Q*Bird Secures €2.5M Grant to Scale Quantum Secure Communication Networks

Q*Bird secured a €2.5 million grant to scale its quantum secure communication networks. The company is the world’s only commercial provider of Measurement-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution (MDI-QKD) technology. This funding will enhance Q*Bird’s hardware and enable high-density user node deployments, strengthening Europe’s digital sovereignty.

Q*Bird Secures €7.5 Million for NEXUS Project Scale-Up

Q*Bird will utilize the €7.5 million – comprised of €2.5 million in grant funding and €5 million in equity – to expand its production capabilities across Europe. This will facilitate the deployment of high-density user nodes, critical for scaling quantum secure networks. This funding will also drive development of an orchestration layer enabling multi-operator, multi-domain quantum networking—essential for a fully sovereign European capability. Q*Bird’s existing deployments, like the Port of Rotterdam and a Madrid metropolitan network, demonstrate the operational readiness of their Falqon® QKD products. The program aims to reduce QKD costs, fostering market growth and strengthening Europe’s strategic autonomy in secure communications, moving beyond isolated projects toward a cohesive infrastructure.

MDI-QKD Deployments Demonstrate Operational Network Readiness

Existing deployments of Q*Bird’s Measurement-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution (MDI-QKD) are proving the technology’s readiness for real-world networks. Successful implementations include securing Europe’s largest port in Rotterdam, establishing a multi-node quantum network in Madrid, and creating a 132km cross-border link between Belgium and Luxembourg. These networks demonstrate MDI-QKD‘s scalability with a hub-and-spoke architecture suited for national and international connections. Further bolstering operational readiness, Q*Bird is extending its technology into data centers via the Eurofiber QUEST project. This expansion highlights the system’s ability to integrate into existing critical infrastructure, supporting deployments across telecom, defense, and government sectors. The technology’s design prioritizes reliability and interoperability, essential for securing networks where trust cannot be assumed.

Falqon® QKD Architecture Enables Multi-Operator Interoperability

Q*Bird’s Falqon® QKD architecture is specifically designed to enable interoperability across multiple network operators and domains. This is achieved through a hub-and-spoke system, allowing for scalability at both national and cross-border levels, as demonstrated by deployments like the Benelux cross-border link spanning 132km. The technology avoids reliance on assumptions about trust, making it ideal for securing communication in critical infrastructure, telecom, defense, and government sectors. The architecture’s focus on multi-operator networks is key to establishing a Pan-European quantum secure ecosystem.

Q*Bird aims to move beyond individual deployments – such as those at the Port of Rotterdam and within Madrid’s metropolitan network – to build continental-scale infrastructures. This expansion supports Europe’s strategic autonomy by creating a resilient and interoperable quantum communication infrastructure, essential for long-term security.

Europe’s Digital Sovereignty Drives Quantum Security Investment

Europe’s push for digital sovereignty is directly fueling investment in quantum security, as evidenced by Q*Bird securing a combined €7.5 million in grant funding and equity. This investment—part of the EIC Accelerator 2025 program—will specifically scale Measurement-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution (MDI-QKD) hardware and develop a network orchestration layer. The goal is to establish a fully sovereign European capability encompassing hardware, control systems, and network intelligence, reducing reliance on external technologies. Beyond simply deploying secure links, Q*Bird aims to create a continental-scale infrastructure with components for a future federated quantum internet.