04.03.2021, Munich – The kickoff of the Munich Quantum Valley (MQV) initiative took place on March 4, 2021. The aim of the initiative is to make Bavaria and Germany a major hub for research and development in this important future field. Over the next ten years, the Munich Quantum Valley network intends to continue advancing the development of quantum science and technology. In addition to Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, the network founders include the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities, TUM, the Fraunhofer Society, and the Max Planck Society.

Due to the corona pandemic, the official kickoff took place virtually. The invited guests were political representatives, the presidents of the participating institutions, and industry representatives. The participants were present via video conferences and video messages.

The welcome address was given by Hubert Aiwanger (Bavarian State Minister of Economic Affairs, Regional Development, and Energy), Bernd Sibler (Bavarian State Minister of Science and Art), Bernd Huber (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München), Thomas Höllmann (Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities), Thomas Hofmann (Technische Universität München), Reimund Neugebauer (Fraunhofer Society), and Martin Stratmann (Max Planck Society).

Prof. Dr. Claudia Linnhoff-Popien, one of the participants in the Munich Quantum Valley, explained in a video message that her Chair of Informatics at LMU already has access to four quantum computers, develops software and applications for the Munich Quantum Valley, and validates them with their numerous user companies.

The two-hour opening featured the presentation of various aspects of the Munich Quantum Valley: the 3-point plan, location and infrastructure, quantum hardware and software, as well as applications and technology transfer.

In addition to the founding members, other important Bavarian and national research institutions and universities with high levels of activity in the field of quantum science and technologies will be efficiently linked to the MQV and participate in its activities. Due to the strength of its founding institutions and the long-term institutional financing, the MQV intends to play a key role in a national and European quantum strategy.

Prof. Dr. Claudia Linnhoff-Popien gave a talk to the Quantum Computing Industry Group on January 27, 2021. The QC Industry Group is a group of Quantum Computing users and experts from industry. The group operates throughout Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, with a focus on southern Germany. It has been in existence since mid-2017, meets every six months, and has approximately 40 members (including Airbus, Bosch, SAP, T-Systems, BMW, Bayer, Boehringer, E.ON, Roche, Siemens, VW, Zeiss).

The group of experts was interested in the national quantum technologies roadmap and the panel of experts’ conclusions. As a member of the panel of experts, Prof. Linnhoff-Popien spoke about “Perspectives of Applications,” one of the four aspects of the roadmap that was delivered to Chancellor Angela Merkel in January. Prof. Linnhoff-Popien presented new findings in the field of quantum computing and spoke about LMU’s QAR-Lab and its application-oriented approach.

Quantum technologies and quantum computing have tremendous potential for science, business, and society. In Germany, a panel of experts from the worlds of research and industry joined forces to successfully submit a sound quantum computing roadmap to the Federal Government after more than three months of intensive cooperation. The head of the QAR-Lab, Prof. Dr. Claudia Linnhoff-Popien, played a central role in the panel of experts in the areas of QC software and applications. 

The roadmap can be downloaded here.

With the QAR-Lab Bayern, we are launching a new initiative on December 1, 2020, to build a Bavarian ecosystem for quantum computing user competence. Our goal: To secure the location of Munich on the German quantum computing map. We will back pilot projects for new technologies in the field of QC, and we stand for constant and active exchanges between science and business. The QAR-Lab Bayern project is funded by the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development, and Energy (StMWi). The entire QAR-Lab team is looking forward to welcoming five new colleagues and exciting new challenges!

The Quantum Daily, an online magazine, reports: These are the world’s top 12 quantum computing research universities. In addition to Oxford, Harvard, and MIT, there is also LMU Munich and, more precisely, the QAR-Lab under the direction of Prof. Dr. Claudia Linnhoff-Popien. We are very pleased with this international recognition and will continue to drive cutting-edge research and practical applications in the field of quantum computing.

“Quantum technologies are future technologies with great opportunities and growing application markets,” write the Bavarian State Ministers Hubert Aiwanger, Bernd Sibler, and Judith Gerlach. Prof. Dr. Claudia Linnhoff-Popien, Head of the QAR-Lab, was asked to participate along with other experts from Bavaria to coordinate the activities within the framework of QuantenTech Vision Bayern. This group aims to promote the healthy “future development of this key technology in Bavaria, a great hub for innovation.”

On July 23, 2020, Chair employee Dr. Sebastian Feld was the guest for the live interview with “Markus Koch Wall Street.” The host Markus Koch (n-tv, Wall Street) interviewed Dr. Feld and tech investor Thomas Rappold on the topic of “Quantum technology: Where do we stand and how do investors benefit?”.

The recording of the interview, with all the community’s comments, can be found on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fsh98YQJFkA