The Regional Government of Madrid is strengthening its commitment to quantum communications with an investment of 16 million euros in research projects on quantum communications and cybersecurity within the framework of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technologies declared by UNESCO. Among the initiatives the regional government is promoting stands out MadQuantum-CM, which aims to expand the largest quantum communications network in Europe, MadQCI, positioning itself as a strategic initiative for the development of secure quantum communications in Europe.

Italy is rolling out a national quantum strategy to strengthen its position in quantum computing, communication, sensing, and metrology, while addressing funding shortfalls and gaps in industrial adoption.The government report outlines a plan to build national quantum labs, expand workforce training, and incentivize private sector investment to accelerate commercialization.Despite strong academic expertise, Italy lags behind international competitors in funding and startup activity, with the public consultation process now open for stakeholder input.

IonQ has agreed to acquire a controlling stake in ID Quantique (IDQ) and expects to form a strategic partnership with SK Telecom to expand its quantum networking capabilities.The acquisition will add IDQ’s quantum networking business, team, and nearly 300 patents to IonQ’s portfolio, increasing its total granted and pending patents to nearly 900.IonQ anticipates closing the deal within nine months, continuing its expansion in quantum networking following its recent acquisition of Qubitekk and major U.S. Air Force contracts.

DARPA’s Robust Quantum Sensors (RoQS) program aims to adapt quantum sensors for mobile defense platforms by overcoming challenges like vibrations and environmental interference.The program will integrate advanced sensors into military systems through collaboration with private-sector manufacturers and government teams.Quantum sensors developed under RoQS could improve navigation in GPS-denied areas and enhance threat detection by stabilizing performance in dynamic environments.

Quantum technologies challenge established systems engineering methodologies by introducing non-classical properties which complicate design, validation, and integration processes.Applications in navigation and radar systems demonstrate quantum technologies’ potential, though practical implementation requires overcoming size, energy efficiency, and cost barriers.Integrating quantum systems requires new systems engineering approaches, including isolating quantum effects within subsystems and developing predictive models tailored to quantum phenomena to reduce trial-and-error inefficiencies.A paper from QinetiQ, Thales, DSTL, and others advocates for a new discipline—quantum systems engineering—that combines technical innovation with interdisciplinary collaboration, encouraging quantum literacy across policymakers, industry leaders, and engineers.

Thales Alenia Space and Hispasat have begun developing QKD-GEO, the world’s first quantum key distribution system from geostationary orbit, funded by Spain’s Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan.The project aims to establish secure communications using quantum technology to safeguard critical infrastructure, government, and corporate data, while paving the way for a future quantum internet.Scheduled for completion within 24 months, QKD-GEO includes the development of a quantum payload, ground segment, and field testing between La Palma and Tenerife, involving a consortium of Spanish and European experts.

The Canadian Space Agency awarded over CA$1.4 million (approximately over $970,000) to QEYnet in Maple, Ontario, to develop and demonstrate Earth-to-space quantum key distribution technology and address cybersecurity challenges in satellite communication.QEYnet’s QKD project will test the ability to load encryption keys in orbit, conduct Earth-based QKD demonstrations, and validate the technology’s operational framework through space-based testing.This funding supports the CSA’s 2022 initiative to advance research and development in space technologies, enabling Canadian organizations to gain flight heritage and enhance technological capabilities.

Canada has announced over CA$74 million (approximately $52 million) in funding for 107 quantum science projects, in order to advance quantum technologies in areas like quantum computing, communications, encryption, materials, and sensing. The funding aligns with Canada’s National Quantum Strategy and includes partnerships with private, public, and international organizations.The projects will enhance Canada’s quantum capabilities through collaborations across regional innovation hubs, cultivating connections between universities and organizations.International collaborations are a key focus of the funding, with targeted initiatives involving France’s Agence nationale de la recherche (ANR) and the US National Science Foundation.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $71 million in funding for 25 projects in high energy physics that will use the emerging technologies of quantum information science to answer fundamental questions about the universe.

China is building a state-of-the-art attosecond laser facility to observe ultrafast particle behavior and drive innovation in science and technology, Guangdong Today reports.The Advanced Attosecond Laser Infrastructure (AALI), spanning sites in Dongguan and Xi’an, will feature 10 beamlines and 22 research terminals, enabling breakthroughs in fields like quantum computing and biomedicine.Attosecond lasers, capable of capturing electron motion at quintillionths of a second, provide unprecedented precision for studying microscopic phenomena and fostering high-tech industries, including quantum computing.