On September 23rd, 2025, the Quantum Technology and Application Consortium QUTAC, Le Lab Quantique, Quandela, CEA, and Fraunhofer jointly organised the French-German Dialogue of Quantum Technology Players, bringing together over 60 experts from France and Germany. This multi-stakeholder dialogue, held in Paris and Massy, France, convened representatives from industry, research, and public authorities during the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. Focused on end-user needs, the dialogue aimed to support the adoption of quantum technologies by industry and the scale-up of quantum ecosystems in Germany, France, and the European Union. A recent report was published this month,
Franco-German Quantum Technology Dialogue Overview
The French-German Dialogue of Quantum Technology Players convened, bringing together over 60 experts from research, industry, and public authorities in France and Germany. Organised by groups including QUTAC, Le Lab Quantique, and Fraunhofer, with the support of embassies, the dialogue aimed to build a competitive, sovereign, and sustainable digital Europe. It followed a prior closed-door meeting in November 2024 and aligned with the Franco-German economic agenda expressed during a Council of Ministers meeting.
A key focus of the dialogue was identifying needs of end-users and supporting the adoption of quantum technologies by industry, particularly corporates and high-performance computing centers. Participants prioritized building a pipeline of industry-driven use cases—spanning finance, pharma, materials, and logistics—and disseminating success stories to demonstrate return on investment. Benchmarking progress toward error-corrected systems was also highlighted as crucial for long-term viability and European sovereignty.
Several other priorities were identified to accelerate adoption, including nurturing European champions, clarifying intellectual property rules, and developing joint Franco-German roadmaps. Funding strategies that blend public and private investment were seen as key to stimulating co-development and industry adoption. A full-stack approach to hardware and software development was also recommended to avoid redundant efforts across borders.
Participants in the Dialogue
The French-German Dialogue of Quantum Technology Players brought together over 60 selected experts, managers, and decision-makers from France and Germany on September 23rd, 2025. Representatives hailed from research institutions, industry, start-ups, and public authorities, including organisations like Alice & Bob, CEA, Fraunhofer, and Siemens. This multi-stakeholder dialogue, held during the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, aimed to build a future for Europe by focusing on end-user needs and promoting industry adoption of quantum technologies.
This dialogue was built upon a previous closed-door meeting in November 2024 and aligned with the Franco-German economic agenda agreed upon by President Macron and Chancellor Merz. Key participants included representatives from companies such as Schlumberger, Thales, and Deutsche Telekom, as well as public entities such as the French Ministry of Economics and Finance and the German Embassy in France. The event prioritised co-development and adoption of European sovereign quantum technologies by French and German end-users, particularly corporates and high-performance computing centres.
Seven key topics were identified as crucial for advancing the quantum future. These included developing industry-driven use cases, disseminating success stories, benchmarking progress towards error-corrected systems, nurturing European champions, clarifying intellectual property rules, developing joint strategies, and securing blended funding. A core goal was accelerating the adoption of quantum technologies by French and German corporates through strategic investment and collaborative projects.
Focus on Quantum Industry Use Cases
The Franco-German Dialogue of Quantum Technology Players, involving over 60 experts from industry, research, and public authorities, focused on supporting the adoption of quantum technologies by industry. Participants identified a need for a concrete pipeline of end-to-end use cases, driven by industry needs and realistic expectations of “quantum advantage.” This included exploring scenario workshops centered around verticals like finance, pharma, materials, and logistics, addressing real use-cases presented by French and German companies.
A key priority identified was giving industry players access to both high-performance and quantum computing via European cloud channels. The dialogue emphasized the importance of preparing for a transition from current noisy quantum prototypes to future fault-tolerant architectures, allowing industrial partners to scale early experiments into operational quantum solutions. This approach aims to build a competitive, sovereign, and sustainable digital Europe leveraging French and German potential.
To accelerate adoption, the dialogue highlighted the necessity of blended finance and funding, particularly for corporates lacking immediate buy-in. Mobilizing strategic industrial investment funds or risk-taking private capital is crucial for co-development and adoption. Public bilateral funding programs for start-ups and scale-ups should also expand to further support the European quantum ecosystem and its translation into tangible business stories.
Disseminating Quantum Success Stories & Examples
Disseminating success stories is identified as crucial for driving adoption of quantum technologies. The dialogue participants emphasized the need to share tangible French and German examples illustrating the translation of scientific achievements into successful business outcomes. These examples should demonstrate a return on investment and operational impact, serving as reusable references across various sectors. This approach aims to persuade potential adopters and foster wider engagement with European quantum solutions.
The initiative aims to motivate European companies to support and co-develop sovereign quantum technologies. Sharing these “wins” is seen as a key strategy to encourage investment and participation. Participants believe that showcasing concrete benefits—demonstrating how quantum technologies deliver measurable results—is essential for accelerating adoption by industry and strengthening the European quantum ecosystem.
Specifically, the dialogue identified a need for these examples to be readily available as references across sectors. This strategy is designed to build trust and confidence in European quantum solutions, encouraging wider adoption by both corporate and public sector entities. The focus is on demonstrating practical applications and tangible returns, moving beyond theoretical potential.
Benchmarking and Managing Expectations
Benchmarking progress toward error-corrected and fault-tolerant systems is crucial for the long-term viability and sovereignty of European quantum technologies. The Franco-German Dialogue identified a need to establish neutral, transparent benchmarking protocols to objectively compare the performance and reliability of these systems. This focus stems from recognizing that sustained progress hinges on accurately measuring advancements and ensuring European technologies remain competitive in the evolving quantum landscape, especially beyond the Noisy Intermediate Scale Quantum era.
A key priority is managing expectations to avoid disillusionment or backlash, according to the Dialogue’s conclusions. This includes running staged pilots, bridging gaps between research and industry, and establishing honest timelines for development. Acculturation of non-quantum experts through joint Franco-German awareness and talent programs is also suggested. These efforts aim to foster realistic understanding and support sustained engagement with quantum technologies across various sectors.
The Dialogue emphasized the importance of a user-oriented community and support for non-quantum experts. This involves not only technological benchmarking but also cultivating a broader understanding of quantum capabilities and limitations. Honest timelines and staged pilots are recommended to prevent hype and ensure sustainable adoption. These measures are essential for bridging the gap between theoretical advancements and practical, real-world applications of quantum technologies.
Nurturing European Quantum Champions
The Franco-German Dialogue of Quantum Technology Players, brought together over 60 experts from research, industry, and public authorities. This initiative, timed with the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, aimed to build a competitive, sovereign, and sustainable digital Europe. Discussions focused on the needs of end-users and supporting the adoption of quantum technologies by industry, building on a previous dialogue in November 2024 and aligned with the Franco-German economic agenda.
A key priority identified was nurturing “European champions” at a continental level, connecting national strengths in strategic domains. This suggests a potential shift towards concentrating public and private funding on fewer players to accelerate growth, rather than dispersing it across the entire ecosystem. Supporting European companies that are pioneering fault-tolerant quantum computing is considered crucial for maintaining competitiveness beyond the current Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum era.
To accelerate adoption, the dialogue emphasized blended finance and funding mechanisms. Specifically, mobilizing strategic industrial investment and risk-taking private capital is seen as vital to encourage co-development and adoption of quantum solutions by industry, especially when immediate buy-in from corporates is lacking. Expanding public bilateral funding programs for start-ups and scale-ups was also recommended.
Trust and Intellectual Property Considerations
Trust and intellectual property were identified as key considerations for building a strong European quantum ecosystem. The dialogue participants determined that clear rules, coordination, and a balance between openness and protection are required to foster trust. Specifically, the group advocated for clarifying and aligning intellectual property rules between France and Germany, while also continuing to incentivize patent applications within the quantum technology sector.
A priority for the Franco-German dialogue was building European champions in quantum technology. This could involve strategically focusing public and private funding on a select few players to achieve scale, rather than dispersing resources across the entire ecosystem. Shared Franco-German or European R&D infrastructure and cloud platforms were proposed as accompanying measures to support these champions and reduce fragmentation.
Adoption of quantum technologies will be accelerated through blended finance and funding mechanisms. Mobilizing strategic industrial investment funds, or risk-taking private capital, is key to stimulating co-development and adoption by industry, particularly when immediate buy-in from corporates is lacking. Expansion of public bilateral funding programs for start-ups and scale-ups was also recommended.
Strategies and Funding for Adoption
Strategies to accelerate the adoption of quantum technologies by French and German corporates centre on blended finance and funding mechanisms. Specifically, the source highlights the need to mobilize strategic industrial investment funds and risk-taking private capital to encourage co-development and adoption, notably when immediate corporate buy-in is lacking. Expansion of existing public bilateral funding programs for start-ups and scale-ups is also recommended as a crucial component of this strategy.
A key priority identified is building a concrete pipeline of industry-driven use cases, aligned with realistic expectations and a clear definition of “quantum advantage.” Adoption begins when companies explore real projects with practical guidance and leadership support. The source suggests developing scenario workshops focused on industry verticals like finance, pharma, and logistics, with champions answering real-world use cases from French and German companies. Hybrid access to high-performance and quantum computing, via European cloud channels, should also be supported.
The source also emphasizes the importance of developing joint Franco-German quantum roadmaps and a coordinated funding strategy to avoid duplication of effort. This includes tackling both hardware and software components of quantum computing with a full-stack approach. Furthermore, nurturing European champions through targeted public and private funding—rather than fragmenting support across the entire ecosystem—is suggested as a way to build scale and reduce fragmentation.
