Project description
Unparalleled data protection with polarisation-based quantum key distribution
Quantum computing is a serious threat to conventional data encryption, with potential economic losses from cyberattacks estimated at over EUR 2 trillion. Quantum key distribution (QKD) – securing communications using the laws of quantum physics – offers a promising solution but faster and more reliable systems are needed. Building on record-breaking speed, stability and error rate results from previous EU-funded research, the EIC-funded Q-SPIN project aims to engineer a high-speed QKD system including a 2 GHz polarisation encoding source. It will also develop an entangled photon source enabling secure long-distance and satellite communications. Q-SPIN is targeting commercial roll-out to 32 organisations across healthcare, finance and telecoms by 2033, offering private data protection to 43 million EU citizens.
Objective
The urgency of cybersecurity to protect business viability and personal digital privacy in the emerging quantum age cannot be overstated. Encrypted data, which has traditionally provided a layer of protection, is now at risk due to the emergence of quantum computing. The potential economic losses from such attacks are staggering, estimated to be over €2 trillion, nearly five times the global cost of cybercrime in 2022.
The Q-SPIN innovation emerges from deep tech research in the QUANGO and SECRET projects, which were coordinated by the University of Padova, from which ThinkQuantum is a spinoff. QUANGO developed a novel approach that increased the speed of our polarization encoding source by 20x from 50MHz to 1GHz. The source also exhibits a world record intrinsic quantum bit error rate (IQBER) of <0.2% and high stability with no active recalibration for >24 hours. Q-SPIN will advance QUANGO’s results to achieve a full engineering model of the prepare and measure QKD system that includes a 2GHz source. Moreover, by exploiting the joint results from SECRET and QUANGO, Q-SPIN will also develop a high-speed source (>100MHz generation rate) of entangled photons for long-distance QKD. In the long term, this will extend the range of quantum communications and the protocol's security by enabling untrusted satellite sources.
The Q-SPIN project is not just a technological innovation but also a potential game-changer in the market. We plan to perform business exploration, validate our business model, secure Q-SPIN’s IP, and establish our freedom to operate. Post-project, the technology will undergo further product development until commercialization. The successful market deployment of Q-SPIN products could lead to 32 organizations, including national health services, banks, and telecoms, adopting our solution by 2033. This would secure the patient records, financial data, communications, etc. for the estimated 43 million EU citizens these organizations will serve.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology mechanical engineering vehicle engineering aerospace engineering satellite technology
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electronic engineering computer hardware quantum computers
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.3.1 - The European Innovation Council (EIC)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-EIC-2024-TRANSITION-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
36030 Sarcedo (VI)
Italy
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
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