Berlin is becoming a hotspot for quantum technology

Kick-off for the Berlin Quantum Alliance and presentation of the new “Leap” innovation hub

Kick-off for the Berlin Quantum Alliance (BQA): This joint initiative by Berlin's business community, research institutions and universities is intended to make Berlin an international hotspot for the research and development of quantum technologies. At the same time, a new innovation hub and coworking space for quantum technologies will be presented in Berlin at the Berlin Adlershof Innovation and start-up centre: the Leap. In the future, it will provide a platform for exchange, networking and collaboration between actors from science, business and the start-up scene who want to address the potentials and challenges of quantum technologies. In addition, it will also offer free space for new start-ups and guests who want to take a look at Berlin's quantum ecosystem.

In order to promote a transfer of quantum technologies into the diverse fields of application and to exploit the associated potential for companies and the economy, the following institutions are working together to jointly develop suitable activities and formats:

• Humboldt Innovation GmbH as a transfer point for HU Berlin,
• the industry association for optical technologies OpTec Berlin Brandenburg e.V.
• Berlin Partner für Wirtschaft und Technologie GmbH

Dr Stefan Franzke, CEO of Berlin Partner: “Berlin is a constantly growing and changing metropolis that attracts young talent from all around the world. The framework conditions for the transfer of new knowledge and research in industry are ideal and offer stable development conditions for quantum technology to make the step over into industrial use. The Berlin Quantum Alliance promotes the already existing dynamic quantum community in Berlin and encourages it to continue on this path. Berlin will once again be a place where we are already working today on the answers to the questions of tomorrow.”

Dr. Henry Marx, State Secretary for Science: “Quantum research in Berlin is cutting-edge research on one of the crucial technologies of the future. With the Berlin Quantum Alliance, we are creating an integrated research space for interdisciplinary, international and innovative teams of researchers. Our universities of excellence have joined forces with non-university research to compete for the best minds, the most ambitious doctoral students and outstanding professors from all over the world. Berlin is building on extremely successful preliminary work, for example by the Einstein Research Unit on Quantum Devices.”

Prof. Dr. Julia von Blumenthal from the Berlin University Alliance: “Only together can we research quantum technology even better and put it into application. That is why I am looking forward to the new alliance and invite all stakeholders to work together to make the BQA a success.”

A dedicated funding programme has now been launched to support research and development projects between companies and research institutions, which will also be presented at the kick-off: the Berlin Pro FIT Call “Applied Quantum Technologies”.
 

Quantum technology delegation trip to Washington D.C.

In addition, in order to create new synergies between the capital and world-leading centres for quantum technologies, a Berlin delegation with around 30 participants, led by Berlin Partner and accompanied by State Secretary Michael Biel, will leave for Washington D.C. on 24 September 2023. The focal point of the trip will be the Quantum World Congress, where all participants in the delegation – and thus the capital's quantum ecosystem – present themselves with the BQA.

The trip's programme includes extraordinary visits, such as to IONQ, the world's leading startup in the development of quantum computers, and NIST, the renowned National Institute of Standards and Technology. A visit to NASA is also planned, which will provide insights into the development of quantum technologies for space applications.

The delegation trip is intended in particular to strengthen the exchange between the capitals Berlin and Washington and to set new impulses for future cooperation in the field of quantum technology.
 

About the Berlin Quantum Alliance

BQA is pursuing an interdisciplinary and cross-sector vision to make Berlin a global leader in quantum technologies and invites all interested parties to participate in this exciting development and shape the future of quantum technologies together.. The BQA is based on a concept jointly developed by researchers from the Consortium of Excellence with Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin, as well as the Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems (FOKUS) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications (HHI).
Further information about the Berlin Quantum Alliance, the kick-off event and the delegation trip to the USA can be found at:

• Kick-Off of the Berlin Quantum Alliance & Leap Opening | Cluster Optics and Photonics (optik-bb.de) (in German)
• Welcome to Quantum Berlin goes USA! | Cluster Optics and Photonics (optik-bb.de)
• Berlin Pro FIT Call “Application-oriented quantum technologies” (in German)

Contact:

Berlin Partner für Wirtschaft und Technologie GmbH
Lukas Breitenbach
Head of Corporate Communications
Ludwig Erhard Haus
Fasanenstraße 85, 10623 Berlin
www.berlin-partner.de
+49 1577 3998-123
lukas.breitenbach(at)berlin-partner.de

Press release Berlin Partner, 19 September 2023