2.5 million euros for Ulms quantum technology: a future project starts!

2.5 million euros for Ulms quantum technology: a future project starts!

The Ministry of Economics, Labor and Tourism Baden-Württemberg launched the “Miniveriqant” project, which is supported with funding of around 2.5 million euros. The aim of this project is to create an infrastructure for the production and verification of miniaturized quantum systems. This initiative is viewed as an important step to strengthen Ulm quantum technology location and offers both research institutions and companies new cooperation opportunities. The funds for the project come from the European Fund for Regional Development (EFRE), which plays a central role in the support of regional developments, especially in innovative technologies.

The Minister of Economics, Labor and Tourism, Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, underlines the crucial role of strategically significant technologies in Baden-Württemberg. The "Miniveriqant" project is part of the "platform strategic technologies for Europe" (STEP), which is launched by the EU in March 2024, to promote critical and newly created technologies and to close gaps in the existing quantum technology ecosystem.

technological infrastructure and production capacities

A central element of the project is the area of ​​micro-production, which consists of four high-tech systems that together form a “miniature factory” for quantum systems. These systems allow the precise creation of patterns, wafer-thin layers of material as well as the loss-free forwarding of light signals. Scientists have the opportunity to manufacture and test components for quantum systems directly on site, which significantly accelerates the development of innovative technologies.

In order to ensure comprehensive quality assurance, special test devices are available, including a high -resolution electron microscope for functional tests and a vibration measurement stand that tests the resilience under extreme mechanical conditions.

strategic technologies for Europe

The grants that Baden-Württemberg receives in the 2021-2027 funding period amount to around 279 million euros for regional structural funding. These means are targeted by the country's innovation strategy and aim to promote future technologies as well as resource and climate protection. The support focuses in particular on non-university research and competence centers that represent essential partners of the economy and convert innovative technologies into marketable solutions.

insight into the future of quantum technology

A supplementary project that also deals with the improvement of quantum computing technologies is "Matqu". This project aims to reduce the variability between the qubit components, which was identified as the main reason for the scaling boundaries in current quantum computers. Prof. Rüdiger Quay, project coordinator from Fraunhofer IAF, expects significant progress in the variability reduction in supralent qubits.

In addition, it is emphasized that access to modern manufacturing systems and know-how for European medium-sized companies and startups is crucial to increase the maturity of the superconductive qubit technology and to strengthen the European ecosystem of quantum technology. The development of new manufacturing processes and tests at cryogenic temperatures should promote the production of quantum computing construction elements in Europe and thus increase the innovative strength in this strategically significant area.

Overall, these initiatives show how important the combination of research and industrial application is to give technological locations in Europe new impulses and to ensure competitiveness sustainably.

For further information on the funding and projects, see the details on the pages of wm.baden-wuerttemberg.de , efre-bayern.de and af.fraunhofer.de .