A Brief Overview of Quantum Computing in Germany

Introduction

Germany has a strong presence in the field of quantum computing, with several universities, research institutes and companies actively pursuing research and development in this area, having built a reputation over more than a century of excellent academic work in quantum mechanics. It is clear from this, that Germany will be a prominent player in the coming years.

The Quantum Insider should warn you, however, as the title says, this is a “short” an outline of the quantum technology industry in Germany, and we’ve only covered a small part of what’s actually going on. If we miss someone or anything, please don’t take it personally – we’re only human after all.

Government Position

In 2018, the German Federal Government announced Framework program to bring quantum technology to market while also allocating €650 million in funding for its quantum technology program. The aim of the program is to set the framework conditions for preparing for new economic opportunities and markets. Moreover, two years later the German government announced a €2 billion quantum initiative, adding to the EU’s intention to invest €1 billion in the sector through 2028.

The German government has also established several research institutes and centers of excellence dedicated to quantum computing and related fields. For example, the Fraunhofer Society has founded the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied and Integrated Security (AISEC) to focus on research in quantum cryptography and other aspects of quantum security.

Of other note is The Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics (MPQ), one of the world’s leading research institutes in quantum optics and quantum information science.

Germany is also paying for quantum computers from IBM (Quantum System One computer) in 2021. This is IBM’s first quantum computer outside the US and now also one of the most powerful in Europe.

in 2022, orders worth € 208 million created by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) for ion trap-based quantum computing, released as part of the DLR Quantum Computing Initiative. Approximately €740 million will be made available by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action to assist the project. About 80% of this funding, around €600 million, goes to research and development contracts with companies for various variants of the quantum computer, with the remainder going to DLR research itself.

In addition, the German government has invested heavily in the development of quantum computing hardware and software, with a particular focus on building a strong ecosystem of startups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the field.

Overall, the German government is committed to maintaining its position as a leader in the global race for quantum technology, including quantum computing, and is actively investing in research, development and commercialization in this area.

Research

Germany has been active in the field of quantum computing research for decades, and the country can boast of several world-class research universities involved in quantum computing research in Germany.

The Technical University of Munich is one of them, having a strong research program in quantum computing, including a focus on developing quantum algorithms and software, quantum communications, and quantum cryptography.

Cologne University is something else. It has a research group dedicated to quantum computing, specializing in the development of new quantum computing hardware and the exploration of the basic principles of quantum computing.

Don’t forget the University of Hannover, whose research group is focused on developing quantum computing hardware and developing new technologies for quantum information processing.

In addition to these research institutes and groups, there are also several companies in Germany involved in quantum computing research, including the aforementioned IBM, Google, and Microsoft. These companies have established research partnerships with universities and research institutes in Germany to advance the development of quantum computing technology.

Private sector

European multinational aerospace company Airbus has a research group in Germany that is exploring potential applications of quantum computing in the aerospace industry.

In the startup world, Germany has several companies developing interesting IPs in quantum technology. The companies below are examples and represent a non-exhaustive list:

eleQtron, founded in 2020 and based in Siegen, develops and operates a quantum computer based on trapped ions. Its mid-range quantum processor is designed to be optimized for industrially relevant quantum applications in the short term.

Founded in 2018 and based in the city of Karlsruhe, HQS Quantum Simulations (formerly Heisenberg Quantum Simulations) provides software for materials scientists in the chemical industry and academia that incorporates advanced quantum-level models of molecular and material properties, giving researchers the deeper insights they need. identify the perfect solution.

Founded in 2021 and based in Saarbrucken, Qruise develops software that helps scientists and researchers use Machine Learning (ML) tools in their everyday scientific workflow without having to worry about what’s underneath.

Key Person

Like other countries, Germany has well-known figures in this industry. Here are some of the key people working in Germany’s quantum ecosystem:

One such expert is Christian PfleiderScientific Advisor and co-founder of kiutra, a German startup developing next-generation cooling devices for basic research, quantum technology, and detector applications.

Pfleiderer holds the chair for Topology of Correlated Systems at TUM and has more than 30 years of experience in low temperature science at research institutes around the world.

Jens Eisert is professor of Quantum Physics at Freie Universität Berlin, on the Scientific Advisory Council at the quantum company Zapata Computing.

Eisert is known for his research in quantum information science and the theory of many quantum bodies in condensed matter physics, making significant contributions to entanglement theory and the study of quantum computational models, as well as the implementation of quantum optical protocols in quantum technology and the study of complex quantum systems.

Another important person in quantum in Germany is Reinhard Ploss, representative of the Quantum Technology & Application Consortium (QUTAC), a German quantum technology consortium. Ploss was awarded his doctorate in engineering in 1990. In 2007, Ploss was appointed to the Board of Management of Infineon Technologies AG, where he was responsible for Operations. He then served as Chairman and CEO from 2012 to 2022.

Ploss has chaired the Supervisory Board of Knorr-Bremse AG since May 2022.

Conclusion

Overall, Germany is well positioned to be a strong player in the development of quantum computing technology, with a strong research infrastructure and highly skilled workforce.

Quantum Intelligence Platform

This is just a basic overview of what’s happening in Germany in the quantum technology industry. Want to find out more about Germany’s quantum ecosystem? For a more in-depth look at the market there, check out Quantum Insider’s own Quantum Intelligence Platform, a leading provider of Quantum Computing market data, reports, analytics, and insights on QC companies, investors, funding, and more.

Based on our proprietary taxonomy and customizable metadata, this platform enables you to find robust funding commercial information that can be filtered by subsector and technology type while seamlessly integrating into The Quantum Insider’s database of news and information about the Quantum Computing industry.

But that’s not all, we recently added our Data Graph Explorer, a tool that enables those interested to discover interesting relationships and connections in the quantum market and make decisions based on those relationships.

Featured image: Image by Bridget Werner from Pixabay