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France Has a Quantum Plan

With creation of the late-stage investment fund, the French gov- Saclay, and Grenoble — to achieve continuity in research, innovation,
ernment expects to spur the creation of 50 quantum startups by 2024. and industrialization.
“We are seeing about 10 startups emerging today, maybe more if we A longer-term vision also requires developing an education system
extend the scope to deep physics,” said Christophe Jurczak, Quanto- that equips young people with the skills and knowledge necessary to
nation’s co-founder, at the report presentation ceremony. “I think that meet the country’s quantum research needs and compete in the global
the objective of about 0 startups in fi ve years is realistic, if we all get economy. “We know that fi ve to six years are needed to train someone
involved and roll up our sleeves.” in quantum technologies and that it requires very rare and technical
skills at the cross-section of engineering, physics, and computing,” said
CREATING AN INNOVATION ENVIRONMENT Forteza. “We don’t have a dedicated training scheme today, whereas
Academia and business often operate in different spheres. “Quantum we should have masters [programs] in quantum engineering, as well as
technologies need to move out of research labs,” said MP Forteza. “We in-house training and awareness programs within companies.”
need to enable a more direct dialogue between basic research and The road will be long and winding, but France has the resources to
industry.” France is therefore creating three R&D centers — in Paris, take part in the quantum race. ■

Five Quantum Startups with a French Pedigree

ith o the startups and o the venture capital rms rance now ranks second in the uropean uantum ecosystem
according to a recent study co authored y avestone and rance igitale. he ve startups outlined here span the spectrum
rom uantum computing to uantum sensing uantum photonics and post uantum cryptography.

CRYPTONEXT SECURITY and chemical analysis Pasqal builds quan-
Year founded: 2019 o gas li uids and tum computers and
Headquarters: Paris solids y in rared simulators out o
CEO & co-founder: Ludovic Perret laser absorption and arrays o neu
Funding: In progress spectroscopy. The tral atoms in a highly
Focus: Quantum cryptography company has a scalable way. The
What it does: A spin off rom the Image: mirSense production unit at Image: Pasqal startup develops the
rench nstitute or esearch in om A eti in reno le. lasers, vacuum technology, electronic
puter cience and Automation A controls and so tware stack to make
and or onne niversity rypto e t MUQUANS the individual atoms accessible to
Security develops post-quantum cryp- Year founded: 2011 quantum programmers worldwide.
tography algorithms Headquarters: Talence Quantum guru Alain Aspect is a
and implementa- CEO & founder: runo esruelle co ounder and senior adviser.
tions to counter the Funding: €1.7 million
threat o uantum Focus: Quantum sensing QUANDELA
computers’ breaking What it does: uilding on years o Year founded: 2017
encryption and to academic research at the nstitute o Headquarters: Marcoussis
mage rypto e t protect all electronic ptics raduate CEO & co-founder: alerian ies
Security communications School and Paris Funding: Not known
in the long term. Formerly known as Observatory, Focus: Quantum photonics
Post Quantum Advanced Technologies Muquans spe- What it does: A spin off rom the
A rypto e t ecurity markets ciali es in very enter or anoscience and an
a hybrid application programming high-precision otechnology, Quandela develops
inter ace A that com ines classical Image: Muquans instrumentation solid state sources o ultra pure
public-key cryptography with a new and manu ac uantum light or uantum compu
generation o uantum compute tures quantum sensors based on tation and cryptography and, more
resistant cryptography. laser-cooled atoms. Its solutions, roadly or research in uantum
including an absolute-quantum gravi- physics. These
MIRSENSE meter and a high per ormance atomic light sources,
Year founded: 2015 clock, apply to geophysics, which operate
Headquarters: Palaiseau time re uency metrology and at cryogenic
CEO: Mathieu arras high per ormance synchroni ation. temperature,
Funding: €2 million can emit pho-
Focus: Quantum sensing PASQAL tons with very
What it does: uilding on years o Year founded: 2019 Image: Quandela high e ciency
in a a common la oratory Headquarters: Palaiseau that e hi it identical characteris
etween Alcatel hales and A eti CEO & founder: eorges livier tics. n uandela success ully
mirSense develops and produces eymond installed its rst single photon source
uantum cascade laser diodes Funding: Undisclosed at the niversity o ris ane Austra
and advanced photonic devices such Focus: Quantum computing lia . uantum physicist Alain Aspect is
as wide and tuna le sources or real What it does: A spin off rom the on the scienti c oard.
time, high-sensitivity trace detection nstitute o ptics raduate chool — Anne-Françoise Pelé

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