QuTech (a collaboration between TU Delft and TNO) and SURF agree to collaborate on quantum technology. The collaboration recognises current activities and commits to future activities, like supporting the backend of QuTech’s demonstrators with the SURF supercomputer, jointly developing and enabling hybrid quantum computations, developing an orchestrator for quantum networks and partnering in various projects.

Quantum technology will have a major impact on future networking and future computing. SURF — the collaborative organisation for ICT in Dutch education and research — recognises this impact and joins the ranks with QuTech. The purpose of the collaboration is to align strategy and define and pursue collaboration opportunities with the overall goal to strengthen the NL leadership in Quantum Technology and its applications, and help build an economic footprint on that basis.

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Common interests

Currently, one common interest of SURF and QuTech is the combination of quantum computing and high-performance computing. This leverages the strength of quantum computing in general in areas of quantum emulation, hybrid quantum computing (connecting quantum systems with HPC systems, i.e. through Quantum Inspire), quantum applications development and execution.

Another common interest is the area of quantum internet, specifically in the development and implementation of an operational quantum internet through relevant use cases and increased market development, and its future co-existing relation to the classical regular internet infrastructure and user community.

Joint activities

Practically, SURF and QuTech already pursue a number of joint activities. For example, SURF supports the 34-qubit QX quantum simulator backend of QuTech’s Quantum Inspire platform with the SURF supercomputer. Also, QuTech and SURF are developing and enabling hybrid quantum computations connecting SURF HPC systems for classical simulations and QuTech HW backends in Quantum Inspire for quantum calculations. Furthermore SURF and QuTech are jointly working on an orchestrator design for network operators that will enable quantum network services.

SURF and QuTech are both partnering in various projects, like the H2020 Quantum Internet Alliance (QIA) project and the TKI Quantum Internet Randstad project.

About SURF

SURF is the collaborative organisation for ICT in Dutch education and research, founded in 1986. SURF supports research in the Netherlands by developing and offering advanced and sustainable ICT infrastructure, services and expertise necessary for supporting top-level research and innovation. The SURF cooperative serves as a joint platform where all Dutch research universities, universities of applied sciences, university medical centers, research institutions and senior secondary vocational education institutions work together to develop ICT innovations.

About QuTech

QuTech is a mission-driven research institute of Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) and the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO). Together, they work on a radically new technology with world-changing potential. Their mission is to develop scalable prototypes of a quantum computer and an inherently safe quantum internet, based on the fundamental laws of quantum mechanics.