Helsinki becomes the Quantum epicentre

On October 17-18 2019, renowned representatives, experts and stakeholders within the quantum technologies field are gathering in Helsinki to participate in the Exploring and Making Quantum Technology event, aimed to discuss the current landscape and future of the quantum technologies ecosystem in Europe.

Organised by the Finnish Presidency, Aalto University, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, the Academy of Finland, and the Quantum Flagship, and supported by the European Commission, the two-day event  “Exploring and Making Quantum Technology” will be a great opportunity for the scientific community, industry representatives as well as policymakers to come together to view the current status and progress of quantum technologies within Europe and define the next steps and strategic goals for the advancement of these technologies in the region.

The more than 200 expected participants will have a chance to hear about the current accomplishments attained so far in the field by the European quantum community and the Quantum Flagship as well as engage in discussions and define future strategic goals. They will also have insights on related programs the European Commission has put into motion with the goals and objectives it has set so far for the near, mid and long-term future.

In addition, attendants will also be able to sit in sessions that will include:

Firstly, a panel discussion on policy issues concerning the future development of the Flagship both in the European Union and in the different Member States with representations from France, Austria, the Netherlands, Germany, Slovakia and Finland. The panel will discuss policy strategies on how to establish a quantum technologies infrastructure over Europe that will maintain the region in the forefront of the quantum technology field.

Secondly, a panel discussion on International Cooperation with representatives from Europe, United States and Japan, who will bring forward the progress that is being carried out and achieved in each of these regions within quantum technologies and will address possible future synergies around key topics such cooperation in quantum infrastructures, education and training, or co-funding schemes. Speakers will include the following renowned representatives:

• Jaya Baloo (Vice Chair of the Strategic Advisory Board of the Quantum Flagship and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for Avast (Czechia),
• Jake Taylor (Assistant Director for Quantum Information Science at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, USA; and Interim Director, National Quantum Coordination Office, USA),
• Kenji Ohmori (Vice Chair and Head of Expert Members, Committee for Quantum Science and Technology Policy, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan; Professor and Chairman, Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Japan),
• Gustav Kalbe (Head of the High Performance Computing and Quantum Technology unit from the European Commission).

The Quantum Flagship

In October of 2018, Europe witnessed the start of a new and promising initiative known as the Quantum Flagship. This initiative is one of the most ambitious programs put into motion by the European Union with a 1b€ budget funded by the European Commission. This 10-year initiative will support large-scale and long-term research and innovation projects that will have the main goal of transferring quantum physics research from the lab to the market by means of commercial applications.

What’s cooking

In this new technological era, Europe is in full motion to bring disruptive quantum technologies to the scientific and technology arenas and our society in general to enable new commercial opportunities that address global challenges, provide strategic capabilities for security, and seed yet unimagined applications for the future. All this with the vision of boosting Europe’s intellectual and industrial power and infrastructures to place the region as a worldwide knowledge-based industry and technological leader in this field.

Link to the event

Link to the press dossier

About the Quantum Flagship

The Quantum Flagship was launched in 2018 as one of the largest and most ambitious research initiatives of the European Union. With a budget of at least €1 billion and a duration of 10 years, the flagship brings together research institutions, academia, industry, enterprises, and policy makers, in a joint and collaborative initiative on an unprecedented scale. The main objective of the flagship is to consolidate and expand European scientific leadership and excellence in this research area as well as to transfer quantum physics research from the lab to the market by means of commercial applications and disruptive technologies. With over 5000 researchers from academia and industry involved in this initiative throughout its lifetime, it aims to create the next generation of disruptive technologies that will impact Europe’s society, placing the region as a worldwide knowledge-based industry and technological leader in this field.

www:  https://qt.eu/

Twitter: @QuantumFlagship

Contact Information:

Markus Wilkens - Quantum Flagship
Coordinator of the Coordination Office
Senior Technology Consultant
Quantum Systems & Photonics
VDI Technologiezentrum GmbH
Telephone +49 2 11 62 14-4 78
E-mail [email protected]  

Mikko Merimaa - VTT
Vice President, Research
Telephone +358504105517
E-mail [email protected]

Jukka Pekola
Academy Professor
Aalto University
Telephone +358 40 700 9290
E-mail [email protected]