An inverted tabletop dilution refrigerator, that can achieve millikelvin temperatures, has long been the holy grail for fast-turnaround quantum technology development. Especially useful for fast and affordable quantum chip testing. In 2023 Quantum Delta NL, an organization funded by the Dutch National Growth Fund, awarded funding to companies Leiden Cryogenics and Orange Quantum Systems. They set out to develop a compact, fast turn-around cryostat for quantum applications.   A fast turn-around ‘mini-fridge’ for quantum applications Three years after the conception of the ‘mini-fridge’ for quantum R&D, Leiden Cryogenics (LC) successfully finalized a prototype in the Quper project. At the APS Global Physics Summit, LC will unveil a new product based on the Quper project. The company is promising a compact and affordable cryogenic system, capable of cooling a sample to below 25 millikelvin and returning it to room temperature in less than 24 hours. The project tested a new inverted fridge design, allowing for ergonomic tabletop access for operators. By shrinking all components, including the heat switch and dilution unit, a much faster cooldown is possible. Achieved without the need for liquid nitrogen and with a significantly lower helium-3 requirement. Sasha Usenko, Leiden Cryogenics CTO: “Fast, compact, simple, but fully functional dilution refrigerators (be it for quantum chip testing and development, optical or beamline experiments, etc…) have been a popular request from our customers for many years and now we are finally ready to fulfill it.”   Testing of quantum devices and system control In 2025, project partner Orange Quantum Systems used the prototype cryogenic system for testing Travelling Wave Parametric Amplifiers. To remotely monitor, control, and automate the Quper fridge, the project introduced a new Leiden Cryogenics back‑end for SubZero, the cryogenic control software that runs on OrangeQS Juice. This was made possible thanks to the flexible and extensible nature of the Juice OS. Koushik Kumaran, product owner at OrangeQS: “The fact that a fridge manufacturer has developed a new system with Juice as the operating system is a huge indicator of reliability.”   About the project partners This project was made possible by Quantum Delta NL. About LC: Leiden Cryogenics has been a leader in extreme low temperature techniques for over 30 years. Founded in 1992 by Prof. Dr. Giorgio Frossati as a spin-off from the University of Leiden, started in a small lab with room for only one dilution refrigerator. Now 34 years later, Leiden Cryogenics is still working on various cryogenic innovations day and night. With a flexible and dedicated team of cryogenic experts, Leiden Cryogenics provides a range of solutions for your cryogenic applications.   About OrangeQS: Orange Quantum Systems develops advanced solutions for automated testing and characterization of quantum chips, enabling the transition from lab-scale devices to industrial-grade quantum computers. Based in Delft, the Netherlands, the company leverages deep academic roots and engineering excellence to serve the global quantum ecosystem.

BRAUNSCHWEIG, Germany & INNSBRUCK, Austria – 25.02.2026 – QUDORA, a leading german full-stack quantum computing developer, and ParityQC, the quantum architecture company, announce a strategic partnership to optimize quantum algorithm performance on trapped-ion hardware platforms.  QUDORA develops quantum computing systems based on trapped-ion technology, including the hardware, control systems, and system integration. ParityQC specializes in hardware-aware quantum architecture, resulting in scalable blueprints for quantum hardware and algorithms. Its Parity Twine method has demonstrated record efficiency in implementing quantum algorithms on every known hardware connectivity. The partnership combines QUDORA’s proprietary Near-Field Quantum Control (NFQC) technology with ParityQC’s architecture framework. ParityQC will work with QUDORA’s engineering teams to tailor and optimize its algorithms for QUDORA’s hardware platform. “Efficient use of hardware resources is essential for delivering practical quantum computing,” said Dr. Daniel Borcherding, Head of Quantum Software at QUDORA. “ParityQC’s architecture-driven approach allows us to improve algorithm performance on our systems without increasing hardware complexity. This supports faster progress toward customer-relevant quantum applications.” “We’ve shown that Parity Twine enhances the performance of currently existing quantum hardware and allows to implement corner-stone algorithms in the most efficient way. Combining our approach with QUDORA’s vast experience in building trapped-ion quantum hardware will fast-track the development towards utility scale quantum devices,” said Wolfgang Lechner and Magdalena Hauser, Co-CEOs ParityQC. The Optimization Challenge  Quantum computers deliver practical value only when algorithms are aligned with the physical characteristics of the underlying hardware. Without hardware-specific optimization, algorithms typically require more qubits, deeper circuits, and longer coherence times than needed. ParityQC’s Parity Twine technology addresses this challenge by restructuring algorithms to match the topology and operational constraints of specific quantum processors. Applied to QUDORA’s trapped-ion systems, this approach reduces gate counts and circuit depth, directly improving computational efficiency. Fewer operations mean less accumulated error and better results with existing hardware. Quantum Computing Made in Europe  The partnership is rooted in a shared European quantum technology ecosystem. QUDORA operates from Germany, while ParityQC is based in Austria with subsidiaries in Germany, France and UK. Both companies are engaged with partners such as the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and NXP Semiconductors, creating a strong foundation for coordinated technical development. Together, QUDORA and ParityQC aim to enable faster validation of quantum use cases and provide customers with quantum computing solutions that are technically robust, resource-efficient, and ready for real computational environments.   About ParityQC As quantum architecture company, ParityQC’s focus is on developing blueprints and operating systems for quantum computers. ParityQC solves the challenges in the scalability of quantum devices by a fundamentally 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. parityqc.com   About QUDORA  Founded in 2021, QUDORA is a leading full-stack system integrator of trapped-ion quantum computers based in Germany. The company’s proprietary Near-Field Quantum Control (NFQC) technology brings together ultra precise qubit control with very long coherence times significantly improving the performance per qubit. QUDORA’s QC systems are designed for seamless integration with existing industrial infrastructure, including on-premise deployments for HPC centers. With operations in Braunschweig and Hamburg, QUDORA is making quantum computing accessible to a broader range of applications and industries. qudora.com

SemiQon is launching a next-generation quantum chip enabling scalable quantum computing, supported by scalable cryo-optimized manufacturing in new facilities. SemiQon celebrated its three-year journey together with the Finnish quantum community on February 12. In just three years, the company has grown from a four-founder team into a 30-employee startup preparing for its next stage of growth and the launch of a next-generation quantum chip. “Our journey from a VTT spin-off to where we are today has been made possible by the strong support from the community. In the next phase, the importance of that community will only grow — and that community is what today is all about,” said SemiQon CEO Himadri Majumdar in his opening remarks. ‍ Scaling manufacturing in Kvanttinova As part of this new growth phase, SemiQon will relocate to Kvanttinova, which is to be constructed in Otaniemi, Espoo. Compared to its predecessor Micronova, Kvanttinova will offer three times the manufacturing capacity. “Kvanttinova strengthens SemiQon’s ability to transition from breakthrough R&D to products. It provides seamless access to Micronova, pilot lines, and the broader Otaniemi ecosystem to accelerate scalable cryo-electronics fabrication”, said SemiQon founder and COO Markku Kainlauri during the event. Micronova community has played a central role in the company’s early development. “It has been a truly transformative environment for developing both product and manufacturing technologies. We’ve been able to achieve an extremely fast development and iteration cycle from design to fabrication and testing,” said SemiQon founder and Chief Research Officer Professor Mika Prunnila in his keynote address. Launching new generation quantum hardware SemiQon is the first company in the world to develop a silicon-based chip capable of operating in cryogenic conditions with extremely low power consumption — a key requirement for scaling quantum computing systems. The technology enables data processing to occur close to qubits — the fundamental computational units of quantum computers — without proportionally increasing heat load through thermal connections between cryogenic and room-temperature environments. In current architectures, classical processing typically takes place at room temperature, creating scalability bottlenecks. SemiQon’s approach helps shift quantum computing from a research-driven challenge toward an engineering and manufacturing challenge. “This year, we will release our first chip that enables quantum computer manufacturers to scale input/output capacity while significantly reducing energy consumption,” said SemiQon founder and CTO Janne Lehtinen. Expanding opportunities beyond quantum computing In addition to quantum computing, cryogenic semiconductor electronics are opening new opportunities in fields that require reliable computing in extremely cold environments. Interest in SemiQon’s chip technology is growing in sectors such as space technology and defense, where cryogenic operation can be a system-level advantage. Still, the long-term trajectory of quantum technology remains difficult to predict. “Predicting the technological future is always difficult,” said Prunnila. “In 1977, the CEO of Digital Equipment Corporation estimated that no one would ever want a computer in their home. Just a few years later, Commodore 64 sold tens of million units. Hindsight is always easier than foresight.” ‍ Commercializing deep technology Alongside the reflections on SemiQon’s progress and future, the anniversary event brought together leading industry experts for discussions on product development and the commercialization of deep technologies, highlighting the importance of long-term collaboration in transforming scientific breakthroughs into scalable products and businesses. During a fireside discussion, Bluefors Chief Business Development Officer & Principal Scientist David Gunnarsson emphasized that quality ultimately determines commercial success in deep technology. “We started 18 years ago with modest business goals. Our aim was to make cryogenics accessible to the research community. We set out to deliver high-quality, reliable equipment purely for scientific use.” Bluefors eventually grew into the world’s leading manufacturer of cryogenic systems, despite early-stage investors initially turning their backs on the company. “Quality ultimately led to a growing market, and thanks to their reliability, our systems have today become enabling standard products for quantum computing,” Gunnarsson said. How does a deep-tech startup balance revenue growth with continued investment in research and development? “You can’t focus on just one, but you also can’t assume you’ll remain competitive three years from now without continuing to invest heavily in improving your product,” said Joonas Govenius, founder and CEO of Arctic Instruments. The importance of community In a panel discussion, moderated by entrepreneur and editor-in-chief Harri Junttila, SemiQon Chair of the Board Antti Vasara, Vice President of Strategic Marketing at Murata Electronics Tomy Runne, and InstituteQ Development Manager Pauliina Rajala discussed how the commercialization of quantum technologies can be enabled. The importance of community was a recurring theme. Runne encouraged the quantum sector to follow the example of Finland’s semiconductor ecosystem, where research led to globally significant businesses — first Vaisala, and later companies such as Murata Electronics and Okmetic. “In Finland, it’s worth asking for help — asking whether something can be done. At Murata, for example, we approached VTT directly to ask whether certain components could be manufactured and how it could be done. They answered yes, and that helped Murata Electronics move forward,” Runne said. “The challenge may lie more on the risk-taking side. Private capital in Europe needs the courage to invest earlier, when valuation levels are still moderate. It is not particularly strong investing to join only after company valuations have already soared,” Antti Vasara noted. “Finland’s national quantum technology strategy is an ambitious vision for the coming decade. Implementing it will be possible only through cooperation in Finland and across Europe”, said InstituteQ Development Manager Pauliina Rajala. ‍