QuantERA

QuantERA
Name	QuantERA
Formation	2014
Type	Research funding instrument
Headquarters	Brussels
Region served	Europe
Parent organization	ERA-NET Cofund

QuantERA

QuantERA is a European research initiative supporting coordination of national and regional research programs in the field of quantum technologies. It connects funding agencies, research institutions, and industry actors across the European Commission policy framework, aligning national strategies with transnational calls for research on quantum information science, quantum communication, quantum sensing, and quantum simulation. QuantERA facilitates collaborative projects among universities, laboratories, and companies to accelerate development of quantum devices, algorithms, and standards.

Overview

QuantERA operates as an ERA-NET Cofund instrument under the auspices of the European Commission and interacts with programs such as Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe. Its remit spans intersections with institutions like the European Research Council, the European Innovation Council, and national research councils including the French National Centre for Scientific Research, the Max Planck Society, and the Austrian Science Fund. QuantERA issues joint calls that assemble consortia from partners such as the University of Oxford, Delft University of Technology, ETH Zurich, and the Weizmann Institute of Science. The initiative aligns with regional clusters such as the Silicon Saxony network, the Cambridge Cluster, and the Munich Quantum Valley ecosystem.

History and Development

QuantERA was launched following discussions among member states, the European Commission, and research agencies around 2013–2014 to coordinate quantum research funding across the European Research Area. Early stakeholder meetings involved representatives from the Polish National Science Centre, the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), the Italian National Research Council (CNR), and the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology. The initiative evolved in tandem with flagship efforts like the Quantum Flagship and major projects funded through Horizon 2020. Subsequent phases expanded membership to include agencies from the United Kingdom Research and Innovation landscape, the Norwegian Research Council, and the Swiss National Science Foundation. Key milestones include successive joint calls, consolidation of governance models influenced by the ERA-NET tradition, and contributions to roadmaps shaped by advisory bodies associated with the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures.

Funding and Governance

QuantERA’s funding model pools national and regional contributions coordinated with co-funding mechanisms under the European Commission’s ERA-NET Cofund rules. Participating funding agencies—such as the Belgian Federal Science Policy Office, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, and the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters—commit resources to jointly evaluated proposals. Governance involves steering committees composed of delegates from ministries and agencies, scientific advisory boards with members from institutions like the Institute of Physics (IoP) and the Royal Society, and programme managers liaising with the European Commission’s research directorates. Project selection follows peer review practices similar to those used by the European Research Council and national councils, incorporating ethics oversight aligned with frameworks from the European Data Protection Board where relevant.

Research Programs and Projects

QuantERA funds interdisciplinary projects across themes such as quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum sensing, and foundational quantum science. Consortia have included partners from the University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, École Normale Supérieure, Technische Universität München, Politecnico di Milano, TU Delft, Karolinska Institutet, and the University of Warsaw. Projects target hardware platforms like superconducting qubits developed with groups at the Jozef Stefan Institute, trapped-ion systems linked to the Institut d'Optique Graduate School, photonic architectures involving the Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, and hybrid systems drawing on expertise from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Applied strands intersect with quantum-safe cryptography influenced by standards bodies such as European Telecommunications Standards Institute and industrial partners like Thales Group, Siemens, IBM, and Atos in collaborative demonstrations.

Collaborations and Partnerships

QuantERA fosters partnerships spanning academia, national laboratories, industry, and international networks. It interfaces with large-scale initiatives such as the Quantum Flagship and bilateral programs involving the Japan Science and Technology Agency, the US National Science Foundation, and the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. Collaborative nodes include technology transfer organizations like Fraunhofer Society, innovation hubs such as Innopolis, and accelerator programs like EIT Digital. QuantERA-supported consortia have engaged with standardization and policy stakeholders including the European Committee for Standardization and advisory groups linked to the European Investment Bank and the European Innovation Council.

Impact and Achievements

QuantERA has accelerated transnational research collaborations, produced peer-reviewed outputs with authors from institutions like Harvard University and Princeton University in joint work with European teams, and contributed to roadmaps informing the Quantum Flagship and national strategies across member states. Outcomes include prototype devices, new quantum algorithms, demonstrators for quantum communication networks leveraging advances from testbeds such as the Dutch Quantum Network, and contributions to workforce development with training activities involving the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. QuantERA projects have influenced spin-off formation drawing on experience from entities like IQM Finland Oy and PsiQuantum collaborations, and have been cited in policy analyses by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and reports prepared for the European Parliament.

Category:Research organizations