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Zurich Instruments and its parent company Rohde & Schwarz have been selected as instrumentation partners for the National Quantum Computing Testbed Facility (NQCT) in Queensland, Australia. The testbed is led by The University of Queensland (UQ) under the direction of Associate Professor Arkady Fedorov and is supported by nearly AU$6 million ($3.9 million USD) in funding from the Quantum and Advanced Technologies Commercialisation Infrastructure Program. The project aims to provide the Australian quantum research community with low-cost, open-access quantum computing capabilities and deep low-level hardware access not typically available via commercial cloud platforms. The NQCT will utilize superconducting quantum processors and [...]

As part of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is launching Quantum for Good, a dedicated track at the AI for Good Global Summit, taking place July 8–11, 2025, in Geneva. This initiative marks a pivotal step in aligning quantum innovation with equitable global development and sustainability goals. Quantum for Good aims to steer the second quantum revolution toward applications with tangible benefits for humanity, prioritizing inclusion, ethics, and accessibility. The track will bring together leading voices from industry, academia, and international institutions to explore real-world use cases, promote standards for responsible innovation, and [...]

Microsoft has integrated post-quantum cryptographic (PQC) capabilities into both Windows Insider Canary Channel builds and Linux environments via its SymCrypt cryptographic library. This early-access release enables developers and organizations to evaluate the performance, compatibility, and deployment strategies of PQC algorithms in preparation for quantum-era threats. These updates are part of Microsoft's broader goal to support secure transitions as NIST PQC standards become operational. The update introduces support for ML-KEM (key encapsulation) and ML-DSA (digital signatures) within the Windows Cryptography API: Next Generation (CNG). Developers can now experiment with hybrid deployments using both post-quantum and traditional cryptographic algorithms. Microsoft recommends hybrid approaches [...]

NordVPN has extended post-quantum encryption (PQE) to all supported applications, completing a rollout that began with its Linux app in September 2024. PQE is now available on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, tvOS, and Android TV, and operates exclusively through NordLynx, the company’s WireGuard-based protocol. Users can activate the feature within the app settings. PQE is disabled when using other protocols, such as OpenVPN or obfuscated servers, and is not compatible with features like Meshnet. The implementation follows post-quantum cryptography standards established by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in August 2024. PQE is designed to protect encrypted data [...]

Invest Qatar and Quantinuum have announced a strategic partnership aimed at advancing Qatar’s quantum computing capabilities through targeted investment, talent development, and infrastructure support. As part of the agreement, Quantinuum will receive tailored support services from Invest Qatar, including access to stakeholders, opportunities for research collaboration, and initiatives to promote quantum technology adoption across key sectors. The partnership follows Quantinuum’s recent regional expansion, including its joint venture with Al Rabban Capital and its academic collaboration with Hamad Bin Khalifa University. Quantinuum will lead technical workshops, educational seminars, and knowledge-sharing platforms in Qatar, while also initiating joint research projects with local academic [...]

IonQ and Swedish freight mobility company Einride have announced a new partnership focused on developing quantum computing applications for autonomous logistics and fleet routing. The collaboration aims to leverage IonQ’s quantum systems to tackle complex optimization problems that challenge classical approaches, particularly in the context of electric and autonomous vehicle operations. These applications will focus on routing, scheduling, and supply chain efficiency in large-scale, real-world transportation networks. The partnership reinforces IonQ’s continued expansion in Europe, including its recently announced collaborations with AstraZeneca in Sweden and other European engagements at QuantumBasel and in Japan. By working with Einride, IonQ aims to establish [...]

The University of Tokyo (UTokyo) and IBM have announced plans to upgrade UTokyo’s IBM Quantum System One with IBM’s 156-qubit Heron quantum processing unit (QPU), significantly advancing the system’s performance. The Heron QPU features a tunable-coupler architecture and delivers improved fidelity and coherence compared to earlier processors, with a 3–4x improvement in two-qubit error rates and a 60% increase in circuit layer operations per second (CLOPS). This marks the third hardware upgrade of UTokyo’s IBM Quantum System One, which began with a 27-qubit Falcon QPU and was later upgraded to a 127-qubit Eagle QPU in 2023. In a parallel development, UTokyo [...]

France, Germany, and the Netherlands have awarded over €30 million ($33.8 million USD) in joint funding to a new set of quantum R&D projects under the first Trilateral Call for Quantum Innovation. The initiative, launched in March 2024, supports European cross-border collaboration in quantum computing, communication, and sensing technologies. French partners received €11 million ($12 million USD) in support from the France 2030 plan, while selected projects span the broader European quantum ecosystem. The trilateral program attracted over 120 applications and selected projects through a two-stage competitive evaluation. Key priorities include scalable architectures for fault-tolerant quantum computing, photonic and superconducting systems [...]

Oxford-affiliated startup Quantum Light has secured $1 million in pre-seed funding to develop and commercialize quantum dot-based pigments. The round was backed by Venrex, Oxford Seed Fund, Light Ray Ventures, I2BF Global Ventures, and senior executives from Google and Meta. The investment will support R&D, scaling partnerships with manufacturers, and initial market entry. Quantum Light’s technology leverages quantum confinement effects to engineer pigments that emit with narrowband precision at tunable wavelengths. These “quantum pigments” exploit the photon emission characteristics of quantum dots, offering spectral control across the visible and invisible spectrum. This approach eliminates reliance on traditional molecular dyes or inorganic [...]

China Telecom Quantum Group has launched a commercial-grade distributed cryptography system integrating quantum key distribution (QKD) with post-quantum cryptography (PQC). Designed to provide resilience against both current and future threats posed by quantum computing, the hybrid system secures communications using a dual-layer approach: QKD enables key transmission via quantum-mechanical principles, while PQC leverages hard mathematical problems to ensure resistance to quantum algorithmic attacks. According to the company, this combination delivers an end-to-end quantum-secure architecture applicable to encrypted messaging, secure authentication, and real-time data protection. The system was demonstrated through a 1,000-kilometer quantum-encrypted voice call between Beijing and Hefei — reportedly the [...]