欧洲能否在量子计算方面赶上美国和中国

CanEuropeCatchUp

withtheUS(andChina)

inQuantumComputing?

August2022

ByFrançoisCandelon,Jean-FrançoisBobier,MaximeCourtaux,andGabrielNahas

BostonConsultingGrouppartnerswithleadersinbusinessandsocietytotackletheirmostimportantchallengesandcapturetheirgreatestopportunities.BCGwasthepioneerinbusinessstrategywhenitwasfoundedin1963.Today,weworkcloselywithclientstoembraceatransformationalapproachaimedatbenefitingallstakeholders—empoweringorganizationstogrow,buildsustainablecompetitiveadvantage,anddrivepositivesocietalimpact.

Ourdiverse,globalteamsbringdeepindustryandfunctionalexpertiseandarangeofperspectivesthatquestionthestatusquoandsparkchange.BCGdeliverssolutionsthroughleading-edgemanagementconsulting,technologyanddesign,andcorporateanddigitalventures.Weworkinauniquelycollaborativemodelacrossthefirmandthroughoutalllevelsoftheclientorganization,fueledbythegoalofhelpingourclientsthriveandenablingthemtomaketheworldabetterplace.

TheBCGHendersonInstituteistheBostonConsultingGroup’sthinktank,dedicatedtoexploringanddevelopingvaluablenewinsightsfrombusiness,technology,economics,andsciencebyembracingthepowerfultechnologyofideas.TheInstituteengagesleadersinprovocativediscussionandexperimentationtoexpandtheboundariesofbusinesstheoryandpracticeandtotranslateinnovativeideasfromwithinandbeyondbusiness.Formoreideasandinspiration,signuptoreceiveBHIINSIGHTS,ourmonthlynewsletter,andfollowusonLinkedInandTwitter.

Contents

01|ExecutiveSummary

03|TheGlobalQuantum

ComputingRace

08|AssessingEurope’sChances

15|TheEU’sRisingRisks

19|EnsuringtheEU’sQuantum

Sovereignty

23|TheEUNeedsBusiness-

OrientedQuantumTalent

25|Appendix:QuantumSnapshots,byCountry

1CANEUROPECATCHUPWITHTHEUS(ANDCHINA)INQUANTUMCOMPUTING?

ExecutiveSummary

Afterdecadesofresearch,quantumcomputersareclosetobecomingareality.Severaltechnologicalbreakthroughshavebeenannouncedinrecenttimes,andinvestmentsinthefieldreachedanall-timehighin2021.Themyriadbenefitsofquantumcomputing,fromoptimizinglogisticsnetworkstorevolutionizingdrugdiscovery,areknockingatourdoor.

IftheEuropeanUnion(EU)wishestocapturesomeofthosebenefits,itmustimproveitspresentpositionwithregardtodevelopingandusingquantumsystems.Other-wise,theEUwillyieldgroundtotheUSandChina,andlosethechancetobecomeatechnologicalpowerhouse.

CurrentPosition.Manycountriesareengagedinaglobaltussleforleadershipinquantumcomputing.Becomingaleaderwillrequireachievingsuccessonthreefronts:sup-portfromgovernmententities,commitmentfromprivatecompanies,andattentiontodevelopingtalent.Inthisreport,wewillevaluatethemajorplayers’positionsonthesethreedimensionstounderstandtheEU’scurrentandfuturestatus.

OurresearchindicatesthattheUSiscurrentlythefront-runner,leadingitspeersoneverydimension,especiallyinprivate-sectorefforts.Atrioofpursuers—theUK,China,andtheEU—arewellpositionedtoo,particularlyintermsofgovernmentsupportandtalentpools.

TheEUisamongtheleadersinpublicinvestmentandhasadoptedrobustplans,suchastheEuropeanCommission’sQuantumFlagship.ButtheUSremainsaheadinwinningpatents,settingupstartups,andmakinginvestments,withChinainhotpursuit.TheEUisalsoamongtheworld’sleadersinproducingtalent,alongwiththeUSandChina.

EmergentRisks.AlthoughtheEUappearsstrong,therealityonthegroundislesspositive,asthecontinentdisplaysmultiplesymptomsthatmayportendtroubledowntheroad.

First,theEUhasscattereditseffortsacrossthecontinentwithoutforminganinterconnectedquantumecosystem.AlthoughtheQuantumFlagshipprogramissupposedtocoordinateefforts,mostcountriesonthecontinentcontin-uetoworkinsilos.Evenatthenationallevel,ouranalysisshows,EuropeancountrieshavenotachievedthelevelofcoordinationbetweenstakeholdersandcompaniesthatcountriessuchastheUSandChinahavemanaged.

Second,theEUiscreatingaprivatesectorwithlittleornoabilitytoscale.TheEuropeannationslackthetypeofprivateinvestmentsthatenablequantumcomputingstartupstoscaleintheUS,whichisaventurecapitalpowerhouse.Moreover,theEUlacksbigdigitalplayers—suchasGoogle,Amazon,andIBM—thathavethepowertoconsolidatethequantumsector.

Third,theEUhasapeoplemarketthatfocusesondevel-opingacademictalent.AlthoughtheEUhasalmostasmanytopuniversitiesfocusingonquantumcomputingastheUSdoes,BCGestimatesthatthelatterhastwotothreetimesasmuchtalentatworkinquantumtechnologybusinesses.

EnsuringtheEU’sQuantumSovereignty.TheEU,itsmembergovernments,andpolicymakersshouldimmedi-atelyimplementboldplanstotackletheemergingrisks,actingonallthreefrontstoensuretheregion’squantumsovereignty.

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First,theEUshouldinterconnectallquantumcomputingeffortsbyitsmemberstatesandstakeholdersattheEuropeanlevel.Successdependsongovernments’com-mitmenttoworkingtogethertoadvancetheregion’squantumcomputingcapabilities.TheEUmustprioritizepublicinterventionwhilealigningitsambitionsandstrategiesacrosscountiesandstakeholders.

Second,theEUneedstofostertheconditionsnecessarytodevelopaprivatesectorthatcanscale.Itsstartupsshouldnotremainearly-stageventuresindefinitely;instead,theyshouldscaleandbecomedigitalgiants.GovernmentsandpolicymakerswillneedtoworktogethertotackletheEU’sinvestmentgap,especiallyinlate-stagefunding,whilesupportingthecreationofamarketforquantumcomputingapplicationsbyofferingincentivestoboostadoptionbyincumbents.

Third,theEUmustcreatebusiness-orientedquantumtalent,ensuringthatpeopleleaveacademiaandsupportthedevelopmentofprivatequantumtechnologyinitiatives.Accomplishingthistaskentailsdevelopingtheregion’stalentpipelinefromendtoend,andsecuringadequatefundingforthepurpose.Moreover,theEUmuststrivetobecomeamagnetforinternationaltalent.

OnlybytacklingthesechallengescantheEUrealisticallyhopetosucceedinthequantumcomputingindustry.Otherwise,theadventofquantumcomputingcouldsoundthedeathknellfortheEU’scompetitivenessandtechno-logicalindependence.

TheGlobalQuantumComputingRace

Natureisn’tclassical,dammit,andifyouwanttomakeasimulationofNature,you’dbettermakeitquantummechanical,andbygollyit’sawonderfulproblembecauseitdoesn’tlooksoeasy.

—RichardFeynman,“SimulatingPhysicswithComputers,”InternationalJournalofTheoreticalPhysics,1982

Humankindhasneverbeenascloseasitistodaytorealiz-ingtheideasoftheAmericanphysicist,RichardFeynman(1918–1988).Ina1982papertitled“SimulatingPhysicswithComputers,”Feynmanpostulated,amongotherthings,thattosolvespecificcategoriesofproblems,wewouldneedtobuildquantumcomputers.Likealldeeptechnolo-gies,quantumcomputingtechnologies,afteraslowstart,havematuredrapidlyinrecenttimes.Consequently,thefirstquantumcomputers,whichwillbeabletosolveprob-lemsthatarebeyondthereachoftraditionalcomputers,couldsoonseethelightofday.

3CANEUROPECATCHUPWITHTHEUS(ANDCHINA)INQUANTUMCOMPUTING?

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BOSTONCONSULTINGGROUP|BCGHENDERSONINSTITUTE

Therehavebeenseveralbreakthroughsinquantumcom-putinginrecenttimes.InOctober2019,inapaperpub-lishedinthesciencejournalNature,Googlereportedamilestoneachievement.TheAmericandigitalgiantan-nouncedthatitsquantumcomputer,Sycamore,hadsolvedinminutesacomplexproblemthatwouldhavetakenthemostpowerfulconventionalsupercomputersthousandsofyearstocrack.ByJuly2021,theUniversityofScienceandTechnologyofChina(USTC),basedinthecityofHefei,claimedthatithadsolvedaproblemthatwasthreeordersofmagnitudetougherthantheonethatGoogle’smachinehadtackled,andinSeptember2021,USTCannouncedthatithadbesteditsownrecordbyanotherthreeordersofmagnitude.

November2021sawtwomoredevelopmentsinquantumcomputing.TheUS’sQuantumEconomicDevelopmentConsortiumrevealedthatanovelerror-suppressionmeth-odithadhelpeddevelopcouldincreasetheprobabilityofsuccessforquantumcomputingalgorithmsby2,500%;andStanfordUniversityengineersunveiledasimplerdesignforaquantumcomputer.Then,inJune2022,aCanadianfirm,Xanadu,unveiledaquantumdevice,Borealis,thatcanoutperformanysupercomputeratoneparticularoperation:deliveringaseriesofnumberswithaspecifiedrangeofprobability.Borealiscandosoinjust36millionthsofasecondwhereasthesametaskwouldtaketoday’ssupercomputersmorethan9,000yearstocompute.

Unsurprisingly,private-sectorinvestmentsinquantumcomputingtheworldoverhaverisentorecordlevels.In2021,privateinvestmentsintheequityofquantumcom-putingfirmsincreasedalmosttenfoldovertheirlevelduringtheperiodfrom2015to2019,accordingtoBCGdata.(SeeExhibit1.)Lastyearalsosawthebiggestsaleeverofanequitystakeinaquantumhardwarefirm,whentheAnglo-Americanstartup,PsiQuantum,raised$450milliontodevelopageneral-purposesiliconphotonicquantumcomputer.Infact,aroundthree-quartersofthe$1.3billionofprivateequityinvestmentinquantumcom-putingfirmssince2018hasbeeninhardwaredevelopment.Inaddition,since2013,governmentshaveannouncedinvestmentsofover$20billiontodevelopquantumcom-putingsystems.

Exhibit1-AccelerationofInvestmentsinQuantumComputing

Funding($millions)

Dealscompleted

2,000

1,500

1,000

500

0

1,700

1,500

675

528

241

138

187

75

211

110

92

14

86

66

72

69

32

4

86

20112012201320142015201620172018201920202021

HardwareSoftwareVCinvestments

40

30

20

10

0

Top3investmentsin2021

PsiQuantum

$450millionraised

(SeriesD)

Xanadu

$100millionraised

(SeriesB)

IONQ

$650millionraised

(1/3PIPE+SPAC)

Sources:PitchBook;BCGanalysis.

Note:PIPE=privateinvestmentinpublicequity;SPAC=special-purposeacquisitioncompany.

5CANEUROPECATCHUPWITHTHEUS(ANDCHINA)INQUANTUMCOMPUTING?

Cryptography

QuantumComputersWillDisrupttheWorld

WhileCreatingValue

Undoubtedly,quantumcomputingpossessesthepotentialtocreateenormousvalueinalmosteveryindustry,fromautomotiveandaerospacetofinanceandpharmaceuticals.(SeeExhibit2.)Thenewmachinescouldcreatefreshvalueof$450billionto$850billionoverthenext15to30years,accordingtorecentBCGforecasts.Weestimatethatcom-paniesandgovernmentscouldcapture$5billionto$10billionofthatvalueinjustthenextthreetofiveyearsifthetechnologyscalesasfastasweexpectitto.

Quantumsystemswillbeabletotacklemanykindsofcomputationalproblems,withthefocusatpresentoncomplexapplicationssuchasmachinelearning,simula-tions,optimization,andcryptography.

MachineLearning(ML).QuantumsystemswillidentifycomplexpatternsfromfreshdataandusethemtotrainsophisticatedMLalgorithms.Thatwillacceleratethedevel-opmentofAIapplicationsforautonomousdriving,forexample,aswellasthoseforpreventingfraudandmoneylaundering.

Simulations.Quantumcomputerswillbeabletosimu-lateprocessesthatcanbefoundinnaturebutaredifficulttostudywithtraditionalcomputers.Bydoingso,theywilltransformdrugdiscovery,batterydesign,andfluiddynam-ics,amongotherthings,aswellasderivativesandoptionspricing.

Optimization.Quantumalgorithmswillbeabletoidenti-fytheoptimalsolutiontoacomplexproblemamongallthefeasibleones.Companiescandevelopsuchapplica-tionstotackleproblemsinlogisticsandriskmanagement,forexample.

Cryptography.Quantumcomputingwillcracktraditionalencryptionprotocolsaswellasmakebetterencryptionstandardspossible,asateamofBCGauthorsnotedinarecentFortunearticle.

Exhibit2-QuantumComputingWillCreateValueAcrossSeveralIndustriesandUseCases

($40billionto$80billion)

Optimization

($100billionto$220billion)

Machinelearning

($150billionto$220billion)

Simulation

($160billionto$330billion)

Privatelandscape

Applications

Valuecreationpotential($billions)1

Encryption/decryption

Low

40

High

80

Aerospace:Flightrouteoptimization

20

50

Finance:Portfoliooptimization

20

50

Finance:Riskmanagement

10

20

Logistics:Vehiclerouting/networkoptimization

50

100

Automotive:Automatedvehicles,Alalgorithms

0

10

Finance:Fraudandmoneylaunderingprevention

20

30

Hightech:Searchandadsoptimization

50

100

Other:VariedAlapplications

80+

80+

Aerospace:Computationalfluiddynamics

10

20

Aerospace:Materialsdevelopment

10

20

Automotive:Computationalfluiddynamics

0

10

Automotive:Materialsandstructuraldesign

10

15

Chemistry:Catalystandenzymedesign

20

50

Energy:Solarconversion

10

30

Finance:Marketsimulation(e.g.,derivativespricing)

20

35

Hightech:Batterydesign

20

40

Manufacturing:Materialsdesign

20

30

Pharma:Drugdiscoveryanddevelopment

40

80

Sources:Academicresearch;industryinterviews;BCGanalysis.

1Representsvaluecreationopportunityofmaturetechnology.

Quantumcomputingwillcreatehugevalueinalmosteveryindustry,butitwillposeanunprecedentedthreattocybersecurity,too.

QuantumComputingPosesAPotentCyberThreat

Atthesametime,thedawnofquantumcomputingwillposeanunprecedentedthreattocybersecurity.HackerswillbeabletobreakthroughthesecurityofalmosteveryconventionallyencrypteddeviceorsystembydecipheringthepublickeysgeneratedbytheRSAcryptosystem.Thethreatwillaffecteveryone,fromindividualsandinstitu-tionstocompaniesandgovernments.

Inadditiontosystemsthatstoreindividualinformationsuchaspersonalandfinancialdata,computersystemsthatarecentraltonationalsecurity—suchasmilitarysystems,policenetworks,hospitalsystems,internet,tele-communications,andmobilenetworks,energysystems,andbankingandfinancenetworks—willbecomeeasytargets.Unlessgovernmentsdevelopquantumcomputingcapabilities,theywon’tbeabletoprotectthemselvesorrespondtoattacksbyquantumhackers.

Withquantumcomputinglikelytoposeanunprecedentedcyberthreatinthenearfuture,quantumcryptographyandcommunicationshaveemergedaspossibleresponsestocounterthatthreat.Newnetworksandprotocolswillpro-tectbusinessandgovernmentbyenablingquantumkeydistribution,whichusestheprinciplesofquantumphysicstorandomlydistributekeysbetweenusersoveranetworkofopticallinks.Severalinitiativeshaveemergedworldwide.China,whichlaunchedthefirstquantum-enabledsatellitein2016toensuresecuredatatransmission,hascreatedwhatiscurrentlythelongestquantumkeydistributionnetwork,whichextendsfromBeijingtoShanghai.

EveryNationisRushingtoEmbracetheQuantum

Future

Mostcountriesaren’tadoptingawait-and-watchapproachtoanimpendingCyberArmageddon.Severalgovernments,withtheUSandChinaleadingtheway,haveunveiledquantumcomputingdevelopmentstrategiesoverthepastdecade,especiallyinthepastfiveyears.(SeeExhibit3.)Theyareactingquicklyandmakinglargeinvestmentstogainleadershipofthefieldofquantumcomputing.

Specifically,inDecember2018,theUSCongresspassedtheNationalQuantumInitiativeAct,whichdescribedtheUS’squantumcomputingstrategy,prescribedthenationalresponse,andinvestedover$3billioninquantumcomput-inginitiatives.Similarly,China’sgovernmenthasinvestedover$10billiontobuildtheworld’slargestquantumre-searchfacilityinthecityofHefei.Othercountriesareforgingallianceswiththeleadersinthequantumcomput-ingrace.Forinstance,in2021,Australia,theUK,andtheUSsignedtheAUKUSalliance,apactthatfocusesondevelopingnewtechnologiesratherthandefensecapabili-ties,withthethreenationssharingtheirtechnologicaladvancesinfieldssuchasAIandquantumcomputing.

LiketheUSandChina,the27memberstatesoftheEuropeanUnion(EU)—onwhichwewillfocusinthisreport—havetoparticipatein,investin,andtrytowinthequantumcomputingraceiftheywishtosecureEurope’sfuturecompetitivenessandsovereignty.Afterall,quantumcomputingseemslikelytodisruptseveraloftheEU’skeymanufacturingindustries,suchasaerospace,automotive,chemicals,defense,electrical,pharmaceuticals,andtextiles,aswellasitsservicesectors,suchasbankingandfinancialservices.FortheEU,it’snowornever,makingtodayitsQuantumMoment.

Exhibit3-TheEU’sCompetitiveStartinQuantumComputing

2013

2016

TheUKcreatesaNationalQuantumTechnologiesProgram,investing$300million

Chinalaunchesits13thfive-yearplan,withprojectsforquantumcomputingandcommunications;

announcesan

investmentof$10billionin2017

2018

2020

2021

2019

TheEUsetsuptheQuantumFlagshipprogram,investing

$1.1billion

Japanallocatesabout$270milliontoaquantumroadmap

Australiainvests

$100million

Canadaannounces

aninvestmentof$400millionover

sevenyears

Francecreatesa

NationalAgendaon

QuantumTechnologies

withaseven-year

investmentof$700

million

Russiaannounces

an$800millioninvestment

Israelallocates$400millionoversixyears

TheUSpassesthe

NationalQuantum

InitiativeAct,investing

over$1.2billion

Franceannounces

a$1.1billion

investmentplan

GermanyunveilsitsQuantumComputingRoadmap,witha$2.2billioninvestment

Sources:Literaturesearch;BCGanalysis.

7CANEUROPECATCHUPWITHTHEUS(ANDCHINA)INQUANTUMCOMPUTING?

AssessingEurope’sChances

I

tmaynotbeeasyfortheEUtowinthequantumcom-putingraceortogainquantumsovereignty,althoughsuchanoutcomeiseminentlypossible.Developingandcontrollingthelatestadvancesinthisfieldwillrequireacontinent-wideeffort,supportedbygovernmentsandpublicinstitutions,theprivatesector,andavastamountoftalent.Inthisreport,wewillhighlightthepositionsoftheworld’skeyplayersonthosethreedimensionsinordertogaugetheEU’scurrentstatusinquantumcomputing.WewillfocusontheEU’spolicies,actions,andeffortsasawhole,aswellasontheindividualactionsofEUmemberstates—inpar-ticular,Finland,France,Germany,andtheNetherlands—thataretryingtodevelopquantumcomputingsystems.

Attheoutset,ouranalysissuggeststhattheUSistheglobalfront-runnerinquantumcomputing,outpacingitspeersoneverydimension,especiallyintermsofprivate-sectorefforts.TheEUiswellpositionedamongatroikaofsecond-tierchallengerstotheUS,alongwithChinaandtheUK,havinggarneredagreatdealofpublic-sectorsup-portandhavingbeguntodevelopthenecessarytalent.Evenso,theEUappearstobeamajorcontenderonlybecauseofthecombinedeffortsofallitsmembers.Con-sideredontheirown,notoneofthecountriesinEuropewouldbeafront-runnerinthequantumcomputingrace—yet.(SeeExhibits4and5.)

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9CANEUROPECATCHUPWITHTHEUS(ANDCHINA)INQUANTUMCOMPUTING?

Exhibit4-The2022QuantumComputingCountryRankings

TiersGovernmentsupportPrivateinitiativeTalent

Tier1

1

2

US

Front-runnersandtop

performers,positionedto

leadglobally

ChinaEU

UK

Tier2

Stronglypositionedwith

severalstrengths,likelyto

playleadershiproles

Tier3

Australia

Canada

IsraelJapanRussiaSwitzerland

3

Startedoutwell,potential

toplayleadershiproles

iftheyaddresssomegaps

Tier4

Specificstrengths,with

4

potentialtoplaymajor

rolesinsomeareas

orapplications

Source:BCGanalysis.

Note:ThesmallerflagsinthisexhibitrepresentindividualEUcountriesandshowwheretheywouldappeariftheywereconsideredbythemselves.Throughoutthisreport,weevaluatetheEUintermsoftheaggregateactionsofitsindividualmembersaswellasofEUcentralpolicies.

Elsewhere,CanadaandAustraliahavepositionedthem-selvesasmidlevelcontendersinthequantumcomputingsweepstakes,developingcapabilitiesinmanykeydimen-sions.Canada,forinstance,isafront-runnerinprivate-sectorinvestmentsinquantumcomputing,goinghead-to-headwiththeUS,anditsstart-upsincludeXanadu,whichhopestodeliverquantumerrorcorrectionby2030.Australia,meanwhile,hasinitiatedconcreteplanstodevel-optalentinthefield.Finally,countriessuchasIndia—whichhasinvestedover$1.2billioninquantumtechnologydevelopmentsince2020—Israel,Japan,Russia,andSwit-zerlandhavelaunchedquantumcomputingprojects,settingambitioustargetsbuttrailingthefront-runnersinimplementation.

Let’sanalyzethepositionsofthemaincontendersinquantumcomputingandhowtheymeasureuponthreecriticaldimensions.

GovernmentSupport.Nationalandlocalgovernmentscansupportthedevelopmentofquantumcomputingbyfundingthoseeffortsandbyframingsupportingpoliciessuchasanationalquantumcomputingstrategy.

Chinaisbyfarthegloballeaderinpublicinvestment,havingspentapproximately$10billiontocreateanationallaboratoryforquantuminformationsciences.(SeeExhibit6.)Usuallyoutspentinpublicinvestment,theEUistryingtokeeppacebyallocating$6.5billionin2021forquantumcomputinginvestments,whichismorethandoublethe$3billionthattheUSgovernmenthasbudgetedfor.ButwhiletheEUisattheforefrontinpublicinvestment,itsfocusdiffersfromthatofitspeers,withmostofitsfinancialsupportgoingtoacademicinstitutionsandresearcheffortsratherthantostate-sponsoredinitiatives.

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Exhibit5-TheThreeDimensionsofNationalSuccessinQuantumComputingEfforts

Governmentsupport

Strategyandcoordination

Nationaltargets

QualityofplansandroadmapsPowerofcentralgovernance

Involvementofmilitaryand

intelligenceagencies

Qualityofsupport

AmountofgovernmentinvestmentLevers

Source:BCGanalysis.

Privateinitiative

Privateinvestments

Amounts

Maturity(financingrounds)

Capacitytoretainnationalinvestments

Businesslandscape

Numberofcompanies

Numberofemployees

Companyvaluations

Valuechainleadership

Numberofpatents

Sizeofquantummarket

Sizeofquantumapplicationsmarket

Typeofanalysis:QualitativeQuantitative

Talent

Educationecosystem

Numberoftopuniversities

Numberofstudents

Numberofarticlespublished

Qualityofsupport

Policies

Talentecosystem

Amountoftalent

Directfundingisn’t—andshouldn’tbe—theonlyleverbywhichgovernmentscanrealizetheirquantumcomputingambitions.AustraliaandSwitzerlandhaven’tsettargetsorcreatedroadmaps,whereastheEUandtheUShavedevel-opedplanstoguidetheevolutionoftheirquantumcom-putingecosystems.

Bywayofillustration,in2018,theUSNationalQuantumInitiativeActcreatedanationalplanforquantumcomput-ingandprovidedaframeworktohelpcoordinateeffortsbyUSfederalagencies.ThislawhasallowedtheUStosetupnewquantumresearchcenters,fosterinternationalcollab-orationprogramswithnationssuchasJapan,andcreateeducationalpartnershipswithAmericandigitalgiantssuchasGoogle.TheUShasevenenactedexportcontrolstoblockquantumtechnologiesfrombeingexported,althoughexpertsdebatewhetherdoingsowaspremature.

Concreteplansprovideteethtonationalstrategies.WhiletheUSiscreatingsharedfacilitiessuchasresearchcentersandisdevelopingusecasesthroughpublicagenciesandpartnershipswithbusinessplayers,theEUisfocusingonresearchandcollaborationbetweenuniversitiesthroughtheEuropeanCommission’sQuantumFlagshipprogram.Launchedin2018with€1billioninfunding,theQuantumFlagshipisoneoftheEU’slargestandmostimportantresearchandinnovationprojects.Itcoordinatesresearchacrossseveralquantumcomputingdomains,creatinggroupsofindustrystakeholdersandrunningeducationalpilots.Wellreceivedbyexperts,theQuantumFlagshiphasturnedintoadynamicmechanismthatfosterscollabora-tionbetweenEuropeancountries.Itsprojectcallsandinitiativescouldwellstimulatethecreationofarobustquantumcomputingecosystemonthecontinent.

11CANEUROPECATCHUPWITHTHEUS(ANDCHINA)INQUANTUMC