Pasqal AND Four Others Backed by $500M PROQCIMA Program at VivaTech

At Europe’s largest technology conference, VivaTech, five companies, Pasqal, Alice & Bob, C12, Quandela, and Quobly, demonstrated a significant shift in quantum computing, presenting deployed systems designed to tackle real industrial problems. These firms are all backed by the national PROQCIMA program, which commits €500 million to the field, signaling concentrated investment in moving quantum technology beyond research and into operational infrastructure. Pasqal used the event to highlight its progress, with CTO Loïc Henriet participating in a panel discussion where he emphasized the importance of focusing on real-world applications, noting that “quantum processors are beginning to demonstrate their ability to model the behaviour of complex materials.” Alongside showcasing its technology, Pasqal announced Sherbrooke, Canada as the location for its North American expansion, establishing a new quantum hub.

Pasqal Showcases Neutral-Atom Processors at VivaTech 2026

Pasqal was a prominent participant, showcasing its advancements across multiple facets of the event, including a keynote presentation and engagement with government officials, alongside a strategic push into North American markets. The company’s presence underscored a growing trend: quantum computing is no longer a distant promise, but a technology being actively deployed to address real-world challenges. A key theme at VivaTech was the coordinated national investment supporting several quantum companies; Pasqal, alongside Alice & Bob, C12, Quandela, and Quobly, all benefit from the backing of France’s PROQCIMA program. This national initiative, committing €500 million, is indicative of a broader European strategy to establish quantum leadership, with the EU Quantum Flagship allocating €1 billion over ten years and similar programs emerging in Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK.

This collective investment is driving a race to translate academic research into tangible, operational systems, as evidenced by the deployed systems presented by these companies tackling real industrial problems. Pasqal’s expansion strategy was also on display, with the announcement of a new 100-qubit quantum processor manufacturing facility in Sherbrooke, Quebec. This facility, backed by Investissement Québec and located within the DistriQ Quantum Innovation Zone, represents the company’s second global production site and a commitment to democratizing quantum access. “Researchers and enterprises don’t need to own hardware; they need on-demand, pay-per-use quantum computing,” explained a Pasqal representative, highlighting the company’s QCaaS strategy.

“Quantum Leap” Panel: Real-World Value Beyond Benchmarks

VivaTech 2026, drawing 180,000 visitors from 171 countries, firmly established quantum computing as a maturing technology shifting from purely academic exploration to demonstrable operational infrastructure; the event showcased a clear move beyond theoretical potential toward tangible industrial applications. This coordinated national investment signals a strategic commitment to translating research into practical solutions, moving beyond isolated experiments to integrated deployments. Discussions at the “Quantum Leap: When Will Quantum Computing Deliver Real Business Value?” panel, featuring Loïc Henriet, CTO and Managing Director of Pasqal, alongside representatives from IBM and Fraunhofer, moved past generalized claims of quantum supremacy to focus on verifiable results. The moderator, Henning Soller, Global Leader of Quantum Computing Practice at McKinsey & Company, Inc., pressed panelists for concrete evidence of quantum processors solving problems intractable for classical systems. A Pasqal representative explained, “Researchers and enterprises don’t need to own hardware; they need on-demand, pay-per-use quantum computing,” a model designed to lower the barrier to entry and accelerate adoption across diverse sectors.

Government Investment Fuels Europe’s Quantum Infrastructure

This concentrated national investment, totaling €500 million through PROQCIMA alongside the EU Quantum Flagship’s €1 billion commitment over ten years, signals a clear strategic prioritization of quantum technology across Europe. A striking aspect of the conference was the active engagement of public-sector stakeholders, including France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, who visited the Quantum Zone. Pasqal emphasizes the strategic importance of quantum computing at the state level, citing potential impacts on cryptography, materials discovery for defense, and broader scientific research with geopolitical implications. Nations risk dependency on foreign vendors if they fail to invest, creating an unacceptable position for strategic technologies.

Sherbrooke Facility Expands Pasqal’s QCaaS Access

Pasqal’s recent expansion into North America, solidified by a new facility in Sherbrooke, Quebec, signals a shift toward readily accessible quantum computing resources for a wider range of users. This move isn’t simply about geographic reach; it’s about integrating the new quantum processing unit (QPU) into PINQ²’s hybrid computing platform, thereby extending access to researchers and institutions throughout the region. The Sherbrooke facility directly addresses a growing demand for quantum computing as a service (QCaaS), a model Pasqal champions as essential for widespread adoption. This approach dismantles a significant barrier to entry, eliminating the substantial capital expenditure and specialized expertise previously required to engage with quantum technology. The facility’s integration with PINQ² further enhances this accessibility, providing a platform for hybrid computing environments that combine the strengths of classical and quantum processors.

During VivaTech, Québec’s Vice-Premier Minister, Ian Lafrenière, toured Pasqal’s quantum demonstrations, underscoring the provincial government’s support for the burgeoning quantum ecosystem. This support is part of a broader trend highlighted at the conference; nations are increasingly recognizing the strategic importance of quantum computing, with implications for cryptography, materials science, and national defense.