Executive Summary
January 2024 may go down in the record books as one of the most exciting, one of the most productive months in the history of the French quantum ecosystem’s young history. The French quantum ecosystem. Alice & Bob released information on error-correction research that suggests the company could be on the cusp of practical quantum computing.
French policymakers, scientists and entrepreneurs are moving into the new year with a deepening commitment to quantum. In this first month of 2024, we can see the interlocking parts of the French quantum ecosystem are already forging ahead at a rapid pace. On the policy front, global events, such as Davos, gave France the spotlight to reveal their quantum and deep tech aspirations.
Policy
Macron at Davos: Includes quantum in a strategic economic blueprint for France’s and Europe’s future
French President Emmanuel Macron presented a comprehensive vision for the future of France and Europe at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on Wednesday, emphasising economic reforms, environmental sustainability, and the strengthening of European sovereignty.
Macron stressed the need for more investment in various sectors, stating, “Quantum, clean, green tech or even the defence sector requires much more money. We need an investment strategy with two drivers.”
French quantum sector calls for more EU funding
technologies, according to founders and strategists working within the quantum field in France. Quantum computing is based on the theoretical promise that quantum calculation capacities can immensely reduce the calculation speed of highly complex problems, bringing the time down from years to hours or even minutes.
Business
Accelerating innovation with QPUs
Quantum computing is a promising solution that can exponentially increase the speed of solving various problems. Quantum Processing Units (QPUs) have progressed significantly in recent years, developing from lab experiments to industrial products. They have reached the first level of maturity and can now be integrated into High-Performance Computing (HPC) centers.
Global Financial System Faces Prospect of Quantum Computing Threats
The potential threats posed by advances in quantum computing to public-key cryptography (PKC) protocols widely used in the global financial system appear set to draw increased attention from governments and regulators amid intensifying efforts to mitigate the risk, says Fitch Ratings. Interoperability with legacy cryptography systems could present particular issues for financial institutions, and has been a focus of the BIS’s Project Leap, a pilot scheme run with the French and German central banks aiming to counter quantum computing threats to financial-system data security.
PASQAL Joins Forces with Mila to Enhance Generative Modeling in Quantum AI
Mila is proud to welcome PASQAL, a global leader in neutral atom quantum computing, to its partner community. This collaboration will be a first exploratory step towards enhancing generative modeling with quantum computing benchmarking and coupling with tensor networks.
PASQAL Welcomes Roberto Mauro as General Manager to Spearhead Operations in South Korea
PASQAL, a global leader in neutral atom quantum computing, proudly announces the appointment of Roberto Mauro as General Manager for South Korea, marking a significant step in its global expansion. PASQAL is now present in 6 countries, France, United States, Netherlands, Canada, Saudi Arabia and South Korea.
Thales And Quantinuum Launch Starter Kit To Prepare Enterprises For Post-Quantum Cryptography Changes Ahead
Thales, the leading global technology and security provider, today announced the launch of its PQC Starter Kit in collaboration with Quantinuum. This first-of-its-kind offering helps enterprises prepare for Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC). The kit provides a trusted environment for businesses to test quantum-hardened PQC-ready encryption keys and understand the implications that quantum computing will have on the security of their infrastructure.
Gen AI and quantum to design new drugs: Paris-based Aqemia completes €60m Series A
Paris-based biotech Aqemia, which uses AI to fast-track drug discovery and design, has raised a €30m extension to its Series A, bringing total funding for the round to an all-equity €60m. The startup raised a first €30m in 2022 led by French VC Eurazeo and public bank Bpifrance, with historical investor Elaia also participating. The latest extension, led by French growth investor Wendel Growth, saw all three of Aqemia’s previous investors return.
Qubit Pharmaceuticals Advances Cancer Research with HPC and AI-Powered Drug Discovery in Collaboration with French Research Institutions
Qubit Pharmaceuticals, a company specializing in the discovery of new drug candidates using simulation and AI accelerated by hybrid HPC and quantum computing, and Institut Curie, France’s leading center in the fight against cancer, have announced their collaboration in the search for new therapeutic avenues to treat cancer. The project will be carried out in partnership with the Laboratoire de Microbiologie Fondamentale et Pathogénicité at the University of Bordeaux.
Research
Alice & Bob-Led Research Shows Novel Approach To Error Correction Could Reduce Number Of Qubits For Useful Quantum Computing
Alice & Bob, a leading hardware developer in the race to fault tolerant quantum computers, in collaboration with the research institute Inria, today announced a new quantum error correction architecture – low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes on cat qubits – to reduce hardware requirements for useful quantum computers.
France’s Michel Devoret Helped Lead Yale’s Quantum Computing Journey
Yale’s quest to build the world’s first, fully useful quantum computer is also the story of a small-town kid’s obsession with short-wave radios, a Parisian’s fond boyhood memories of America, and a high school student from the New York suburbs who soaked up Saturday morning science programs at Yale’s Becton Center. It is the story of three physicists — Robert Schoelkopf, Michel Devoret, and Steven Girvin — who converged at Yale and helped shape the way scientists worldwide approach the emerging field of quantum computing.
EuroHPC JU launches procurement for a new quantum computer in France
The European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) has launched a call for tender for the installation of the EuroQCS-France photonic quantum computer, a new EuroHPC quantum computer to be located in France.
Education and Events
Lyon Winter School of Quantum Technologies 2024
The Lyon Winter School of Quantum Technologies is a week-long program that introduces students and post-docs to the fundamentals of quantum technologies. This year’s session was held at Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon and includes evaluations through report writing on selected articles. Funding is provided by the program France 2030.
For more market insights, check out our latest quantum computing news here.
