As the demand for quantum technologies soars, Europe faces the risk of falling behind in a rapidly evolving field. This pressing challenge of lagging quantum technology capabilities in Europe requires a revolutionary response. The EU-funded Qu-Pilot project will bring together 21 partners from nine countries to develop and democratise Europe’s first federated fabrication capabilities. It will provide experimental production services for quantum computing, communication and sensing. This ambitious initiative aims to empower SMEs, foster a European quantum technology supply chain, ensuring Europe remains at the forefront of quantum innovation. The project will safeguard critical intellectual property within the EU, all while contributing to the development of European standards in the field.

The Qu-Pilot SGA proposal consists of 21 partners from 9 different countries aiming to develop and provide access to the first, federated European fabrication (production) capabilities for quantum technologies, building on and linking together existing infrastructures in Europe. Qu-Pilot will implement the first stage of the capability innovation roadmap for providing experimental (pilot) production capabilities and a roadmap for transferring such capabilities to an industrial production environment, as was proposed in the awarded FPA. It will provide experimental production capabilities for quantum technologies in computing, communication and /or sensing through 13 service-provider organizations available to users, including industry, in particular SMEs and contribute to developing European standards in the field. Qu-Pilot will provide services for the development of a European supply chain of quantum technologies, provide European industry, especially start-ups and SMEs, with the necessary innovation capacity, and make sure that critical IP remains within the EU. The initial service offering will be validated through use-cases with companies within the SGA. A minimum of 20 such use-cases are expected and of those 11 are already part of this Qu-Pilot SGA proposal. The competence development, industrial use-cases and ecosystem building – all the activities identified and set out in the FPA will have first set of implementation through this first SGA.