that communication activities should be evidence-based, build on previous experience, and be rigorously evaluated to understand what works in practice.As quantum technologies continue to mature, the authors conclude that communication should be recognised as an essential component of responsible innovation. Building public trust and creating opportunities for meaningful societal dialogue will be as important to the future of quantum as scientific and technological advances themselves.

Three pillars for communicating quantum science and technology

Vania López

Successfully communicating quantum: from enthusiasm to engagement

This is a press announcement from Q*Bird.Q*Bird today announced the launch of the Falqon® Key Manager, a standalone quantum key management system designed to enable scalable, interoperable and hybrid quantum secure networks.As organisations prepare for the quantum era, the challenge is no longer limited to generating quantum secure cryptographic keys. While Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) has emerged as one of the most promising technologies for securing sensitive communications, organisations are increasingly focused on how to operationalise and scale quantum secure communications across distributed infrastructures. Quantum secure migration initiatives are accelerating globally, driven by emerging national and international cybersecurity strategies and growing requirements for quantum security across government, critical infrastructure and highly regulated environments.Government agencies, defence organisations, telecom operators and critical infrastructure providers require secure communications across diverse operational environments. These environments include cloud, operational technology networks, remote facilities, edge locations and distributed infrastructure environments. While Q*Bird&#039;s scalable MDI-QKD (Measurement-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution) architectures provide the foundation for securing mission-critical communications and multipoint-to-multipoint quantum secure networks, organisations may also operate across environments where direct QKD deployment is not always practical or available, including cloud environments and third-party infrastructures.As quantum secure communication infrastructures scale across multiple sites and network environments, organisations require the ability to securely manage, distribute and deliver Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) keys, Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) keys and hybrid keys across distributed infrastructures. This requires an operational key management layer capable of bridging QKD and non-QKD environments while delivering crypto agility, resilience, and scalable hybrid quantum secure networking.From quantum links to quantum secure networksThe Falqon® Key Manager is a standalone Quantum Key Management System (QKMS) designed to enable scalable, interoperable and hybrid quantum secure network deployments. By combining QKD, PQC and PKI-based key distribution methods within a unified key management architecture, the Falqon® Key Manager natively supports the delivery of QKD keys, PQC keys and hybrid keys across distributed network infrastructures. This enables organisations to build resilient quantum secure communication infrastructures that leverage both quantum and classical quantum-resistant technologies.

Acting as the secure layer between key generation technologies and consuming applications, the Falqon® Key Manager enables organisations to securely ingest, store, synchronise and deliver cryptographic keys across distributed infrastructures. It bridges QKD and non-QKD environments, extends quantum secure network beyond QKD-enabled locations and enables hybrid key deployments, trusted-node architectures, the interconnection of distributed quantum secure infrastructures and the integration of multiple QKD domains within a unified key management architecture. It provides secure key lifecycle management across applications, encryptors and network environments, enabling the operationalisation of quantum secure network at scale.“QKD and PQC are not competing technologies. They solve different problems and will increasingly operate together. Organisations need a secure way to combine these technologies within a unified architecture while securely managing cryptographic keys across distributed infrastructures. That capability becomes increasingly important as quantum secure networks scale. That is exactly what the Falqon® Key Manager is designed to do,” said Dr. Joshua Slater, CTO at Q*Bird.Enabling hybrid quantum secure networkingThe Falqon® Key Manager is designed to address evolving integration requirements across quantum networking ecosystems, reducing operational complexity associated with fragmented key infrastructures, duplicated integrations and vendor lock-in. It delivers a standards-based and multi-vendor environment while enabling organisations to evolve their quantum secure infrastructure over time.Dr. Joshua Slater, CTO at Q*Bird added, “The industry has spent years proving that QKD works. The next challenge is scale. Organisations need to secure cloud environments, edge locations, operational technology networks and critical infrastructure sites where QKD cannot always be deployed directly. At the same time, they need to combine QKD, Post-Quantum Cryptography and PKI-based key distribution methods within a crypto-agile and resilient operational architecture.”Advancing Q*Bird’s vision for quantum secure infrastructureThe launch represents an important milestone in Q*Bird’s broader vision of delivering the infrastructure required for scalable quantum secure communications. The Falqon® Key Manager expands Q*Bird’s portfolio beyond quantum key generation and network orchestration by introducing the standalone operational key management layer required for scalable hybrid quantum secure networks.“As organisations move from pilot deployments towards operational quantum secure networks, they require more than key generation technologies. They need infrastructure that can securely manage cryptographic keys across distributed environments, support hybrid deployments, enable crypto agility and resilience and scale across entire organisations. The Falqon® Key Manager provides that foundation,” shares Dr. Ingrid Romijn, CEO and Co-Founder at Q*Bird.The launch reflects a broader industry shift where operational deployment, interoperability and scalability across diverse network environments have become key requirements for quantum secure networking.“Government, defence, telecom and critical infrastructure operators are already preparing for the transition to quantum secure communications. The challenge is no longer whether quantum secure communications are possible, but how to deploy them at scale. The Falqon® Key Manager accelerate that transition by enabling scalable hybrid quantum secure networks across distributed infrastructures,” shares Dr. Ingrid Romijn, CEO and Co-Founder at Q*Bird.Built for security-critical environmentsThe Falqon® Key Manager is designed for security sensitive environments, including government, defence, telecom and critical infrastructure deployments. Security sensitive deployments often require flexible deployment models aligned with operational, compliance and infrastructure requirements. The Falqon® Key Manager can be deployed within Q*Bird’s QKD Nodes, as a separate on-premise KMS device, on customer-provided on-premise servers, or within customer-provided cloud environments.“Organisations require the flexibility to deploy quantum secure infrastructure in a manner aligned with their operational and security requirements. The Falqon® Key Manager was designed to provide secure key lifecycle management across distributed environments while maintaining operational simplicity and resilience,” added Dani van der Meer, Lead Software Engineer at Q*Bird.Building the foundation for scalable quantum secure communicationsTogether with the Falqon® MDI-QKD Series and Quantum Domain Controller (QDC), the Falqon® Key Manager forms part of Q*Bird’s end-to-end quantum secure networking portfolio.The Falqon® QKD Series provides the quantum key generation layer, including Q*Bird’s Measurement Device Independent Quantum Key Distribution (MDI-QKD) systems, while the Falqon® Key Manager delivers the operational key management capabilities required to securely ingest, store, synchronise and deliver cryptographic keys across distributed infrastructures.By bridging QKD and non-QKD environments, enabling the delivery of QKD keys, PQC keys and hybrid keys across distributed infrastructures, the Falqon® Key Manager provides the operational foundation for scalable hybrid quantum secure networks.As quantum networking ecosystems continue to mature, organisations increasingly require infrastructure capable of delivering interoperability, crypto agility and operational resilience across diverse network environments. The Falqon® Key Manager is designed to provide the operational foundation for the next generation of scalable quantum secure communications.

Delft

Q*Bird launches the Falqon® Key Manager to enable scalable quantum secure networks

From 19-21 May, we brought together the Dutch and international quantum communities for our annual Quantum Meets event. This year followed a different format from past years. The main event and ecosystem tours brought together members of the quantum community in meaningful ways, building new connections and opening the door to further innovation and collaboration opportunities. More than once, we heard from guests that Quantum Meets offered the unique opportunity for contributors of all types - researchers, business leaders, policymakers, and students - to meet in one space. We are grateful to all hosts, speakers, exhibitors and participants, who brought such immense curiosity, openness and positive energy to Quantum Meets.We are grateful to our speakers, co-hosts, exhibitors and partners, who all contributed significantly in making this week a success. In the months ahead, let’s continue to build on the conversations started at this year’s event, focusing on technological progress and meaningful partnerships. Thank you to everyone who joined us this year, and we hope you will save the dates for next year’s event, scheduled for 18-21 May 2027!

Check out images from this year's event!

A recap of Quantum Meets 2026

On 30 March 2026, Qubitrium launched its 1U CubeSat payload (a small satellite about the size of a loaf of bread), QubitCore, into low Earth orbit. The payload rode aboard the SpaceX mission. D-Orbit’s ION Satellite Carrier (a spacecraft that deploys satellites into their final orbits) placed it precisely into orbit.Just weeks later, QubitCore successfully generated its first quantum keys in space.This marked a global first for a CubeSat-scale quantum payload, and a major milestone for Qubitrium.Founded in 2020 by Dr. Kadir Durak, who earned his PhD in atomic/molecular physics at the National University of Singapore, Qubitrium is a deep-tech company specialising in the design and manufacturing of quantum hardware. While the company is headquartered in Turkey, it also has a strong technical presence at HoQ in Delft.​As soon as the technology entered orbit, it earned the right to “space heritage” – a term used across the industry to distinguish technology that has proven operational success in space. With a new designation as space-compatible, the QubitCore became commercially available for satellite operators and telecommunications providers worldwide.​QubitCore excelled under real orbital conditions. It demonstrated thermal stability, operating flawlessly over a temperature range of 0°C to 35°C. The device continuously generated over 500 quantum keys (each 256 bits long) per second. These quantum keys underwent rigorous statistical testing, confirming their randomness according to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards.While Qubitrium is proud of this success, they understand that this is just the first step in a longer process of advancing quantum-secure internet.“Seeing QubitCore successfully deploy into orbit is the ultimate validation of our deep-tech engineering,&quot; said Dr. Kadir Durak, Founder of Qubitrium. &quot;We have proven that our hardware can withstand the rigours of space and deliver the security the future demands. Our next step is clear: we are scaling up our production capacity and expanding our global partnerships to ensure that quantum-secure infrastructure becomes the global standard.”Read more about Qubitirum and their work here: <a href="https://qubitrium.tech/">https://qubitrium.tech/</a>

Qubitrium launches QubitCore hardware into space

In an era of polycrisis, polarisation, Big Tech dominance, and democratic disenfranchisement, the question of how emerging technologies can be rendered meaningful with respect to the needs, values and expectations of societal stakeholders becomes ever more important. Quantum technologies provide a particularly timely testbed for thinking through this pressing question in a modern innovation context; how we answer this question has profound implications for realising the aspiration of ‘’Quantum for Good’. A recent workshop, organised by the Ethics of Quantum Technologies research team at TU Delft, set out to learn lessons from past and present attempts to develop societally meaningful technologies, to inform contemporary efforts to orient the innovation of quantum technologies towards ‘the Good’.  An array of transdisciplinary experts, ranging from policymakers, quantum scientists, and ELSA researchers, were brought together for two days of informative talks and illuminating discussions. Several significant insights emerged with relevance for rendering quantum technologies societally meaningful. On the one hand, the major challenge of implementing the democratic governance of and for meaningfultechnologies was acknowledged. On the other hand, there was shared recognition about the conditions that should be in place in order to genuinely pursue meaningful technologies. For instance, there is a need for clarity regarding the relevant and important issues to focus on, alongside knowledge and responsiveness regarding what specific technologies allow in terms of their deployment, and whether other technologies may be more appropriate.  The fundamental importance of shaping technological meaning democratically and in ways that promote solidarity was another important theme. A perspective that can support the goal of shared meanings is that of a multi-level innovation ecosystem – a complex web of mutual dependencies between diverse actors at different levels, centred around novel technological artefacts with their own material possibilities and limitations. Understanding these dependencies – and uncovering the resultant power imbalances to which they give rise – arose as being essential for achieving shared meanings with genuine relevance across the whole of society. Another significant insight was that the meaningfulness of technology arises at the intersection of impact, adoption, and governance; societal meaning is achieved when these factors align to support transformative social change. This was reflected in, for example, the importance of meaningful standardisation of new technologies, ensuring that they remain relevantly connected to the needs and interests of stakeholders, and implemented at the appropriate level of technological readiness, so as not to suffocate potentially transformative innovation.  Lastly, an important open question was identified regarding the uniqueness of quantum compared to previous technologies, and whether there are unique obstacles to rendering quantum technologies societally meaningful. Several suggestions were put forward: quantum technologies are uniquely difficult to render societally meaningful due to public perceptions of quantum as mysterious, esoteric, and their impacts that are at a remove from in contrast to other more graspable technologies; the unique geopolitical context in which quantum technologies are emerging – and the narratives of competition and threat engendered by this context – make it especially difficult to render quantum technologies societally meaningful for all stakeholders. These insights suggest several fruitful lines for further inquiry and set an agenda for the future of the aim of “Quantum for Good.” Developing quantum technologies in a societally meaningful way will require continuous collaboration between academia, policy, and society; the success of this transdisciplinary workshop therefore provides a model for future progress towards more meaningful innovation.

Clare Shelley-Egan

Reflection on the workshop findings

The past and future of developing meaningful technologies with and for society: the case of quantum for good

Delft, 23 March 2026 – Q*Bird, the Dutch leader in quantum secure communication, in collaboration with the Walton Institute at South East Technological University in Waterford (SETU), has deployed Ireland’s first multi-node, entanglement-based Measurement-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution (MDI-QKD) network. The deployment forms part of the IrelandQCI project, the country’s national quantum communications initiative and a key contributor to EuroQCI, the EU-wide federated quantum communications infrastructure.Operating over Ireland’s existing fibre infrastructure, the telecom-grade network transitions quantum security from research environments into live national infrastructure. It safeguards research, education and critical systems while enabling interoperable quantum connectivity across Ireland and Europe.Importantly, it has been designed from the start with an expandable architecture in mind, so that any additional Q*Bird QKD Node can connect to the network with a single fiber link and then gain full quantum connectivity around the network.

“This multi-node deployment represents a major milestone for Ireland’s national quantum infrastructure. By integrating Q*Bird’s operational MDI-QKD Falqon® Series across research institutions, data centers and national networks, we are enabling secure, interoperable quantum communication while also creating a platform for other research institutions to join. It strengthens Ireland’s sovereignty over critical communications and contributes directly to EuroQCI and Europe’s federated quantum network vision.”

The hub-and-spoke architectural network comprises of four End Nodes, one Center Hub and one Quantum Optical Switch for a scalable metropolitan deployment and uses ESB Telecoms dark fibre for the quantum communication channel. The End Nodes are in two Dublin data centres, Dublin City University and Trinity College Dublin, while the Center Hub is hosted at ASIERA (formerly HEAnet), Ireland’s National Education and Research Network. The collaborative expertise of Walton Institute at SETU, ASIERA and Q*Bird were responsible for the successful deployment of the highly secure connection between the strategic Dublin city locations. The Q*Bird Quantum-Optimized Optical Switch enables dynamic, secure routing of qubits around the network, ensuring full multi-node connectivity of QKD keys, without relying on trusted intermediaries.

At the core of the network is Q*Bird’s Falqon® Series, enabling entanglement-based quantum key distribution over operational fibre networks. Detector-side exploits have been identified by security authorities, including Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), as the most critical attack vector in earlier QKD implementations. Q*Bird’s devices completely remove the requirement to trust any measurement devices, thus establishing an architecture with a security model resilient against both present-day cyber threats and future quantum-enabled attacks.This ensures long-term cryptographic protection for sensitive research data, governmental communications and critical infrastructure systems, while addressing harvest-now-decrypt-later (HNDL) risk scenarios.

Industry-grade security for research, education and critical infrastructure

The network’s hub-and-spoke architecture of Q*Bird devices, along with the Quantum Optical Switch, enables precise synchronisation, dynamic routing and multi-node quantum key distribution. Designed for interoperability and compatibility with existing fibre infrastructure, it provides an open foundation for future integration with emerging quantum technologies such as quantum processors, sensors and modems.

Interoperability by design, resilience by architecture

“With this deployment, we continue demonstrating that secure, multi-node quantum networks are not theoretical constructs but operational systems ready for national infrastructure. By combining field-proven hardware with MDI-QKD protocols, we deliver infrastructure resilient against both contemporary cyber threats and future quantum attacks. With this deployment, we are fully prepared for expansion and collaboration with additional research and educational institutions.”

Dr. Ingrid Romijn, CEO and Co-Founder of Q*Bird, added, “National security cannot depend on laboratory-grade assumptions. Quantum security must operate within live infrastructure, under real-world conditions. Ireland’s deployment not only reinforces Ireland’s position as a European hub for quantum secure connectivity, but also shows that scalable, sovereign and interoperable quantum networks can be implemented today over existing fibre and integrated directly into national communications infrastructure.”

Towards a federated European quantum network

“As quantum computing advances, defensive architectures must evolve accordingly. By eliminating detector vulnerabilities and enabling interoperable, cross-border quantum key distribution, we are building infrastructure that protects current communication networks and the integrity of future digital infrastructure.”

Q*Bird’s Falqon® Series has been purpose-built for operational, interoperable and sovereign quantum communications, supporting metropolitan, national and cross-border deployments. By securing Ireland’s research and education backbone and critical digital assets, this deployment positions Ireland as a key operational node within EuroQCI. Designed, engineered and field-proven, the Q*Bird quantum network demonstrates how entanglement-based MDI-QKD can form the backbone of Europe’s future quantum secure infrastructure that is scalable, vendor-interoperable and resilient against the full spectrum of present and future threats.With this milestone deployment, Q*Bird and Walton Institute at SETU, reinforce Ireland’s leadership in quantum secure communication and accelerate the transition from quantum research to quantum resilient infrastructure. The network delivers a future-ready, scalable foundation for expanding Ireland’s quantum connectivity, enabling new research, education, and critical infrastructure partners to join the secure, interoperable ecosystem.

Q*Bird and Walton Institute deploy QKD network with expandable architecture

This week, we sat down with Deepak Veeregowda, CEO of QT Sense, to discuss how quantum sensing tools are enabling researchers to view cellular changes in real time and how dynamic observation can help pharma “fail faster” in the drug discovery process—ultimately leading to less costly drugs and quicker time-to-market. Deepak will join Philippe Bouyer, QDNL chair of the board, and Richard van Harderwijk, QDNL’s Program Manager Business Ecosystem, on stage at <a href="https://www.hyphenprojects.nl/i4h/">Innovation for Health</a> next week. Their discussion will explore how quantum technologies are already influencing work within the life sciences and health industries, and the potential of these technologies to enhance both efficiency and competitiveness in drug discovery and testing. Drug discovery is often a long and complex process with many unknown variables. In your view, what are the most significant limitations researchers now face when trying to understand how drugs interact with diseases at the cellular level?  One of the biggest limitations is that most tools still provide static snapshots of biology rather than dynamic insight. Researchers often measure endpoints—cell death, gene expression, or biomarker levels—after the biology has already unfolded. That makes it difficult to understand how a drug produced its effect.Another challenge is biological averaging. Many assessments collapse thousands of cells into a single signal, which masks heterogeneity. In diseases like cancer or inflammation, the most important signals often come from small subpopulations of cells.Finally, many techniques are destructive or unsettle the system, meaning you can’t follow the same cells over time. As a result, researchers often miss the timing and sequence of events that determine whether a therapy succeeds or fails. QT Sense has developed biomicroscopes that allow researchers to observe cellular behaviour in real time. How does this impact the way scientists can study drug-disease interactions?  Our technology allows scientists to observe cellular stress responses in real time inside living cells, rather than inferring them later from endpoint assessments. By using quantum sensing with fluorescent nanodiamonds, we can measure free radical activity and relate it to oxidative stress at single-cell and subcellular resolution without destroying the sample.This fundamentally changes the questions researchers can ask. Instead of simply asking whether a drug works, they can ask when it works, how the cell responds over time, and which cells respond differently.Dynamic observation can reveal the sequence and timing of biological events. Researchers can therefore detect early stress signals, transient responses, or adaptation mechanisms that would never appear in a single endpoint measurement. It also allows scientists to see heterogeneity—how different cells respond differently to the same drug, which is often the key to understanding resistance or incomplete treatment responses. In an earlier conversation, you mentioned that QT Sense helps pharma R&amp;D teams “fail faster.” What does failing faster mean in the context of drug discovery, and how can earlier insights into cellular interactions help pharmaceutical teams make better decisions about which compounds to pursue?“Failing faster” means identifying weak or risky drug candidates earlier, before companies invest years of development and significant capital. By observing cellular responses in real time, researchers can detect early stress signals, mitochondrial dysfunction, or ineffective mechanisms of action long before traditional toxicity or efficacy endpoints appear. This allows teams to stop, redesign, or reprioritise compounds much earlier. A good example comes from work connected to our collaboration in the United States on ONC201 and related analogue for glioblastoma. One of the key questions in that program has been understanding why and how ONC201 induces stress responses in tumour cells and whether those responses are causally linked to therapeutic activity. Using QT Sense’s real-time sensing of intracellular free radical dynamics, we can directly observe how glioblastoma cells respond to treatment and map the sequence of cellular stress events triggered by the drug. At Innovation for Health later this week, you’ll be discussing how advanced bio-modelling technologies are shaping the future of medicine. What developments do you think will have the biggest impact on drug discovery in the next five to ten years? Three trends will have the biggest impact. First, more predictive human bio-models—organoids, organ-on-chip systems, and complex cell cultures. Second, the integration of multi-omics with real-time functional biology allows researchers to link molecular signatures with actual cellular behaviour. And third, single-cell analytics combined with AI, which will help interpret complex biological responses and guide better drug design.

Ultimately, the future of drug discovery will be about observing biology as it happens, rather than measuring it after the fact.

Innovation for Health takes place at Jaarbeurs Utrecht on 26 March 2026. Additional details can be found <a href="https://www.hyphenprojects.nl/i4h/programme-2026">here</a>.

The future of drug discovery with quantum sensing

As part of the QDNL <a href="https://qdnl.nl/visitors-programme">Visitor’s Programme</a>, Hans Heum, a post-quantum cryptography expert from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) Applied Cryptology Lab, visited the Netherlands to engage with researchers, educators and students across the Dutch quantum ecosystem. The goal of the visit was to advance knowledge exchange in quantum cryptography and explore new opportunities for collaboration.Throughout his visit, Hans contributed to a wide range of activities across research and education. He expertly facilitated a game sprint at the Creative Quantum Seminar, an event which is focused on using interactive approaches to engage participants with quantum concepts. He also delivered guest lectures on quantum cryptography to students in the Applied Quantum Technology Master’s programme and to Applied Mathematics and Physics teachers at The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS).In addition to his educational contributions, Hans connected directly with several research groups. He gave the guest lecture to the aQa group at Leiden University, visited Kathrin Hövelmanns at the Eindhoven University of Technology to explore collaboration opportunities, and met with Christian Schaffner and other researchers at QuSoft to discuss shared interests in modelling quantum attacks and quantum-secure cryptography.The visit led to the identification of promising collaboration opportunities, inspired both students and educators, and engaged a broader audience through Hans&#039;s work with the quantum games. The visit also resulted in the exchange of educational tools developed in both Norway and the Netherlands, including the TiqTaqToe dice game developed by Hans in exchange for the Bloch sphere game created by LiS and THUAS students.The QDNL Visitor Programme supports knowledge exchange to foster collaboration and accelerate innovation across Europe’s growing quantum ecosystem.

QDNL Visitor’s Programme Spotlight: Hans Heum explores quantum cryptography collaboration in the Netherlands

From 2026, the Netherlands is participating in three out of the five strategic European pilot lines as part of the Chips Joint Undertaking (Chips JU) and the European Chips Act: Superconducting European Quantum Pilot Line (SUPREME), Photonics for Quantum (P4Q), and Semiconductor Pilot Line for Industrial Quantum NanoSystems (SPINS). All three pilots are delivered by consortia of European partners, with the Netherlands playing a vital role due to its strengths in qubit technologies and photonics.The pilot lines focus on accelerating the development and scaling of semiconductor, superconductor and photonic technologies for commercial and industrial use, strengthening Europe’s technological resilience.

QDNL coordinated the national consortia and led both the strategic proposal review process and the distribution of funding to Dutch participants. Funding is made available through QDNL, NanoLabNL, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) manages the Netherlands’ participation in the pilot lines.Beyond financial support, QDNL ensures integration of the European projects into its existing catalyst programmes in computing, networking and sensing.

Support from QDNL furthers the national mission

“We have a clear vision for how quantum technology will evolve over the next decade and the role we want the Netherlands to play in that future. This is also reflected in Quantum Valley, our contribution to the recent Wennink report, which pushes for continued strategic investment into scaling the quantum industry. Participation in the pilot lines allows us to turn that vision into action by strengthening Dutch contributions to qubit technologies, components and systems integration.”

SUPREME focuses on increasing the fabrication maturity of device-based quantum technologies. Its first phase aims to establish stable processes for superconducting chips and devices, improving repeatability and yield while beginning to offer pilot fabrication testing and services to European customers.Dutch participants contribute leading expertise across the consortium. Quantware supports fabrication of Josephson Junction-based qubits and 3D integration processes. Single Quantum develops superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors with high repeatability and yield. QphoX advances single-photon microwave-to-optics transducers, TNO coordinates end-of-line device characterisation and advanced metrology, and Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) leads capital deployment and dedicated tooling.

Superconducting European Quantum Pilot Line (SUPREME)

“Through SUPREME, we’re leveraging our technological expertise to build reliable fabrication infrastructure for superconducting quantum technology in Europe, which will directly contribute to future industrialisation and large-scale commercialisation."

Photonics for Quantum (P4Q)

Within P4Q, a consortium of 29 European partners works to improve the reliability and scalability of photonic quantum chips. Startups and research institutions in the Netherlands play an active role in advancing testing methods suitable for large-scale demonstrations and industrial production. Dutch participants in the consortium include the University of Twente (UT), TU Delft, Eindhoven University of Technology (TU Eindhoven), TNO, Aluvia, Delft Networks, New Origin, Q*Bird, QphoX, QuiX, and Lionix.The programme supports the development of quantum chips for enhanced sensors, full-stack quantum computers and quantum-secure communications networks, helping bring quantum technology from the lab into real-world applications.

“As the global race for quantum technology accelerates, Europe is strengthening its chip manufacturing capacity to stay at the forefront. P4Q plays a key role in bringing quantum technology into practical applications."

Semiconductor Pilot Line for Industrial Quantum NanoSystems (SPINS)

The SPINS pilot line bridges laboratory research and industrial production of semiconductor quantum-dot qubits by leveraging Europe’s existing semiconductor strengths. The programme focuses on delivering high Technology Readiness Level (TRL) semiconductor quantum chips through stable process design and established manufacturing infrastructure.Semiconductor qubits are a prominent focus in the Netherlands, positioning the country well to contribute to scaling toward the millions of qubits required for practical quantum computing. SPINS emphasises the reuse of existing European semiconductor infrastructure to maximise efficiency. Dutch partners involved in the SPINS pilot include TNO, TU Delft and Groove Quantum.

“With SPINS, we’re strengthening local manufacturing capabilities by bringing together leading semiconductor-qubit expertise and Europe’s existing infrastructure. By building on what’s already here, we can turn long-term quantum ambition into real industrial capacity."

By investing in fabrication maturity, quantum chip development and industrial-scale semiconductor qubit production, the Netherlands is strengthening its manufacturing capabilities and contributing to a more resilient and competitive European quantum ecosystem.

Pieter de Witte

Twente

Leiden

Eindhoven

Amsterdam

The Netherlands secures a strong position on three European pilot lines

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