Q*Bird and Eurofiber Awarded €1 million for groundbreaking quantum key distribution project
THIS IS A PRESS STATEMENT FROM Q*BIRD
Barcelona, March 4, 2025 - At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona today, Eurofiber, a provider of industry-leading open digital infrastructure, and Q*Bird, a quantum technology innovator, are pleased to announce they have been awarded a €1 million subsidy from the Kansen voor West European Regional Development Fund (EFRO) program. This funding will support their joint technical project, aptly named QUEST, to enable Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) across two of Eurofiber’s main data centers in the Randstad, West region of the Netherlands.
The project marks a significant milestone in the development of Next Generation quantum key distribution technology, offering secure, tamper-proof communication between users. By leveraging Eurofiber’s extensive fiberoptic network, the collaboration will allow customers to access QKD secured lit services, ensuring robust data security for critical applications, across multiple local quantum networks.
"As a provider of critical digital infrastructure, Eurofiber works daily on the resilience and security of the network. This project is a critical step forward in the evolution of Quantum secure communications. By permanently enabling Quantum Key Distribution across our Randstad datacenters and our Private Cloud infrastructure, we are not just enhancing security for our customers today but also laying the groundwork for future quantum network services,” said Marc Hulzebos, Innovation Manager at Eurofiber. “Our partnership with Q*Bird demonstrates our commitment to scaling emerging technologies, ensuring that Eurofiber remains at the forefront of the next-generation digital infrastructure."
Working with Single Quantum, a manufacturer of quantum detection systems, Q*Bird aims to further develop Next Generation QKD quantum networking technology, to scale the technology to a more commercially viable application. In the project, multiple smaller QKD networks will be connected to allow quantum-encrypted communication between any pair of users in this extended quantum network.
The project will strengthen the collaboration between Q*Bird and network provider Eurofiber, connecting quantum communication networks in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Any customer needing confidential data communication can benefit, including critical infrastructure, local public authorities, governments, and businesses. This will accelerate the development and implementation of an ultra-secure quantum internet.
As we continue to deploy quantum security solutions, we are excited to contribute to a safer and more secure digital future for our customers. Today, we are building devices for quantum-secured data communications, and this project will allow us to enhance our business proposition significantly for a wide range of customers. In the future, we will enable general-purpose quantum connectivity by providing new products and seamlessly integrating those with our pre-existing quantum cryptography network across data centers.
The Kansen voor West by Provincie Zuid-Holland, subsidy program is an economic stimulation program for the western part of the Netherlands, backed by the European Regional Development Fund (EFRO). It aims to strengthen the regional research and innovation capacity and the introduction of advanced technologies. The main goal of the QUEST project is to accelerate the adoption of cutting-edge quantum security technologies in the Netherlands.
About Q*Bird
Q*Bird (Q Bird - Secure Quantum Connectivity) is a system provider for secure quantum communications. Their novel technology can protect our data communications and digital infrastructure based on fundamental laws of nature and is provably secure, even against a future quantum computer. Q*Bird started in 2022 when it spun out of the Delft University of Technology. In 2023, Q*Bird field-tested its prototype systems in various data centers in the Netherlands, making it available for integration tests with future users and customers. After a successful pilot in which Europe’s largest harbor, the Port of Rotterdam, tested Q*Bird’s Quantum Key Distribution System, Q*Bird is supplying its Falqon4000 series (Products - Q Bird ) in EU27 member states as part of the EuroQCI program, as well as serving other customers.
About Kansen voor West
Kansen voor West provides an innovative boost to the regional economy in the Randstad. The entire Kansen voor West III program is based on the regional smart specialization strategy of the Dutch government. The western region of the Netherlands follows a mission-driven innovation strategy aimed at valorization and removing barriers to the widespread implementation of innovations needed for societal transitions. Acceptance by businesses and citizens is crucial, as is the development of skills in the labor market. Key themes include circularity, climate neutrality, health, safety, digitalization, and integration.
About Eurofiber
Eurofiber is a provider of industry-leading open digital infrastructure in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany. Utilizing our 72,300 km fiberoptic network and eleven data centers, we empower the digital societies of the countries in which we operate. Our customer base consists of companies, government bodies and non-profit organizations. We provide them with cloud infra and connectivity solutions tailored to their needs; our open infrastructure ensures them complete freedom to choose services, applications and providers.
