Toshiba International Corporation won the Quantum City Global Challenge, an international program focused on applying quantum technologies to secure communications. The Securing Critical Infrastructure Challenge, a partnership between Quantum City, The City of Calgary and Numana with support from Alberta Innovates, drew proposals from eight countries seeking to bolster defenses against evolving cyber threats.
“At Toshiba, we help organizations build secure, future-ready networks with the confidence to withstand emerging cyber risks and the quantum era ahead,” says Terry Cronin, vice-president of Toshiba. The competition highlighted the immediate risk of “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks, where encrypted data is captured for future unlocking with quantum computers.
Toshiba & KETS Demonstrate Quantum-Safe Encryption Solutions
Toshiba’s QKD systems provide a method for distributing quantum-safe encryption keys between parties, forming the foundation for quantum-safe networks. This deployment moves beyond theoretical security and into a practical, testable environment using existing city infrastructure. Participants explored how quantum-enhanced technologies could bolster the security of essential services, from water and energy grids to emergency response systems. The challenge’s focus reflects a growing awareness that current encryption methods are increasingly vulnerable to future quantum computing capabilities, and that proactive solutions are needed now.
“The threat of a quantum computer to breaking our secure communications is today’s problem, not tomorrow’s,” says Dr. Chris Erven, chief commercial officer with KETS Quantum Security. KETS Quantum Security received an honourable mention for its chip-based approach to delivering scalable, cost-effective quantum-safe encryption. Their system aims to embed quantum-safe encryption directly into standard telecommunications equipment, potentially streamlining adoption and reducing costs.
This contrasts with some QKD implementations that require dedicated infrastructure, and offers a different pathway to widespread deployment. Toshiba’s QKD systems provide a method for distributing quantum-safe encryption keys between parties, offering a deployable solution that remains robust against advancements in both mathematics and computing. The City of Calgary’s involvement extends beyond simply hosting the demonstration; it reflects a commitment to proactively securing the infrastructure that supports its residents.
Monique Nesset, IT Leader, Emerging Technologies Foresight & Readiness, explains, “The City is responsible for ensuring the systems connecting the services Calgarians rely on remain secure and dependable.” The Wave Tech Centre is the hub for this live demonstration, providing a real-world testing ground for the technology. “Because these complex systems continue to evolve, we have to stay ahead of it, and that’s what we’re doing through this challenge at our Wave Tech Centre.
We are excited to partner with Quantum City on this challenge to showcase our solutions.” This partnership highlights the importance of collaboration between industry and research institutions in accelerating the development and deployment of quantum technologies.
The Global Challenge Series, according to Quantum City, is designed to connect researchers, technology developers, startups and industry partners around pressing challenges. By encouraging this ecosystem, the program aims to accelerate the transition of emerging quantum technologies into practical applications. The focus on securing critical infrastructure emphasises the growing recognition of quantum security as a vital component of modern smart cities and interconnected systems. The program’s success in attracting proposals from eight countries demonstrates the global interest in addressing these challenges.
The core principle behind Toshiba’s winning QKD system lies in the transmission of encrypted information as particles of light through fibre optic cable. Any attempt to intercept these photons alters their state, immediately revealing the intrusion to the communicating parties. This inherent security feature distinguishes QKD from traditional encryption methods reliant on mathematical complexity. The event will allow the winning teams to share the technology behind their solutions, furthering knowledge exchange and innovation within the quantum community.
The threat of a quantum computer to breaking our secure communications is today’s problem, not tomorrow’s.
Dr. Chris Erven, PhD, chief commercial officer with KETS
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