February is a short month – but this year it was a Quantum leap year for the French quantum ecosystem. Quantum computing companies continue to lead in the research and development of this emerging technology on the global scale. But this isn’t the only way that France’s quantum entrepreneurs are showing their impact. They are also demonstrating their general business leadership in preparing for quantum’s next step – from the laboratory experimentation to real markets. For example, anticipating global growth, the team at PASQAL, again a leader in news headlines, revealed several organizational moves. It is creating new hardware and software divisions, as well as enlisting more talent to guide the company during what they believe will be a period of extreme growth. The company is also forging more international partnerships. There is also signs that French businesses are becoming leaders in the emerging hybrid quantum-high performance computing (HPC) environment. Ultimately, France continues to lead the global transition from quantum experimentation to commercialization, signifying a new era of technological advancement and international collaboration.
Policy
France Advances Quantum Technology Export Controls Under New EU Regulation Framework
France enacted a comprehensive national control list, directly responding to the emerging disruptive potential — both constructive and destructive — of quantum computing, along with associated disruptive technologies in both civilian and military realms, according to recent information from the French government and computer translated into English.
Business
PASQAL, a leader in neutral atom quantum computing, announces a significant partnership with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and the City of Daejeon. This collaboration marks a crucial step in PASQAL’s strategy to foster developments in quantum science and technology around the globe, and in Daejeon City’s ambition to nurture a leading quantum ecosystem in Daedeok Quantum Cluster.
PASQAL Announces New Chairman, Deputy CEO and Creates New Divisions in Response to Rapid Growth
PASQAL, a global leader in neutral atoms quantum computing, today announced organizational changes to meet accelerating market demand including the appointment of Wasiq Bokhari as chairman of its board of directors, the promotion of Loïc Henriet to Deputy CEO and the creation of separate hardware and software divisions.
Europe Carves Out Niche in Quantum Computing
As the US, China and Europe accelerate investment in quantum computing, Europe is beginning to develop its own unique position in the fledgling global ecosystem.
PASQAL, University of Calgary and Quantum City Initiate New Quantum Computing Partnership
PASQAL, a global leader in neutral atom quantum computing, is proud to announce a landmark partnership with the University of Calgary and its Quantum City hub to advance quantum computing research and education.
Sustainably Powered Quantum Hybrid Data Center Opens in Canada
Exaion, a subsidiary of French multinational utility company EDF Group, has inaugurated a sustainable, decentralized data center in Quebec, designed specifically for quantum hybrid operations. The Bellevue data center, based in Sherbrooke, is believed to be a world-first in terms of its environmentally responsible approach. It is located in the Humano District rental condo project to which it will provide heating and domestic hot water.
Quantum Computing Pioneers Join Alice & Bob’s Consultative Board
Alice & Bob, a leading hardware developer in the race to fault tolerant quantum computers, today announced the composition of its newly constituted Consultative Board, a counsel of four pioneers of quantum computing. Alice & Bob’s Consultative Board members include Daniel Gottesman, David DiVincenzo, John Martinis, and Yasunobu Nakamura.
Ambassadors, Dignitaries Visit Station F and Quantum Lab
In a linked in post François Alabrune, Ambassador, Embassy of France to the Netherlands, said he visited STATION F business incubator and the Quantum Lab in Paris with Ambassador of the Netherlands in France Jan Versteeg, and Philippe Bouyer, Scientific Director of Quantum Delta NL. He writes: “We exchanged views on bilateral cooperation in the field of quantum engineering. To ensure Europe’s technological sovereignty, it is necessary to strengthen the links between France and the Netherlands, both European catalysts in the field of #deeptech.”
Research
A Quantum Trick Implied Eternal Stability. Now the Idea May Be Falling Apart
A series of advances seemed to promise the impossible: the existence of quantum states that would never, ever fall into disarray. But physicists are now discovering that the pull of disorder may not be so easily overcome. The Quanta article covers the work of French scientists.
Noise Resilient Quantum-Classical Computing Method Can Help Plan Cellular Communication Networks
PASQAL, a leader in neutral atoms quantum computing, and the research team at LINKS, specialised in applied research, frontier research, innovation, and technology transfer with strong competencies in High-Performance Computing (HPC) and Quantum Computing have successfully implemented a noise-resilient, hybrid quantum-classical algorithm that provides the foundations for efficiently solving the Physical Cell Identifier (PCI) assignment problem in cellular networks.
Simulating photon counting from dynamic quantum emitters by exploiting zero-photon measurements
Many applications of quantum optics demand delicate quantum properties of light carefully tailored to accomplish a specific task. To this end, numerical simulations of quantum light sources are vital for designing, characterizing, and optimizing quantum photonic technology. Here, a Quandela scientist show that exploiting information hidden in zero-photon measurement outcomes provides an exponential speedup for time-integrated photon-counting simulations, realizing eight orders of magnitude reduction in the time to compute six-photon detection probabilities while achieving 10 orders of magnitude higher precision compared to the state of the art.
Education and Events
Quantum Information Spring School – QISS 2024
Starting in May, this school will gather early graduate students on the theme of Photonics Quantum Technologies. This session is the second event of a bi-annual series of doctoral training on Quantum Information started in 2022. The focus of this session is on Optics and Photonics with a special interest on quantum communications and networks, nonlinear light sources, and light-matter interactions.
The Quantum Internet Alliance (QIA) 2024 Pan-European Quantum Internet Hackathon
The QIA hackathon will take place in Delft, Dresden, and Paris on February 15–16, 2024.
The hackathon is for anyone interested in quantum technology, including developers, network operators, network experts, students, researchers, designers, or hackers. Participants work in local teams and are brought together virtually to tackle challenges
This morning, Le Lab Quantique organized a workshop on Quandela’s Perceval tool for quantum software startups as well as for industry professionals who want to gain a better understanding of how the photonic quantum computer emulator works.
Quantum Job Fair at the Maisons du Quantique
The first edition of the Quantum Job Fair at the Maisons du Quantique was held on the EPITA Campus. The event brought together 80 students from École Polytechnique, CentraleSupélec, Télécom Paris, École Normale Supérieure, ENSTA Paris, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Sorbonne Université, EPITA, and EFREI – Grande école du numérique.
For more market insights, check out our latest quantum computing news here.
