Bavaria has opened a €15 million quantum communication testing centre in Erlangen, expanding Germany’s efforts to develop secure data transmission technology and reduce dependence on external providers.
Bavaria’s Minister of Economic Affairs, Hubert Aiwanger, opened the Application Center for Quantum Communication (QuKomIn).
The Free State of Bavaria is funding the project with approximately 15 million euros, signalling its commitment to technological sovereignty and economic strength.
Aiwanger said: “We don’t want to be dependent on others when it comes to quantum communication; we want to be at the forefront ourselves. That’s precisely why we’re investing in Bavaria. When important data is transmitted, no one should be able to read it unnoticed.”
Quantum communication utilizes the special properties of light particles to transmit encryption securely. The technology is intended to make attempts to intercept sensitive communications detectable, offering potential benefits for organisations handling confidential information.
“If someone is eavesdropping, we’ll notice. With QuKomIn, we’re creating a test environment in Bavaria where companies and research institutions can test this technology and further develop it for practical application. Our companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and our start-ups, will benefit from this,” Aiwanger said.
The new application centre is integrated into the cutting-edge research of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) in Erlangen and strengthens the Erlangen-Nuremberg region as a high-tech and quantum technology hub in Bavaria and Germany.
The infrastructure is also a key component of the QuNET research project, which aims to develop the technological foundations for highly secure communication systems. In addition to the German federal government and Bavaria, the Free States of Saxony and Thuringia are also involved.
Each of the three states is establishing its own complementary research and testing infrastructures for quantum communication. The goal is to test secure data transmission over long distances and make it available to businesses and government agencies.
The QuKomIn infrastructure combines fibre-optic connections with transmission options via free-space and satellite networks. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups can test new solutions under realistic conditions without having to build their own expensive test infrastructure.
Potential applications include companies, government agencies and critical infrastructure where the protection of sensitive data is paramount. The combination of terrestrial and satellite links also provides a setting for evaluating how different transmission methods could operate together.
Aiwanger said: “Those who are at the forefront of secure communication technologies gain a real competitive advantage.”
As part of the Hightech Agenda Bavaria, the Free State of Bavaria is investing around 300 million euros in quantum science and quantum technologies. QuKomIn complements these investments with a specific focus on secure communication and brings research and industry closer together.
For participating businesses, the centre offers an opportunity to assess technical performance, investigate commercial applications and collaborate with researchers before committing to independent infrastructure.
The Erlangen facility gives smaller technology developers access to specialist testing infrastructure, while supporting wider German efforts to advance quantum communication beyond research laboratories and towards practical deployment.
