On July 14, the new quantum innovation hub Quantum.Amsterdam, established by the University of Amsterdam (UvA), Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI) and research center QuSoft, raised the flag together with Quantum Delta NL to celebrate their close collaboration for the coming seven years. Together with research institutes, companies and the municipality, the plan is to boost quantum research and development in the Amsterdam ecosystem.
Quantum.Amsterdam is one of the five innovation hubs of Quantum Delta NL. It acts as liaison to the national quantum activities as described in the National Agenda for Quantum Technology and beyond. The mission of Quantum.Amsterdam is to connect academia, industry and society in a quantum ecosystem in the Amsterdam region by facilitating knowledge exchanges and innovation. Christian Schaffner, Chair of Quantum.Amsterdam: "I will ensure that based on our local strengths here in Amsterdam, we contribute to these national quantum goals. I look forward to a good collaboration with Quantum Delta NL in the coming 7 years, and hopefully also in the time after that".
"The collaboration with Amsterdam started as early as 2014, when Harry Buhrman explained their work on algorithms for the first time", added Freeke Heijman, director Quantum Delta NL. "In the years that followed, a lot of progress was made and hurdles were taken, leading to the National Agenda Quantum Technology and our solid QDNL team. The time was needed to get to this point, in which all hubs have their unique place but also form one Quantum Delta NL ecosystem, in which we work together. This made raising the flag together extra special".
Knowledge exchange
With this collaboration, quantum technology from the academic world is becoming more tangible, understandable and more useful for society, both for the business community and for the general public. As a network organisation, Quantum.Amsterdam has a strong backbone of knowledge partners such as the University of Amsterdam, Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU), and the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. Its research base includes QuSoft, the research center for quantum software, and the UvA Quantum Labs, which focus on hardware for quantum simulation, atomic clocks and quantum sensing applications.
With the support of the National Growth Fund to Quantum Delta NL, the plan is to build a new quantum building at Amsterdam Science Park, that houses the Quantum.Amsterdam hub, where the hub's partners and companies can meet and exchange knowledge.
Starting point
"In essence, Amsterdam has a very good starting position when it comes to quantum technology" says Ton de Kok, director CWI and member of the Supervisory Board of Quantum.Amsterdam. "At CWI, it started over 25 years ago with our pioneering quantum and information theory research. Now a collaboration of multiple knowledge partners has turned into the new Quantum.Amsterdam hub".
Together with Quantum Delta NL, Quantum.Amsterdam provides access to powerful research facilities, infrastructure, and tooling. And it will act as a hotspot for talent, create high-potential startups, and train, educate, and inspire a growing quantum community.
Geert ten Dam, Chair Executive Board, UvA: "This collaboration is interdisciplinary: in addition to the UvA Faculty of Science, also the Faculty of Economics & Business and the Faculty of Law are involved, via the Amsterdam Business School and the Institute for Information Law. Other partners in the Amsterdam quantum ecosystem include AMOLF and SURF. And with the soon to be established Quantum Applications Lab, in which CWI, UvA and TNO are taking the lead, a clear link with the business field is made".
Future workforce
It will take several years to create a suitable workforce with the right knowledge to deal with this new technology. Therefore, quantum technology is also increasingly emerging in education. New education programs are being set up in Amsterdam, such as the professional Quantum Technology Master's at the AUAS and the QuSoft Master at the UvA, for which the first certificates will soon be awarded. In addition, Quantum.Amsterdam organises workshops to prepare a broad audience for the opportunities and threats that quantum technology brings to businesses and organisations.
