New Steps to Bring Breakthrough Quantum Solutions to Industrial Customers

Insider Summary:

• Quandela has just opened its first factory to manufacture quantum computers in Massy (Essonne, France).
• The grand opening took place on June 20, 2023, in the presence of Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister of Digital Transition and Telecommunications, Nicolas Dufourcq, CEO of Bpifrance, and Alain Aspect, winner of the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics and member of Quandela’s scientific board.
• This marks a major milestone for the company as it begins its industrialization phase.

PRESS RELEASE — Paris, June 26, 2023. Quandela, a leader in optical quantum computing, has just opened its first factory for manufacturing quantum computers in Massy (Essonne, France). The grand opening took place on June 20, 2023, in the presence of Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister of Digital Transition and Telecommunications, Nicolas Dufourcq, CEO of Bpifrance, and Alain Aspect, winner of the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics and member of Quandela’s scientific board. This marks a major milestone for the company as it begins its industrialization phase.

The opening is a tremendous achievement for Quandela and places the company at the forefront of the quantum computing industry. With new production capabilities and stringent quality processes, the company is equipped to meet industry-level standards.

Quandela, the first actor in the European Union — and until recently one of the few global companies — to make its quantum computers publicly available in the cloud, continues to push boundaries. In the coming months, Quandela will deploy two additional quantum computers in the cloud and will expand its portfolio of cloud-based quantum solutions.

Thanks to its new factory, Quandela will be able to increase its production and supply of quantum computers, both for on-premises sales and for its quantum cloud platform, enabling a growing number of industry players to leverage this technology to address industrial use cases.

“After releasing our first generation of quantum computers in the cloud, the next logical step for Quandela is to move towards the industrialization of these computers. Thanks to this factory, which is located at the doorstep of the Plateau de Saclay, we are confident that we can overcome the challenges that will come to further increase the computing capabilities of our computers and the number of industrial applications.”

— Valérian Giesz, co-founder and CEO of Quandela.

“I am pleased to announce that Quandela is the winner of the French “Première Usine” project call 2030, operated by Bpifrance. The company, now a major European player in photonic quantum computing, perfectly embodies our reindustrialization strategy, based on support for innovative technologies developed by startups and industrial SMEs. This CNRS spin-out has made the transition from laboratory to factory over a 5 year period, with Bpifrance providing support 8 times as the project progressed. It is a perfect example of the deep technology suite we have been building in France since 2019.”

— Nicolas Dufourcq, CEO of Bpifrance.

“The inauguration of the first quantum computer factory marks Quandela’s scaling up from fundamental research to industrialization. Through programs such as FT2030 and France 2030 “Première Usine”, the French government supported Quandela at every stage of its development, notably through a €9.5 million grant. We are very proud to have high-quality researchers and entrepreneurs in France, who will help us make France a country of deep technology.”

— Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister of Digital Transition and Telecommunications.

Finally, in line with its technology roadmap, the new factory will also enable Quandela to develop more powerful quantum computers for its customers. In addition to the factory inaugurated today, Quandela is completing the installation of its clean room on the Plateau de Saclay, where semiconductor components for the manufacture of photonic qubits are manufactured.

This new milestone confirms Quandela’s leading position in photonic quantum computing in Europe.

About Quandela

Quandela, a leader in quantum photonics, develops full-stack optical quantum computers, available in the cloud and on-premises. Quandela is a complete player in photonic quantum computing and currently employs more than fifty PhDs and engineers in algorithms, semiconductors, quantum optics, quantum information, and computer science. In 2022, Quandela released its photonic computer simulation and programming software, Perceval, and signed a hosting partnership with OVHcloud to strengthen the user community. Currently, the company is offering enhanced cybersecurity solutions with 2-qubit processors and is making its first 6-qubit NISQ quantum computer available in the cloud in fall 2022. In March 2023, OVHcloud purchased the first local Quandela quantum computer which will be delivered this fall. Quandela also supports and advises companies and organizations, such as EDF, MBDA, and ONERA, in the exploration and development of first use cases.

About Bpifrance

Bpifrance finances companies at every stage of their development, providing credit, guarantees and equity. It supports them with their international innovation and expansion projects. Bpifrance also offers a wide range of products to help their export companies. The services it provides to entrepreneurs include advice, education, networking, and accelerator programs for startups and small and medium enterprises. Bpifrance and its 50 regional units ensure that entrepreneurs have an effective point of contact close at hand to help them overcome their challenges.

About France 2030

French investment plan 2030:

— Has two ambitions: transform key sectors of our economy for the long term (health care, energy, automotive, aerospace and space) through technological innovation, and position France not only as a participant but as a future world leader. France 2030 supports the entire innovation to industrialization life cycle: from conducting fundamental research and driving new ideas to producing new products or services.

— Unprecedented in terms of scale: €54 billion will be invested to help our companies, universities and research organizations achieve a successful transition in this strategic sector. The aim is to provide a competitive response to the challenges posed by the world of tomorrow in terms of environmental and economic attractiveness, and to bring through future champions in sectors where we excel. France 2030 is defined by two cross-cutting targets, allocating 50% of its expenditure to decarbonize the economy and 50% to fund new innovators without spending harming the environment (in line with the “Do No Significant Harm”) principle.

— Will be implemented collectively: designed and shared with economic, academic, local and European participants, who will help determine key strategies and initiatives. In order to obtain state support, entities developing projects are invited to submit applications through an open, demanding and selective procedure.

— Supervised by the French Office of the Secretary General for Investments, on behalf of the Prime Minister. Press Contact Marine Xech-Gaspa — Quandela: marine.xech-gaspa@quandela.com / +33 (0)6 85 58 95 50 Pierre Cejka — Bpifrance: pierre.cejka@bpifrance.fr /

SOURCE: When