We build a Resilient and Thriving
Quantum Economy!
QBN is the global industry network and consultancy for quantum technologies promoting commercialization and collaboration, shaping policies and driving industry adoption.
Founded in 2020, QBN, represents over 100 international members across the entire value chain, incl. world-leading startups, enterprises, RTOs, investors, and governmental organisations, developing and using quantum technologies, including quantum computing, quantum sensing, quantum communication, and quantum cybersecurity.
QBN builds the industrial quantum powerhouse, driving national security, technological sovereignty, economic growth and a sustainable future.
QBN is the global industry network and consultancy for quantum technologies promoting commercialization and collaboration, shaping policies and driving industry adoption.
Founded in 2020, QBN, represents over 100 international members across the entire value chain, incl. world-leading startups, enterprises, RTOs, investors, and governmental organisations, developing and using quantum technologies, including quantum computing, quantum sensing, quantum communication, and quantum cybersecurity.
QBN builds the industrial quantum powerhouse, driving national security, technological sovereignty, economic growth and a sustainable future.
QBN is the global industry network and consultancy for quantum technologies promoting commercialization and collaboration, shaping policies and driving industry adoption.
Founded in 2020, QBN, represents over 100 international members across the entire value chain, incl. world-leading startups, enterprises, RTOs, investors, and governmental organisations, developing and using quantum technologies, including quantum computing, quantum sensing, quantum communication, and quantum cybersecurity.
QBN builds the industrial quantum powerhouse, driving national security, technological sovereignty, economic growth and a sustainable future.
Quantum Technologies have the potential to transform various industries like healthcare, finance and materials science, and the way we live. By accelerating drug discovery, enhancing cybersecurity, and creating new materials, these technologies enable us to kick-start a new economic era.
Together we can drive the adoption of quantum technologies and turn quantum into a global industrial powerhouse paving the way for a healthy, united, sovereign and secure future.
Quantum Technologies have the potential to transform various industries like healthcare, finance and materials science, and the way we live. By accelerating drug discovery, enhancing cybersecurity, and creating new materials, these technologies enable us to kick-start a new economic era.
Together we can drive the adoption of quantum technologies and turn quantum into a global industrial powerhouse paving the way for a healthy, united, sovereign and secure future.
QBN gathers 100+ members from R&D to providers to industry end-users; corporates, SMEs and startups to RTOs and universities to government organizations and investors that are working in the field of quantum technologies including quantum computing, quantum communication and quantum sensing and their entire value chains.
QBN gathers 100+ members from R&D to providers to industry end-users; corporates, SMEs and startups to RTOs and universities to government organizations and investors that are working in the field of quantum technologies including quantum computing, quantum communication and quantum sensing and their entire value chains.
Join the leading quantum network and accelerate your business!
Create a supportive and flourishing environment for your company and the quantum community by joining our public policy and community activities.
Create a supportive and flourishing environment for your company and the quantum community by joining our and community and lobbying activities.
Last week, the Quantum Business Network (QBN) partnered in the inaugural Servus Scale Up 2026 – The Bavarian-French Startup Festival. Co-organized by La French Tech Munich and co-hosted by the IHK für München und Oberbayern, the event brought together startups, investors, researchers, and policymakers from France and Germany with a singular, practical focus: turning Europe’s scientific quantum research into commercial market success. The QBN ecosystem was strongly represented throughout the program, showcasing our members’ leadership across quantum computing, industrial applications, and enabling technologies: Scaling Europe’s Quantum Future: Prof. Jeanette Lorenz (Head of Department at Fraunhofer IKS) and Prof. Thomas Volz (General Manager at Quandela) joined the expert panels to share practical strategies for scaling technology and building resilient, cross-border supply chains. Securing Technological Sovereignty: Dr. Laurent Guiraud (CEO and Co-Founder of ColibriTD) contributed to discussions on building trusted, reliable partnerships between deep-tech developers and industrial end-users. Award-Winning Innovation: QBN member Peak Quantum received the Best German Startup Award during the pitch competition, highlighting the high-caliber talent emerging within our network. Practical Takeaways for the Quantum Industry & Policy The panel discussions and bilateral exchanges pointed to four core actions required to move the European quantum sector forward: Move from Lab to Market: Europe has world-class scientific research, but lags behind in commercialization. To scale, the ecosystem must focus on market demand, competitive business models, and faster industrial adoption. Support the Whole Value Chain: True technological independence is not just about building quantum hardware. European sovereignty requires active, local development in software, enabling components (like lasers and cryogenics), and secure intellectual property. Implement “Co-Design” Workflows: Rather than building technology in a vacuum, quantum hardware and software providers must design their systems in direct coordination with industrial end-users to solve specific, real-world calculations. Leverage Cross-Border Supply Chains: The French and German quantum ecosystems complement each other. Connecting these hubs directly is the fastest way to build a reliable, European-made supply chain that can compete globally. Ultimately, the event proved that the technological foundations in Europe are incredibly strong. However, winning a global market share will depend entirely on how fast we can get industrial companies to adopt these technologies and how closely we can collaborate across borders. QBN remains committed to serving as the central network that bridges the gap between research, investment, policy, and industry deployment. A sincere thank you to La French Tech Munich for organizing Servus Scale Up 2026, IHK für München und Oberbayern for co-hosting, and our fellow ecosystem partners Quantum Launchpad, TUM Venture Labs, Le Lab Quantique, Bayern Innovativ, and Fraunhofer AHEAD for making this valuable bilateral exchange possible. Image Copyright: CelineTheret
SMEs often view quantum technologies such as quantum computing as a distant science fiction concept, but the race to integrate it into supply chains and logistics is already happening. So the key question is: What problems can quantum technologies actually solve for my company? Or how can our company supply the emerging quantum industry? This was at the centre of the panel discussion “Quantum for SMEs & Family-Owned Companies”, organised by ALPHAZIRKEL and hosted by UnternehmerTUM, where QBN CEO Johannes Verst together with QBN member 42de GmbH joined managing directors and investors to discuss when and how small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) should approach the hyped topic “quantum”. The addressable quantum market is projected to reach €9 billion by 2030, while quantum technologies are expected to generate up to €800 billion in global economic value by 2040. These figures underline why more and more businesses are beginning to assess potential risks and opportunities, means what position they can aim to benefit as a supplier and where quantum could help tackle technical or operational pain points. Why SMEs Should Act Today Preparing for quantum does not require major investments or immediate access to specialised hardware. Instead, the next 12 months should be defined by identifying where technology can solve real technological or business challenges. However, navigating this landscape can be complex. As the central industry network in Germany, QBN acts as a single point of contact, bridging the gap by connecting businesses directly with member organisations that possess the specialised software, hardware, and integration expertise required to launch e.g. pilot projects. The User Perspective: The Learning Curve Starts Today Future quantum applications in logistics, manufacturing, scheduling, simulation and materials development will require far more than purchasing software once it becomes commercially available. Integrating quantum into business processes starts with understanding your own data, workflows and optimisation challenges. The learning curve is steep, making early preparation a strategic advantage rather than a technological exercise. 2. The Supplier Perspective: Value Chains Are Being Built Now From lasers and cryogenic systems to control electronics and enabling technologies, global quantum supply chains are taking shape today. Strategic partnerships are already being established, creating long-term opportunities for companies that engage early rather than trying to catch up later. 3. The Security Perspective: “Store Now, Decrypt Later” Is a Real Threat Quantum computers will eventually break today’s encryption methods. Adversaries are already stealing sensitive company data and intellectual property to decrypt it once sufficiently powerful quantum computers become available. Beginning the transition to Post-Quantum Cryptography should therefore become part of every organisation’s long-term cybersecurity strategy. How Can SMEs Get Started? Preparing for quantum does not require major investments or immediate access to specialised hardware. For most businesses, the next 12 months will be defined by how quickly they begin understanding where quantum can create value within their own organisation. A practical starting point is to: Pinpoint your most complex optimization, scheduling, simulation or other computational challenges before looking at the technology. Instead of searching the market, leverage the QBN network to tap into members with proven capabilities in quantum software development, hardware access, and systems integration. Collaborate with specialized ecosystem partners to design highly targeted pilot projects, using cloud-based access to test applications without heavy upfront infrastructure costs. The Competitive Advantage Starts Today The companies that will benefit most from quantum will not necessarily be those investing the most capital today, but those building the strongest strategic readiness. As Germany’s central quantum industry network, QBN serves as the one-stop shop for businesses entering the quantum economy, simplifying navigation, matching business needs to technical solutions, and fostering cross-industry collaboration. Through this collaborative ecosystem, SMEs gain direct, frictionless access to the cutting-edge capabilities of QBN members, who provide the practical expertise, technology, and integration power to turn theoretical quantum advantage into real-world business value. Quantum readiness begins with knowing which technological and business problems you cannot afford to ignore, and knowing the ecosystem that can help you solve them.
Aqarios goes public: Germany’s first publicly listed quantum computing company Munich, 14 July 2026 – Aqarios GmbH has gone public through a SPAC transaction with Fonterelli SPAC 4 AG. Aqarios GmbH is known as one of the leading European providers of application-oriented quantum software for optimizing complex industrial problems. With today’s entry of the contribution in kind into the commercial register, Aqarios GmbH is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Fonterelli SPAC 4 AG, which will operate from now on as Aqarios Quantum Technologies AG. With this transaction, the company is, to our knowledge, the first publicly listed pure-play in quantum computing on a German stock exchange. The shares are traded on the Düsseldorf Stock Exchange. A spin-off from cutting-edge research at LMU Munich Aqarios GmbH (“Aqarios”) was founded in 2021 as a spin-off from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU). At the core of its business is the development of software for optimizing complex problems – from supply chains and energy grids to production plans and investment portfolios. To this end, Aqarios GmbH has developed advanced solutions and, in particular, software based on quantum computing. Already today, Aqarios can point to successful projects with well-known DAX corporations and leading industrial companies such as BASF, E.ON and MTU Aero Engines. Since its founding, Aqarios has built a proprietary technology platform, won renowned industry and technology partners, and established itself in publicly funded cutting-edge research projects. The company operates across industries in the energy, finance, logistics, aviation and manufacturing sectors. Luna: making quantum computing usable At the core of the business is the proprietary Luna platform. Luna makes the performance of quantum computers practically usable for companies – without requiring them to build up their own quantum expertise. The platform provides the necessary software and the appropriate algorithms, so that optimization tasks such as supply-chain, energy-grid or logistics optimization can be solved with the help of quantum computing. Users can thus focus entirely on the questions within their own field of expertise. The decisive factor here is the hardware-agnostic approach: Aqarios’ customers are not tied to any single hardware manufacturer and can access a wide range of different quantum computers through Luna. In addition, Luna combines classical and quantum-based computing, so that the best available technology is used for each problem. Real-world problems can already be solved this way today, and customers do not have to commit to a single technology prematurely. The innovative strength of Aqarios and the Luna platform has received multiple awards, including the Quantum Effects Award 2025 in the Quantum Computing Software and Algorithms category at the trade fair of the same name in Stuttgart. Strong partners and funding from the Federal Republic of Germany The industrial relevance of the technology is reflected in the company’s partnerships. In the QuCUN (Quantum Computing User Network) collaborative project, Aqarios is working together with partners SAP, BASF and LMU Munich to build an open, sustainable quantum computing ecosystem for Germany. The project, funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), has a total funding volume of EUR 14.2 million. Beyond this, Aqarios GmbH is active in a large number of further initiatives, connecting cutting-edge research with real applications – from publicly funded research consortia to concrete projects together with industrial companies. In parallel, Aqarios is integrating the Luna platform into concrete applications for various industries. Together with the fintech company Divizend GmbH, the company is developing a product for the financial sector centered on portfolio optimization, which will come to market shortly – a direct vertical application of the Luna platform for institutional and private investors. Management Board and Supervisory Board The Management Board of Aqarios Quantum Technologies AG consists of Michael Lachner. The computer scientist and quantum computing expert, trained at LMU and TUM, is a co-founder of Aqarios and continues to serve as its managing director. The Supervisory Board consists of the finance and private equity expert Dr. Sebastian Kern (Chairman) and the two quantum computing specialists Dr. Sebastian Feld (Deputy Chairman) and Dr. Thomas Gabor. Dr. Sebastian Feld is a professor at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. He specializes in the architecture of quantum computers and their applications. Thomas Gabor is a Research Fellow at the University of Exeter in England. His research advances the development of software that links scientific algorithms such as quantum computing with artificial intelligence. Germany as a location: a strong environment for quantum computing With this stock market listing, Aqarios sends a signal for Germany as a location for quantum computing. Germany has one of the densest research and funding landscapes for quantum technologies in the world, supported by top universities, non-university research institutions and an industrially strong user base. As a spin-off from LMU Munich, an internationally leading center of quantum research, Aqarios exemplifies how market-ready quantum software emerges from German fundamental research. “Quantum computing will help determine industrial competitiveness in the coming years – and we want this value creation to take place in Germany and Europe,” says Michael Lachner, Management Board member of Aqarios Quantum Technologies AG and managing director of Aqarios GmbH. “As the first publicly listed quantum software company in Germany, we make this future technology accessible to investors just as much as to our industrial customers. With Luna, we have proven that quantum computing is already relevant for companies today – hardware-agnostic, application-oriented and scalable.” About Aqarios Aqarios GmbH is a spin-off from LMU Munich founded in 2021 and a leading provider of application-oriented quantum software. The company develops solutions for optimizing complex problems and, with its Luna platform, makes quantum computing practically usable for companies in the energy, finance, logistics, aviation and manufacturing sectors – hardware-agnostic, combinable across classical and quantum-based computing, and without requiring quantum expertise on the customer side. Since 2026, Aqarios has been represented on the capital markets through the publicly listed Aqarios Quantum Technologies AG (Düsseldorf Stock Exchange), which emerged from a SPAC transaction with Fonterelli SPAC 4 AG. Further information, including a detailed company presentation, is available in the Investor Relations section at www.aqarios.de.
Hamburg, Germany and Tel Aviv, Israel, 15.07.2026 – The quantum software company Classiq and the quantum architecture company ParityQC announced a partnership to integrate ParityQC’s Parity Twine technology with Classiq’s quantum software engineering platform, giving developers and enterprises a more efficient path from quantum algorithm design to execution on quantum hardware. The collaboration focuses on a key opportunity in quantum computing: translating high-level quantum computing applications into circuits that run efficiently on quantum hardware with limited qubit connectivity. Classiq’s universal optimization protocol and ParityQC’s algorithm-aware techniques are leading, and complementary, innovative optimization techniques that will be combined into an integrated methodology. The companies aim to reduce circuit complexity and costly SWAP operations, a common bottleneck in executing quantum programs on today’s quantum computers. This Germany-Israel cross-border initiative will focus on scalable quantum software infrastructure for current noisy quantum devices as well as future fault-tolerant quantum systems. The joint work is designed to enable developers to move from Classiq’s high-level software engineering platform to highly optimized hardware execution, by leveraging both companies’ technologies. The collaboration will strengthen hardware-agnostic approaches that enable interoperability across multiple quantum platforms, critical as quantum hardware continues to evolve rapidly. “Quantum computing will only become practical at scale if the software layer can automatically bridge the gap between algorithmic intent and the constraints of real machines,” said Nir Minerbi, co-founder and CEO of Classiq. “By working with ParityQC, we are combining high-level quantum software automation with hardware-aware architecture innovation so that developers can build, optimize and execute quantum applications more efficiently across the evolving hardware ecosystem.” ParityQC’s Parity Twine technology is designed to address routing and connectivity challenges by improving how quantum information is represented, distributed, and interpreted across hardware layouts. The combination of Parity Twine running on an IBM Quantum Heron processor showed a new world-record benchmark implementation for QFT, nearly doubling the previous benchmark. Integrated with Classiq’s model-first platform, the approach is expected to help quantum teams generate more efficient quantum programs while preserving portability across different quantum computing systems. “Integrating the Parity Tools with Classiq’s platform brings hardware-aware compilation directly into high-level development workflows, lowering the barrier to create useful quantum applications” said Wolfgang Lechner, Co-CEO of ParityQC. “Meaningful progress in quantum computing is built on collaboration, and bringing our complementary strengths together is what moves the whole field forward,” added Magdalena Hauser, Co-CEO of ParityQC. The companies confirmed the collaboration is intended to support long-term ecosystem development beyond technology integration. Areas of focus may include academic research, workforce development, benchmarking methods and future standards for quantum software infrastructure. As enterprises and governments increase investment in quantum computing, scalable architecture and software tools are expected to serve as the missing link between quantum computing’s theoretical promise and its deployable reality. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) is supporting this project based on a decision by the German Bundestag. The collaboration is aimed at accelerating that transition by combining automation, portability and hardware-aware optimization in a single development path. About ParityQC ParityQC, the quantum architecture company, has its focus on developing blueprints and enabling software for highly scalable quantum computers. The ParityQC Architecture solves fundamental limitations for scalability of quantum devices by a new paradigm which allows for fully programmable quantum chips with simplified design and control, as well as integrated error correction ParityQC collaborates with hardware partners all over the world to jointly build highly scalable quantum computers for applications ranging from solving optimization problems on NISQ devices to general-purpose, error-corrected quantum computing. Operating from multiple locations across Europe, ParityQC is headquartered in Innsbruck, Austria, with offices in Hamburg, Paris and London. For more information, visit parityqc.com or follow ParityQC on LinkedIn. Media Contact: Sinja Burgemeister Communications & Marketing Manager at ParityQC press@parityqc.com About Classiq Classiq is the leading quantum computing software company, providing the technology that makes it practical for enterprises and researchers to access and harness quantum computing. Classiq’s quantum software engineering platform leverages an agentic workflow and high-level functional models to build and execute optimized, hardware-portable quantum circuits automatically. This enables teams to develop algorithms faster, optimize them for cost and performance, and make quantum applications usable sooner, without deep hardware expertise. Through partnerships with global leaders in quantum cloud computing, including major hyperscalers and hardware providers, Classiq ensures that customers including Rolls Royce, Comcast, The BMW Group, Intesa Sanpaolo and many others, can design once and deploy anywhere. Its synthesis technology workflow enables organizations to produce scalable, efficient quantum code that accelerates research and reduces execution cost. Classiq, a Fast Company ‘Next Big Thing in Tech 2025’ award winner, is backed by the EIC, leading global VCs and CVCs, including SoftBank, AMD, Qualcomm and HSBC. Classiq is the global category leader at the forefront of enabling advanced quantum computing applications. Follow Classiq on LinkedIn, X or YouTube, visit the Slack community, GitHub repository and www.classiq.io to learn more. Media Contact: Rainier Communications on behalf of Classiq Michelle Allard McMahon classiqPR@rainierco.com
Bringing together end-users and developers with suppliers and integrators in a trust-based environment creates the perfect foundation for valuable business and collaboration opportunities
Bringing together end-users and developers with suppliers and integrators in a trust-based environment creates the perfect foundation for valuable business and collaboration opportunities
