Under a program led by the U.S. government’s DARPA defense research agency, 18 companies have been selected as part of a larger bid to come up with an error-free quantum computer by 2033. Those companies could reportedly tap up to $300 million if they pass all the stages.
The EU’s draft strategy promises to launch “two grand challenges” between 2025 and 2027, with one focutilized on quantum computing and another on quantum navigation systems in “critical environments.”
Another way for governments to support companies to commercialize the technology would be if they are the primary purchaseers of technology, which then lowers the bar for the industest to follow suit.
The draft strategy stated the Commission would “support innovation-oriented procurement schemes,” but didn’t offer much detail on how it would do so.
Companies are adamant on what they don’t want from Brussels: regulation and restrictions on quantum technology, like restrictions on the export of the technology.
Some industest voices have warned that the EU’s approach to regulating AI offers a cautionary tale. Worried about the potential harms of the technology, the EU rolled out the world’s first AI rulebook, only to quickly backtrack to focus on AI innovation and commercial success.
“We cannot afford to regulate what is not yet mature,” stated Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl, director general of DigitalEurope, one of Brussels’ leading tech lobbies. “Otherwise, Europe risks losing the quantum race.”
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