(c) Christian Husar
(c) Christian Husar
From 24 to 26 January 2024, on the invitation of the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, the European quantum technology community gathered for the first QCI Days at the headquarters of the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) in Vienna. The conference attracted more than 350 participants from all over Europe, and featured inspiring keynotes and prominent panellists for discussions involving a total of 62 speakers. The event was organised as part of the EU QCI-CAT project coordinated by AIT, and opened by Christoph Neumayer, Secretary General of the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV), Georg Niklfeld, Digital Group Leader at the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), and Andreas Kugi, Scientific Managing Director at AIT.
The first day of the event was aimed primarily at Austrian stakeholders from the public sector, business and industry, science and research. The guests received answers to highly topical questions about Europe’s strategy for developing the quantum communication network, and the opportunities this brings for Austria as a business location.
“In Austria and Europe, the focus has recently turned to technological sovereignty in the key technologies of the future. Quantum technology is one such key technology, and therefore strategically important for Austria and Europe. It is now crucial that the outstanding quantum communication research results are quickly translated into industrial applications and internationally competitive products and services, to strengthen Austria and Europe as business locations. It is essential that we expand our technological leadership and networking in Europe. Events such as the QCI Days 2024 at the House of Industry in Vienna play an important role in achieving this,” says Christoph Neumayer, Secretary General of the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV).
Andreas Kugi (AIT): “After many years of successful basic research – for which Austria also received a Nobel Prize – Austria is home not only to experts, but also to a successful industrial sector. This has been achieved in an exemplary manner, through close cooperation between universities and research institutions with companies and industrial organizations, and backed up by strong commitment, support and funding from the public sector.”
With its willingness to act as innovative early adopter, the public sector plays a decisive role in achieving success at EU level. Désirée Ehlers (Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology, BMK): “The Austrian quantum ecosystem can only build on its existing successes and develop over the long term if all the proponents are willing to follow a common path and strive towards common goals. The Austrian administration is not only involved in innovative projects as an associated partner in the quantum knowledge value cycle, but also actively represents Austria’s standpoint in various expert committees and demonstrates the importance of Austrian institutions and companies in the international quantum world. As the ministry responsible for innovation and technology, the BMK assumes a coordinating role between the administrative institutions and sees itself as a point of contact for persons and institutions interested in quantum technology in Austria.”
Georg Niklfeld (FFG) underscored the importance of the national funding scheme in creating innovations and successfully marketing them at European level: “Quantum technologies, and quantum communication in particular, are highly significant for Austria. Funded cooperation with companies is important as a means of turning Austria’s undisputed research excellence into commercial applications.”
The programme on the first day of the QCI Days consisted of an exciting mix of panel discussions and presentations given by key stakeholders and pioneers in the German-speaking quantum community. The important role of new quantum security technologies in shaping Europe’s digital sovereignty was also underlined by Felix Wissel (Deutsche Telekom): “QKD and EuroQCI are important pillars for a European security architecture. Deutsche Telekom is active in a range of projects and initiatives. Our goal is to achieve a quantum-secure solution, and we are taking a hybrid approach based on QKD and PQC. In this way, we hope to contribute to maintaining and safeguarding our society based on liberal democratic values.”
The participants were also treated to fascinating insights into state-of-the-art high-tech expertise, IT innovations, and quantum encryption (QKD) technologies as part of an accompanying exhibition featuring Austrian manufacturers of QKD devices. They included fragmentiX Storage Solutions, qtlabs, Quantum Industries, X-Net, and QND - Quantum Network Design.
Focus on successful progress at the European level on the following two days
(c) Christian Husar
The national QCI Day was followed by the international QCI Days on 25 and 26 January. They were opened by Helmut Leopold, Head of the AIT Center for Digital Safety & Security. The focus lay on sharing experiences and best practices, as well as real use cases and application scenarios for securing our data through the use of state-of-the-art security technologies – using quantum communication technologies. The agenda also included workshops on implementing the Euro-QCI architecture in Europe and related certification and standardisation activities, as well as an exhibition showcasing Europe’s supply industry in the field of quantum technology. A highlight of the two days were the presentations given on the latest developments in the product portfolios of European manufacturers and suppliers of terrestrial and satellite-based quantum encryption, as well as the presentation of use cases and projects undertaken at European universities.
Today, AIT is a high-tech supplier in this key area for European industry and plays a prominent role in many areas of the strategic European programmes EuroQCI and Iris2. In its role as networker, AIT brings together various stakeholders in this high-tech area and, by working together with Austrian stakeholders from the public sector, science and research, industry and SMEs, facilitates the successful implementation of quantum communication in the international high-tech scene.
Brigitte Bach, Managing Director and Spokesperson of the Management Board, AIT: “AIT has highly qualified experts in quantum cryptography, photonics and cybersecurity, all key research priorities for this topic. The close interdisciplinary cooperation and complementary expertise are a key factor in AIT’s success and international leadership role.”
About QCI-CAT
QCI-CAT is the Austrian national project in the European Commission’s EuroQCI initiative. EuroQCI provides each member state with funding for pilots on quantum communication to the tune of 5 million euros. Austria’s BMK, BMF and BMAW ministries provided a further 5 million euros for the QCI-AT project, demonstrating their commitment to scientific excellence, which is the basis for ensuring Austrian technological innovations can succeed at European level.
More information about QCI-CAT: https://qci-cat.at/
Contact:
Mag. (FH) Michael W. Mürling
Marketing and Communications
AIT Austrian Institute of Technology
Center for Digital Safety & Security
T +43 (0)664 235 17 47
michael.muerling(at)ait.ac.at I www.ait.ac.at
Daniel Pepl, MAS
Corporate and Marketing Communications
AIT Austrian Institute of Technology
T +43 (0)50550-4040
daniel.pepl(at)ait.ac.at I www.ait.ac.at