The Franco-German Dialogue on Quantum Technologies: building today the Europe of tomorrow on quantum technologies, for and with the industries

Paris, September 18, 2025 – France and Germany are organising a Franco-German Dialogue in Paris and Massy on Tuesday September, 23, a closed-door meeting bringing together representatives from the entire spectrum of quantum players in France and Germany, with the aim of strengthening cooperation among both ecosystems. The discussion among representatives from major French and German industries, startups, research organisations, High Performance Computing (HPC) centres, and public bodies is taking place in emblematic locations of the quantum deep-tech innovation: at Station F, one of the main hubs of innovation in Paris and at the site of Quandela, a pioneering quantum computing company, in Massy.

France and Germany together for the European quantum technology

The Franco-German Dialogue is part of a broader dynamic of European acceleration regarding the adoption of quantum technologies by our industries.

By bringing together the French and German quantum ecosystems for a day, this initiative will help to forge a common approach and nurture the “Franco-German momentum” to a technology that is now a major cornerstone for Europe’s competitiveness and sovereignty.

Last year, the French Embassy in Germany gathered the French and the German quantum ecosystem on the 15th of November in Berlin for the first Franco-German Quantum Dialogue – with a view to explore how to tap into the full potential of French-German synergies for Europe’s technological sovereignty on quantum.

This ambition to move forward a Franco-German economic agenda paying attention to quantum technologies was reaffirmed in Toulon (France) on August 29, at the Franco-German Council of Ministers headed by President Macron and Chancellor Merz. There, both countries committed to “bringing together and scaling-up the quantum computing ecosystems in Germany, France and the EU”.

Taking place less than a month after this commitment, the Franco-German Dialogue happening in Paris and Massy on September 23 is a direct implementation of this intention. By gathering representatives from leading French and German industries, quantum startups, research, important infrastructures and public bodies, this Dialogue will help to identify relevant synergies and stimulate the intensification of cross-border cooperation, on which a broader European approach will be built.

With 2025 proclaimed by the UN the “International Year of Quantum Science and Technology,” the Franco-German Dialogue is an important step in highlighting current and future sector-needs, as well as in raising awareness among French and German decision-makers of the growing role of quantum technology as a driver of technological competitiveness and sovereignty in Europe.

France and Germany unveiled national quantum strategies with ambitious roadmaps for the coming years, each with a clear commitment to close cooperation with European partners.

A multi-stakeholder approach focused on industries and the quantum end-users of tomorrow

Besides, this meeting also stands out by its unique format. For the first time, it is jointly organised by French and German leading players: CEA (the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission), Fraunhofer, Le Lab Quantique, Quandela, the industrial consortium QUTAC, with the support from the two embassies.

In addition, so as to be as close as possible to where deep-tech innovation is taking place and steered, it is being hosted at Station F, one of the main hubs of innovation in Paris and at the site of Quandela, a pioneering quantum computing company, in Massy.

Along a multi-stakeholder approach, discussions in the morning will focus on the needs and expectations of French and German quantum players and on how best anticipate the ecosystem’s prospects over the next years, with a particular attention paid to facilitating the conditions for the adoption of quantum solutions by the French and German industry. The needs of the end-users, such as High-Performance Computing infrastructures and major industry players, will be particularly addressed.

Moreover, in the afternoon, a tour of the quantum computer production facility of the French company Quandela, followed by two round tables – devoted to industrial prospects on the one hand and to the building of an integrated European High Performance Computing-quantum infrastructure for research and industry on the other hand – should stimulate further the reflections on the possible synergies enabling to support Europe’s competitiveness and sovereignty on this critical technology.

“It is a great honour and a privilege for Quandela to host the Franco-German Dialogue on Quantum Technologies. Europe is among the frontrunners in the global quantum computing race, and both France and Germany have a driving role to play in consolidating and strengthening this leadership. Such an initiative brings together stakeholders who share the same ambitions, but who do not always have the opportunity to meet, exchange, confront their commonalities, or learn from their differences. I am convinced that this dialogue will foster new synergies and complementarities, in support of a quantum industry and ecosystem that is not only Franco-German, but also European, stronger and bolder”, said Dr. Niccolo Somaschi, co-founder and CEO of Quandela.

Representative of QUTAC Dr. Reinhard Ploss, highlighted: “QUTAC, as the voice of Germany’s application-driven quantum industry, strongly supports the establishment of a European quantum ecosystem to strengthen Europe’s digital sovereignty. The Franco-German engine is a driving force, and this dialogue between quantum stakeholders is just the beginning of creating significant value for Europe.”

“At Le Lab Quantique, we firmly believe that our two ecosystems must be both independent and closely linked. This is vital for the success of Europe’s quantum ambitions, just as it has been vital for Europe’s greatest successes. In order to ensure the success of the Quantum Flagship, it is our objective to dedicate all the necessary resources to fostering collaboration. This may be achieved through the establishment of academic/industrial research chairs, joint laboratories or any other collaborative initiative.”, emphasized Joseph Mikael, President of Le Lab Quantique.

“While quantum technologies are among the common priorities that were reaffirmed at the FrancoGerman Ministerial Council on August 29, 2025, I am delighted that the French and German ecosystems are coming together for the second consecutive year for the Franco-German Quantum Dialogue. The aim now is to step up our efforts and work together to develop industrial use cases in quantum computing.”, said French Ambassador to Germany, H.E. Francois Delattre.

For German Ambassador to France, H. E. Stefan Steinlein: “Becoming a global pioneer in key technologies can only be achieved at the European level. Part of the large economic agenda adopted at the Franco-German Council of Ministers in Toulon is the agreement to deepen cooperation in the field of cutting-edge technologies, especially on pursuing and supporting initiatives in the field of Quantum technologies. We have what it takes. Both countries are already at the forefront. But we can do even better.”

To further accelerate a renewed Franco-German momentum on cutting-edge technologies, the Franco-German Dialogue on Quantum Technologies will be followed in the coming weeks by two other notable events: the Quantum Effects Fair – the second biggest technology fair dedicated to quantum technologies in Germany – on October 7 and 8 in Stuttgart, to which France will, for the first time, be guest country, as well as the high-level Franco-German Summit on Digital Sovereignty taking place in Berlin on November 18, during which accelerating the development of quantum computing in Europe could also be discussed.

About Quandela
Quandela is a leading quantum computing company. Quandela designs, builds, and delivers industry-grade quantum computing solutions, including data center-ready quantum computing systems, cloud-accessible quantum processors, and algorithm services with industrial value. Quandela is committed to making advanced quantum computing accessible to all, empowering innovators to solve the most pressing industrial and societal challenges.

Learn more at www.quandela.com

About Le Lab Quantique
Le Lab Quantique is a non-profit organisation whose mission is to promote quantum technologies in France and internationally. In order to foster synergies between public and academic players, large corporations, and start-ups, Le Lab Quantique organises events (workshops, hackathons, scientific and artistic exhibitions) bringing together all players in the ecosystem. It produces content to promote quantum technologies and help identify use cases, coordinates funding initiatives at the regional and national levels, and supports workforce development by connecting innovation and talent. The association’s board is composed of members from QCWare, Pasqal, Quantinuum, Quantonation, BMW Group, and QuantX. The association has also received support from leading French manufacturers and public institutions such as BPI.

About the CEA
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) is a major research organization working in the best interests of the French State, its economy and citizens. Thanks to its strong roots in fundamental research, it is able to provide tangible solutions to meet their needs in four key fields: Low-carbon energy (nuclear and renewable), Digital technology, Technology for medicine of the future, Defense and national security. Three key values guide the work of the CEA and its teams: curiosity, cooperation and awareness of responsibilities. The CEA ranks among the top research organizations in the Top 100 Global Innovators list, according to Clarivate. It is also the leading French research organization in terms of patent filings in Europe, according to the European Patent Office (EPO) 2024.

In the field of quantum technology, the CEA, notably through its Laboratory for Systems and Technologies Integration (CEA List), focuses its research on intelligent digital systems: artificial intelligence, the factory of the future, cyber-physical systems, computing, quantum in particular, and digital health.

Find out more: www.cea.fr

About Fraunhofer- Gesellschaft
The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, headquartered in Germany, is one of the world’s leading organizations for applied research. It plays a major role in innovation by prioritizing research on cutting-edge technologies and the transfer of results to industry to strengthen Germany’s industrial base and for the benefit of society as a whole. Since its founding as a nonprofit organization in 1949, Fraunhofer has held a unique position in the German research and innovation ecosystem.

With nearly 32,000 employees across 75 institutes and independent research units in Germany, Fraunhofer operates with an annual budget of €3.6 billion, €3.1 billion of which is generated by contract research − Fraunhofer’s core business model. Unlike other public research organizations, base funding from the German federal and state governments is merely the foundation for the annual research budget. This serves as the basis for groundbreaking precompetitive research that will become important for the private sector and society in the years ahead. Fraunhofer’s distinctive feature is its large share of industry revenue, guaranteeing close collaboration with the private sector and industry, and the consistent focus of Fraunhofer’s research on the market. In 2024, industry revenue accounted for €867 million of its budget. Fraunhofer’s research portfolio is augmented by competitively acquired public-sector funding, pursuing the right balance between public-sector and industry revenue.

About QUTAC
The Quantum Technology and Application Consortium (QUTAC) is a consortium that brings together some of Germany’s leading economic and industrial players to advance quantum computing to the level of large-scale industrial applications. QUTAC members include Airbus, BASF, BMW Group, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bosch, Deutsche Telekom, Infineon, Lufthansa Industry Solutions, Merck, Munich Re, SAP, Siemens, TRUMPF, and Volkswagen. Through a series of joint development projects, QUTAC members are making decisive progress towards the first practical applications of quantum computing, both within their own sectors and across sectors. The consortium’s objectives are to identify, develop, test, and share applications for quantum computing and to identify funding needs.

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