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EDF, Alice & Bob, Quandela and CNRS Partner to Optimize Quantum Computing’s Energy Efficiency

The French electric utility company EDF, along with quantum computing companies Quandela and Alice & Bob, and the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), have signed an agreement to collaborate on an innovative project to optimize energy consumption in quantum computing. The project, named “Energetic Optimisation of Quantum Circuits” (OECQ), will, in the first…

PARIS, France, July 10^th, 2024 – The French electric utility company EDF, along with quantum computing companies Quandela and Alice & Bob, and the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), have signed an agreement to collaborate on an innovative project to optimize energy consumption in quantum computing.

The project, named “Energetic Optimisation of Quantum Circuits” (OECQ), will, in the first phase, compare the energy requirements of high-performance computing (HPC) systems with those of quantum computers. This analysis will be based on relevant industry use cases and the advanced computations they require. This part of the project will provide the first measurement of energy consumption for the full stack of a quantum computer.

In the second phase, the project will focus on optimizing the energy consumption of quantum computers, addressing not only the energy required by the quantum processing unit (QPU) per se but also that of the auxiliary technologies powering the QPU, which are expected to make up a relevant share of the total quantum system consumption.

The OECQ project gathers a cross-disciplinary team, pooling together fundamental research and industry R&D:

EDF, a major player in energy transition[1], offers industry use cases, as well as classical and quantum computing expertise. EDF will identify the relevant use cases that demand intensive computing power and therefore potentially high energy consumption.
Drawing on its experience in algorithm development, EDF decided to establish a team of quantum computing researchers in 2017 to test the computational and energy performance of these future machines. This aligns with EDF’s Responsible Digital Group [2] approach adopted since 2021.
Alice & Bob specializes in quantum processing unit and algorithm development. They will test the energy needs of their innovative superconducting qubit architecture, the cat qubit.
Quandela is a leader in photonic quantum computing providing industry-grade hardware and software solutions. Their platform is based on semiconductor qubit devices and integrated photonics.

Alice & Bob and Quandela will estimate the energy consumption that a quantum algorithm would require for the selected use cases if solved using their current quantum systems. They will then leverage the insights gained, to build and test new, more energy-efficient quantum processor prototypes.
The CNRS Quantum Energy Team |QET> has provided the first methodology to tackle energy costs of the full stack of a quantum computer and plays a leading role in the development of a standard of energy efficiency at the IEEE.

Throughout the whole project, CNRS will ensure methodological excellence and compute the theoretical bounds for energy consumption.

The project, with a total cost of €6.1M, is supported up to €4.5M by a France 2030 grant operated on behalf of the French state by Bpifrance, France’s public investment bank.

“One of the primary objectives of the OECQ project is to seize the opportunity to develop quantum computing technology in an energy-efficient manner from the outset,” said Théau Peronnin, CEO of Alice & Bob. “As quantum computing is still in its nascent stages, this project will dimension the future energy infrastructures that will support mature quantum technology. Additionally, since energy consumption is a key cost driver in quantum tech, making these processes more efficient offers a significant competitive advantage.”

“EDF is committed to the promotion of a responsible and low-carbon digital transformation. Since 2018, EDF has been involved in evaluating the benefits of quantum for our businesses. This technology brings key advantages both in terms of computational speed and energy optimization,” said Joseph Mikael, Head of Quantum Computation.

“As co-founders of the Quantum Energy Initiative, our CNRS team is extremely excited by OECQ project, which is the first large project devoted to the exploration of a quantum energetic advantage in real quantum computers. It will consolidate the lead of France in quantum energetics and bring into existence a new way of practicing responsible innovation, which takes into account the fact that energetic resources are finite,” said Alexia Auffèves, CNRS Senior Scientist.

“We recognize that energy efficiency is paramount in the development of quantum computing technology,” said Niccolo Somaschi, CEO of Quandela. “As we push the boundaries of what is possible, it’s crucial that we do so in a sustainable manner.”

EDF Contact:
Joseph MIKAEL
joseph.mikael@edf.fr

Alice & Bob Contact:
HKA MarCom
Luke KEDING
luke@hkamarcom.com

Quandela Contact:
Marine-Xech Gaspa
marine.xech-gaspa@quandela.com

About EDF

The EDF Group is a key player in the energy transition, as an integrated energy operator engaged in all aspects of the energy business: power generation, distribution, trading, energy sales and energy services. The Group is a world leader in low-carbon energy, with a low carbon output of 434TWh, a diverse generation mix based mainly on nuclear and renewable energy (including hydropower). It is also investing in new technologies to support the energy transition. EDF’s raison d’être is to build a net zero energy future with electricity and innovative solutions and services, to help save the planet and drive well-being and economic development. The Group supplies energy and services to approximately 40.9 million customers and generated consolidated sales of €139.7 billion in 2023. Customers are counted per delivery site. A customer may have two delivery points.

About Alice & Bob

Alice & Bob is a quantum computing company based in Paris and Boston whose goal is to create the first universal, fault-tolerant quantum computer. Founded in 2020, Alice & Bob has already raised €30 million in funding, hired over 95 employees and demonstrated experimental results surpassing those of technology giants such as Google or IBM. Alice & Bob specializes in cat qubits, a pioneering technology developed by the company’s founders and later adopted by Amazon. Demonstrating the power of its cat architecture, Alice & Bob recently showed that it could reduce the hardware requirements for building a useful large-scale quantum computer by up to 200 times compared with competing approaches. Alice & Bob cat qubit is available for anyone to test through cloud access. Follow Alice & Bob on LinkedIn, X or YouTube, visit their website www.alice-bob.com, or join The Cat Tree on Slack to learn more.

About Quandela

Quandela, entreprise leader dans le domaine du calcul quantique, propose des solutions de niveau industriel. Quandela conçoit, construit et fournit des systèmes quantiques prêts à l’emploi pour les datacenters, des processeurs quantiques accessibles via le cloud, et des services d’accès aux algorithmes.
Fondée en 2017 par la professeure Pascale Senellart, directrice de recherche au Centre de nanosciences et nanotechnologies (C2N) du CNRS, Niccolo Somaschi et Valérian Giesz, experts de renommée internationale en physique quantique, Quandela emploie plus de 100 collaborateurs de 20 nationalités différentes, en majorité des chercheurs et des ingénieurs en optique, algorithmes et sciences de l’information.
Quandela s’engage à rendre l’informatique quantique accessible à tous pour relever les défis industriels et sociétaux les plus complexes.
Pour en savoir plus : www.quandela.com

GB
Quandela, a leader in quantum computing, specializes in industry-grade quantum computing solutions. Quandela designs, builds, and supplies datacenter-ready quantum computing systems, cloud-accessible quantum processors, and algorithm with industrial value.
Founded in 2017 by Professor Pascale Senellart, Research Director at the Centre for Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies (C2N) at CNRS, Niccolo Somaschi and Valerian Giesz, internationally renowned experts in quantum physics, Quandela currently has over 100 employees from 20 different nationalities, mostly researchers and engineers in optical, algorithm and data science.
Quandela is committed to making advanced quantum computing accessible and beneficial for all, empowering innovators to solve the most complex industrial and societal challenges.

About CNRS
A major player in basic research worldwide, the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) is the only French organisation active in all scientific fields. Its unique position as a multi-specialist enables it to bring together all of the scientific disciplines in order to shed light on and understand the challenges of today’s world, in connection with public and socio-economic stakeholders. Together, the different sciences contribute to sustainable progress that benefits society as a whole. (www.cnrs.fr)

[1] https://www.edf.fr/groupe-edf/agir-en-entreprise-responsable/responsabilite-societale-dentreprise/transition-juste

[2] https://www.edf.fr/groupe-edf/agir-en-entreprise-responsable/numerique-oui-mais-responsable

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April 15, 2025

Quandela strengthens its governance by appointing Michel Paulin, former CEO of OVHcloud and SFR, to its Board of Directors

Paris, April 15th, 2025 – Quandela, European leader in quantum computing, announces the appointment of Michel Paulin to its Board of Directors. Michel, a recognized expert in the digital industry, […]

Quandela strengthens its governance by appointing Michel Paulin, former CEO of OVHcloud and SFR, to its Board of Directors

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Paris, April 15^th, 2025 – Quandela, European leader in quantum computing, announces the appointment of Michel Paulin to its Board of Directors. Michel, a recognized expert in the digital industry, was previously CEO of telecommunications pioneer SFR and European sovereign cloud leader OVHcloud. He will bring his experience to Quandela and enrich the company’s strategic vision.

Michel Paulin has spent most of his career in the tech and telecom sectors. In particular, he was previously CEO of OVHcloud, SFR and Neuf Cegetel.

Today, he is Chairman of the Logiciels et Solutions Numériques de Confiance (Trustworthy Software and Digital Solutions) cluster, which brings together software, quantum, AI, cloud and metaverse players.

Recognized as a leading figure in the digital industry, he has been a Director of the Board of the French National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology (INRIA) since 2022, by decision of the Minister for Industry.

Michel Paulin is a graduate of École Polytechnique (1981) and Télécom ParisTech.

Michel Paulin, new member of Quandela’s Board of Directors

“Michel has exceptional expertise in the telecoms and cloud sectors, as well as a proven track record in leading strong growth companies. His advice will be extremely valuable as Quandela embarks on its international expansion and the ramp-up of quantum computer production. I am honored to have him join us as a new member of the Board of Directors,” says Niccolo Somaschi, co-founder and CEO of Quandela.

“I’m honored to join Quandela’s Board of Directors. Quantum computing undoubtedly represents one of the next major technological revolutions, and strategic positions for the next decades are being defined today. France is at the forefront of this quantum technological race, thanks to outstanding research and exceptional talent. With Quandela, our country has a world-leading technological champion in photonic quantum computing. I’m looking forward to contributing to Quandela’s development in this exciting new quantum revolution,” says Michel Paulin, a new member of Quandela’s Board of Directors.

March 17, 2025

EuroQCS-France: remote access to a 12-qubit Quandela system is now available for European users!

The EuroQCS-France consortium, led by GENCI and CEA, is pleased to announce that European researchers can now access a 12-qubit Quandela photonic quantum computing system remotely. This exciting development allows […]

EuroQCS-France: remote access to a 12-qubit Quandela system is now available for European users!

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The EuroQCS-France consortium, led by GENCI and CEA, is pleased to announce that European researchers can now access a 12-qubit Quandela photonic quantum computing system remotely. This exciting development allows European users to begin programming and testing their applications on a real photonic quantum computer, months ahead of the anticipated deployment at TGCC (CEA’s computing center) of the on-premise Lucy system in the end of 2025. They can be supported by experts from a High-Level Support Team to port their applications onto the photonic quantum computer.

The EuroQCS-France consortium and the selection of Quandela as supplier by the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking (JU)

In 2024, EuroHPC JU selected a consortium formed by Quandela and its German partner attocube systems AG as the supplier of the photonic quantum computing technology as part of the EuroQCS-France initiative. This collaboration is set to pave the way for a new era in quantum computing across Europe, enhancing research capabilities and advancing the quantum ecosystem.

In November 2024, on the occasion of SC24, EuroQCS-France officially announced the provision of early remote access to a 6-qubit Quandela photonic quantum computer for the European open research community. Now, users will be able to run their code on a remote 12-qubit quantum computer, with the same design as the upcoming Lucy system. This provides a unique opportunity to engage with a photonic quantum computer, allowing open research communities to get hands-on experience before the Lucy system is fully installed and operational at TGCC in 2025.

Key Benefits for European Researchers

· Early Access: Open research communities can begin preparing their code using Perceval now, the Quandela programming and emulation environment deployed on the Joliot-Curie supercomputer, and run their applications on a remote 12-qubit photonic quantum computer similar to the targeted Lucy system.

· No Wait for Deployment: Users will not have to wait for the installation of Lucy to access a real quantum computing system, allowing them to start experimenting and testing their applications immediately.

· Expert Support: A High-Level Support Team will assist users in porting their applications onto the photonic quantum computer, ensuring that researchers can fully leverage the technology.

· Training Sessions: GENCI/CEA and Quandela will be offering specialized training on hybrid HPC-QC programming schemes, helping users prepare for the integration of Lucy with Joliot-Curie.

How to Access the Remote System

The process to access the remote Quandela system will be outlined by CEA, and interested researchers can apply for access through the designated channels. More details will be provided shortly.

Looking Ahead

EuroQCS-France is part of the broader European effort to build a diverse, pan-European hybrid HPC/QC infrastructure. Lucy, the 12-qubit photonic quantum computer, will soon join other cutting-edge quantum systems across Europe, each based on different hardware technologies. These systems include scalable superconducting qubits (Euro-Q-Exa), star-shaped superconducting qubits (LUMI-Q), trapped ions (EuroQCS-Poland), quantum annealing (EuroQCS-Spain), neutral atoms (EuroQCS-Italy), each system providing unique capabilities and research opportunities.

In the coming months, as the Lucy system’s deployment approaches, this early access will be crucial in ensuring that European researchers are well-prepared to take full advantage of the system’s capabilities.

GENCI/CEA and Quandela will be organizing training sessions on hybrid HPC-QC programming schemes leveraging photonic quantum computing to anticipate the integration of Lucy with Joliot-Curie.

About EuroQCS-France

EuroQCS-France is a consortium led by GENCI as Hosting Entity and CEA as Hosting Site, with the University Politechnica of Bucharest (UPB, Romania), Forschungszentrum Juelich (FZJ, Germany) and Irish Centre for High-End Computing (ICHEC, Ireland), selected by EuroHPC JU in 2022 as a result of the call for expression of interest EUROHPC-2022-CEI-QC-01.

EuroQCS-France aims to provide European open research communities with access to a photonic quantum computer coupled with the Joliot-Curie supercomputer, just like the 100-qubit Pasqal quantum simulator Ruby, acquired in the context of the HPCQS project.

February 7, 2025

Quandela announces a 100,000-fold reduction in the number of components needed for fault-tolerant calculations, a major breakthrough for photonic quantum computing

_______________________________________________________________________________ Paris, February 7, 2025 – Quandela, the European leader in photonic quantum computing, announces a major breakthrough for the sector in a scientific paper1 describing a reduction by a […]

Quandela announces a 100,000-fold reduction in the number of components needed for fault-tolerant calculations, a major breakthrough for photonic quantum computing

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Paris, February 7, 2025 – Quandela, the European leader in photonic quantum computing, announces a major breakthrough for the sector in a scientific paper¹ describing a reduction by a factor of 100,000 in the number of components required for fault-tolerant calculations. Quandela’s hybrid approach, based on a technology that generates photonic qubits with unprecedented efficiency from artificial atoms (semiconductor quantum emitters), should enable the company to accelerate the scaling-up of its quantum computers.

A photonic approach promising for error-correction and scaling challenges

Fault-tolerant – error-free – quantum computing is crucial for the correct execution of the most impactful quantum algorithms, such as prime number factorization, linear system solving and chemical simulations. It is these algorithms that enable the most valuable use cases that “classical” computers cannot solve, notably in the energy, pharmaceutical, chemical and defense sectors.

Among all quantum platforms, the photonic platform appears particularly promising for achieving fault tolerance, thanks to the unique ability of photons to :

carry quantum information almost infinitely

interconnect quantum processors via commercial optical fibers, as is the case with today’s largest network-connected computers.

Interconnection between quantum processors is essential, in the long term, to extend the computing power of quantum computers – in a similar way to today’s networked supercomputers – whatever the platform in question. Photonic technology therefore inherently possesses the modularity that is absolutely essential for scaling up and implementing error-correction protocols.

However, since photon loss is the main source of error in the photonic approach, the high performance of these quantum computers implies high optical transmission of the components, i.e. a high flow of photons through all the components. The big challenge is therefore to reduce the number of components (“resources”) in order to achieve the high optical transmission needed to manipulate and correct a large number of qubits, and thus achieve the high-impact calculations that outperform conventional computers.

Quandela’s approach 100,000x less resource-intensive than other photonic competitors

To meet this challenge, Quandela has just reported a groundbreaking scientific result that presents a method for reducing resource requirements by a factor of 100,000 compared with the photonics-only approach adopted and developed by other photonic quantum computing players in the USA and Canada.

At the heart of this result lies the core technology of Quandela’s processors, based on semiconductor quantum emitters that generate photonic qubits with world-leading efficiency. Thanks to its hybrid approach, which uses these emitters both as photon generators and as qubits (by exploiting the spin of one of the emitter’s electrons), Quandela sets itself apart from other photonic competitors.

Where a purely photonic approach would require around a million components to generate one logic qubit, the research team, led by Quandela’s Chief Research Officer Shane Mansfield, demonstrates that Quandela’s approach requires just 12, i.e. 100,000 (= 10^5 times ) less. This approach also greatly relaxes the optical transmission requirements of the components, and therefore the performance required for error correction.

Significant reduction in energy consumption

This considerable gain, which promises to reach the error-correction regime much more quickly, also makes it possible to drastically reduce the platform’s manufacturing costs and energy consumption. Quandela predicts a much lower power consumption than existing quantum platforms. In practice, while today’s large-scale high-performance computing centers consume around 20 MW, and cloud hyperscalers dedicated to AI require around 2 MW, Quandela’s largest quantum computer should keep its power consumption below 1MW. Quandela’s computers are therefore positioned as the solution for increasing the computing power needed by industry worldwide, without increasing energy consumption.

“This breakthrough marks an important milestone for error-correcting computing with the photonic platform. By drastically reducing the resources required while maintaining the intrinsic advantages of the photonic approach, we are paving the way for the realistic industrialization of fault-tolerant quantum computing. Our unique hybrid approach demonstrates Quandela’s ability to significantly accelerate the scale-up of quantum computers, a crucial issue for the entire industry”, comments Niccolo Somaschi, co-founder and CEO of Quandela.