France’s Plan Quantique Now Backed by $2.9B in Total Funding

France is increasing its investment in quantum technology with an additional €1 billion (1.1 billion) for Plan Quantique, supplementing an existing €1.8 billion (2.1 billion) ten-year commitment. This funding aims to accelerate the industrialization of quantum technologies, shifting focus from research to practical applications and global leadership. Paris-based Alice & Bob, a company with existing technology records, is expected to play a central role in this effort; CEO and co-founder Théau Peronnin says the company is prepared to take the lead. As a participant in the PROQCIMA program, which aims to deliver a 128-qubit fault-tolerant quantum computer by 2030, Alice & Bob is developing cat-qubit technology to reduce hardware errors and advance Europe’s quantum infrastructure.

France’s Plan Quantique Receives €1 Billion Industrialization Investment

A total of €2.8 billion over a decade, this investment signals a clear intention to move beyond foundational research and rapidly expand quantum capabilities. This funding isn’t simply about expanding scientific inquiry, but specifically targets industrialization, aiming to translate France’s quantum expertise into a position of global leadership. The government’s PROQCIMA procurement program, designed to deliver a universal fault-tolerant quantum computer with 128 logical qubits by 2029, is a key component of this strategy and is already fostering collaboration with private sector companies. Théau Peronnin, CEO and co-founder of Alice & Bob, stated the company is “ready to lead the pack,” adding that they are a global player with technology records and a commitment to French and European roots. This suggests France is not only funding research but also supporting a company already demonstrating progress in the field.

Peronnin further emphasized the origins of this strategic investment, stating, “Plan Quantique was born out of an immediate recognition of the strategic importance of quantum and of France’s ability to lead in the field by the French President, government and armies.” The company’s roadmap targets the delivery of a universal fault-tolerant quantum computer by 2030, aligning with Europe’s broader ambition to establish quantum infrastructure. Alice & Bob’s commitment to maintaining its base in France and Europe, despite operating as a business, underscores the national importance placed on retaining control of this critical technology.

Alice & Bob’s Cat-Qubit Architecture Targets Fault-Tolerance by 2030

Alice & Bob, a Paris-based quantum computing firm, is positioned to benefit from the bolstered French national quantum strategy, Plan Quantique, with the recently announced additional €1 billion (1.1 billion) investment by President Macron; this supplements an existing commitment of €1.8 billion (2.1 billion) over a decade, signaling a decisive push toward industrialization of quantum technologies. Alice & Bob’s approach centers on “cat-qubit” architecture, a technology intended to suppress errors directly at the hardware level, reducing the complexity typically associated with scaling quantum computers. This timeline is ambitious, but supported by the firm’s claim of existing technology records, indicating a level of maturity beyond purely academic research.