Quantum Technologies in Eastern France

Quantum technologies have been identified as a key strategic area for France, the whole of Europe, and many other countries. France has the main assets to establish itself as a major scientific and industrial competitor in quantum technologies, notably thanks to the historical positioning of its research on various key technological components, its pioneering industries, and its dynamic ecosystem of startups.

In this context, a budget of €1.8 billion was allocated by France to launch the “quantum plan” starting in 2021 over a period of five years. This plan aims to develop research in this field and attract investors from around the world to tackle quantum challenges from France.

A call for projects to establish 5 quantum houses in France was also launched in the summer of 2024, with the main mission of facilitating technology transfer between our universities and industries on the main theme of quantum computing. One of the 5 quantum house will settle in the Region Grand Est on the 4th of March 2025.

The Eastern France at the Forefront of Quantum Technologies

The Grand Est is one of the leading regions in academic research on quantum technologies, spread across 4 universities:

• UL (University of Lorraine) with LORIA and the MOCQA team, mainly focusing on algorithms.

• UNISTRA (Strasbourg) with the AQCESS project (€10 million over 8 years) and the development of a new type of quantum computer. Startup QPerfect: Creation of a high-performance quantum simulator.

• URCA (Reims) with the ROMEO platform and the Captiva quantum simulator provided by ATOS.

• UTT (Troyes) with work around photonics for transmission between quantum computers.

Three major areas are the subject of advanced studies in the field of quantum technologies in Eastern France:

> Physics

• Nanoscience Research Laboratory (LRN) (Reims)
• Rydberg atom (physics, electron), Theoretical Chemistry (Strasbourg)
• Photonics at UTT (Troyes)
• Jean Lamour Institute on materials, University of Lorraine (Nancy)

> Mathematics

• University of Lorraine, IELC (Elie Cartan Institute) (Nancy)

> Computer Science

• URCA with Captiva – ATOS quantum simulator (Reims)
• UNISTRA – AQCESS project (Strasbourg)

“La Maison du Quantique” (Quantum House) in Eastern France

The universities of Strasbourg (coordinator), Troyes (co-coordinator), Lorraine (participant), and Reims (participants) were awarded a call for projects to establish quantum houses in France. These “quantum houses focus on quantum computing. “La Maison du Quantique” aims to achieve three goals:

• Technology transfer to industry through projects and training sessions dedicated to professionals
• Support and creation of startups in the field of quantum computing
• Training engineers and academics in the development of hybrid computing

All with the idea of creating a sustainable quantum ecosystem in the Grand Est region while also leveraging our regional ties with our German and Swiss neighbors.

ROMEO Super Computer Center (HPC)

The ROMEO supercomputer, developed by Nvidia and ATOS, is one of the most powerful in France and also the most energy-efficient, providing computational power accessible to businesses and universities, allowing both of them to reduce their investments in equipment and personnel. At the same time, the supercompter provides them with the latest technology and a support team of dedicated ingenieers. This advantage is crucial in today’s competitive environment, where modeling and simulation can significantly reduce costs and development times for new research projects.

The European Center for Quantum Sciences (CESQ), International Cooperation in the Service of Quantum Science

As an international center of excellence, the CESQ was inaugurated in October 2023 at the University of Strasbourg in collaboration with the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). It brings together 31 international researchers and engineers in the fields of experimental, theoretical, and applied quantum sciences, including:

• Quantum physics,
• Chemistry,
• Materials science,
• Photonics,
• and Computing.

Technology transfer and the creation of startups are highly encouraged, with the presence of the startup Qperfect, which developed a high-performance quantum simulator. The AQCESS quantum computing platform is also open to academics and industry professionals, offering 400 high-quality atomic qubits.

This is a major new tool for research, international cooperation (notably through the partnership with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) within the framework of EUCOR – The European Campus), and innovation, promising cutting-edge technologies with extraordinary potential that will revolutionize society.

A Proliferation of Academic and Industrial Projects Around Quantum Science in the Région Grand Est

• QMat – Quantum School of Excellence (doctoral training)
• Qaptiva in Reims – Quantum Simulator
• Institute of Photonics in Metz, involving CentraleSupélec, the University of Technology of Troyes (UTT), the University of Lorraine, the University of Strasbourg, INSA Strasbourg, and the University of Haute-Alsace
• Nano-Phot – Doctoral School in Photonics (UTT Troyes, URCA)
• QSTEC – Doctoral Training Program led by the Eucor European Campus (University of Strasbourg, Swiss and German universities) with IBM Zurich
• AQCESS – European Project with 27 teams aiming to build a quantum computer using atoms trapped by lasers (“Atomic quantum computing as a service”). Partners: KIT (Germany), University of Vienna (Austria), BASF, Quantum Institutes Canada, FZ-Juelich Institute Germany