French National Quantum Update — October 2023
Executive Summary
The ultimate vision of quantum technologies is to use the very complex, often contrarian world of quantum mechanics to improve the lives of people in meaningful ways. French quantum scientists and entrepreneurs are doing just that. The French quantum ecosystem is involved in exploring use cases for quantum – from chemical simulations to financial optimization.
Both the global quantum community and general industries recognized French quantum businesses and startups for both commercial and research advances. PASQAL earned headlines across the world for its innovative partnership that will explore the development of a photonic quantum processor powered by neutral atom technology.
France also received feedback that its national strategy is paying dividends – Sifted reports that the nation’s quantum companies are attracting the second most venture capital, right behind the UK.
Policy
Quantum Leap: France’s Plan to Win the Future of Computing
In January 2021, France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, announced the National Quantum Computing Plan to funnel a whopping €1.8 billion into the technology. “Quantum strategy is of paramount importance,” Macron said at a ceremony announcing the plan at the Paris-Saclay University, a centre of quantum research. “Like artificial intelligence, microelectronics, health, energy and space technologies, quantum technologies are among the few keys to the future that France absolutely must have in hand.”
Business
Meeting Sam Mugel and Michel Kurek from Multiverse
Decode Quantum Interviews is an animated show hosted by Fanny Bouton, Olivier Ezratty, and co-produced with DECODE MEDIA. In the 62nd episode of Decode Quantum Interviews, Fanny Bouton and Olivier Ezratty welcome Sam Mugel and Michel Kurek from Multiverse.
New Quantum Error Mitigation Techniques May Be Key To Discoveries In Chemistry
Building on work done in collaboration with PASQAL, quantum computing experts from Google and Covestro have made significant strides in quantum computing, specifically targeting its application in industrial chemistry research. Covestro is a chemical company based in Germany that is one of the leading suppliers of premium polymers.
PASQAL, a leader in neutral atoms quantum computing, today announced a collaboration with Sorbonne Université, France; Pixel Photonics GmbH (PIX), Germany; The Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO), Spain; and Institut d’Optique Théorique et Appliquée (IOTA), France to build the essential foundations for a photonic quantum computer powered by neutral atom technology. The project will be funded by the Pathfinder-2023 challenge grant of the European Innovation Council
After announcing last April a range of HSMs supporting post-quantum algorithms, Eviden, the Atos business leader in digital, cloud, big data, announced on October 11th, 23 at “les Assises de la sécurité 2023” in Monaco that its Trustway IP Protect encryptors will benefit from CryptoNext Security’s post-quantum cryptography technology, from the first quarter of 2024. CryptoNext and Eviden Atos are thus reinforcing a long-term strategic partnership for sovereign security solutions that meet government recommendations for a transition to post-quantum security.
Le Lab Quantique Celebrates The Launch Of France’s First Maison Du Quantique — House Of Quantum
Le Lab Quantique celebrates the launch of France’s first Maison du Quantique (House of Quantum), in the presence of a host of business leaders, political figures and key researchers from the French quantum ecosystem.
Research
A New Way to Erase Quantum Computer Errors
Reporting in the journal Nature, a group of researchers led by Caltech is among the first to demonstrate a type of quantum eraser. The physicists show that they can pinpoint and correct for mistakes in quantum computing systems known as “erasure” errors. Pascal Scholl, co-lead author of the study and a former postdoctoral scholar at Caltech, is now working at a quantum computing company in France called PASQAL.
French Professor Moungi Bawendi Wins the 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
The 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Moungi Bawendi of France (MIT), Louis Brus of the United States (Columbia University) and Alexei Ekimov of Russia (Nanocrystals Technology Inc), for “the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots”, announced the Nobel Assembly on Wednesday 4 October 2023.
Education and Events
Quantum Computing for Chemistry Training
The University of Strasbourg in partnership with QunaSys organized a 4-day training session to provide attendees with skills covering the foundations, applicability, coding, and industry use cases for quantum computing in chemistry. Participants received a training certificate from the University of Strasbourg.