A new consortium formed by Telefonica, Thales, Tecnobit, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Fragmentix, QUSIDE and Chilas launches new research project to establish a quantum secure network for Europe. The QUARTER consortium, which stands for Quantum Cryptography Technology for Europe, will receive more than €7 million from the European DIGITAL programme with the task of strengthening the maturity and availability of quantum cryptography technologies for use in the EuroQCI initiative.
QUARTER gathers an unprecedented cluster of specialized and experienced companies in the sector. LuxQuanta, Quside, Chilas, and Fragmentix, are top manufacturers in the field of quantum key distribution (QKD), quantum random number generators (QRNG), high-performance laser sources, and classical security solutions, respectively. Alongside these innovative companies, the consortium is proud to partner with Telefonica, the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Tecnobit, and Thales, distinguished and well-established leaders in the areas of quantum technologies, security solutions, and telecommunications in Europe.
Under LuxQuanta’s leadership, this powerful ecosystem of companies has as its main objective increasing the maturity of Quantum Key Distribution and its related technologies while defining a clear industrialization roadmap to ensure their deployment. The consortium will actively participate in standardization groups to contribute to QKD's certification framework, paving the way for its integration into telecommunications products and services, and supporting its deployment in the EuroQCI.
By 2027, this European initiative of EuroQCI plans to have deployed a secure quantum communication infrastructure spanning the entire EU. Proper protection of its network infrastructure it’s critical for Europe to prevent any type of malicious attack and safeguard its most sensitive data. Within this context, QUARTER will play a crucial role in the development of cutting-edge European technologies for this implementation, ensuring its sovereignty in the vital domains of cybersecurity, quantum communications, and quantum cryptography.
QUARTER consortium's efforts will undoubtedly advance the state-of-the-art of its quantum communications, paving the way for the Union to become an industry leader in Quantum Cryptography and ultimately ensure the protection of its citizens and organizations.