Last week, high-level representatives from the Basque government visited Munich Quantum Valley (MQV). On 27 November, the delegation, which included Basque Minister of Science, Universities and Innovation Juan Ignacio Pérez Iglesias, Vice Minister Adolfo Morais Ezquerro, and Director for Scientific Policy Amaia Esquisabel Alegría, met with the MQV management and several R&D professors.
First, MQV and Basque Quantum (BasQ) introduced themselves to each other. Led by the Basque government, the initiative promotes the development and application of quantum technologies by researchers, students, and companies in the Basque Country. It aims to establish the region as a globally recognized center for this future technology. Of particular note is the collaboration with IBM, which has resulted in the installation of Europe's first operational IBM Quantum System Two in Donostia-San Sebastián. The system is located in one of the newly constructed buildings on the “Quantum Mile,” as BasQ calls the research campus, which offers modern laboratory and office space in the immediate vicinity and was created as part of BasQ. Through the cooperation between BasQ and IBM, numerous joint projects between research and industry are being promoted to explore various application scenarios for quantum computing.
The representatives of BasQ and MQV identified many similarities between the respective overarching strategies of the two quantum ecosystems and see great opportunities for future joint research and development projects in the fields of quantum computing, sensing, and communication. Concrete ideas for collaboration began to emerge during the presentations by the R&D professors of MQV, each of whom introduced their specific areas of research.
Following this initial intensive exchange at the MQV head office, the BasQ representatives visited the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics at the Garching research campus on 28 November. There, the delegation met with representatives from other key areas of the MQV ecosystem, including representatives from the Munich start-up scene and the education and training sector.
After this successful initial exchange, BasQ and MQV now plan to bring together researchers from both quantum ecosystems to initiate future joint projects and apply for European funding together. The Basque delegation has already invited MQV to Donostia-San Sebastián for next year.