The state government is striving to make North Rhine-Westphalia the technology leader for quantum technologies. The starting conditions are ideal: North Rhine-Westphalia is not only characterized by a high density of universities and non-university research institutions researching quantum technologies, but as a leading industrial state, it also has numerous potential large-scale users of this key technology in industry as well as specialized start-ups that, for example, develop hardware or software specifically for quantum computers. Another strength of North Rhine-Westphalia is its openness to technology. Take quantum computing, for example: Whether ion traps, photonics, superconductivity or semiconductor-based approaches - North Rhine-Westphalia covers the most promising technological approaches with outstanding scientific performance. The competence center "EIN Quantum NRW" (E = Education, I = Innovation, N = Networking), newly founded in April 2022, bundles the strong locations from business and science. The aim is to create new synergies for mutual benefit in order to further develop the ecosystem "Made in NRW" along the entire value chain in a technology-open manner and thus to secure North Rhine-Westphalia's technological sovereignty in quantum technologies. Profile-building measures address, for example, the need for skilled workers (dimension "Education"), a development partnership for a quantum computer "Made in NRW" (dimension "Innovation") and the establishment of Germany's first node for the quantum internet (dimension "Networking"). Numerous leaders from business and science have already been recruited for the establishment of the competence center. With their profiles, these leaders themselves stand for the goals of "EIN Quantum NRW" and play a key role in shaping its development. They position North Rhine-Westphalia as a business and science location in the competition for this key technology, taking into account the efforts made by the Federal Government and the European Commission, among others, in the field of quantum technologies.
The Ministries of Culture and Science (MKW) and the Ministries of Economic Affairs, Innovation, Climate Protection and Energy (MWIKE) are commissioning the establishment and operation of an office for "EIN Quantum NRW" in order to further promote its development. The office of "EIN Quantum NRW" has the goal of ...
- ... to further increase the strategic capability of "EIN Quantum NRW",
- ... to make even better use of the scientific potential of quantum technologies in North Rhine-Westphalia,
- ... to demonstrate the opportunities of this key technology for corporate value creation,
- ... to network science and industry even more closely in order to set in motion a performance spiral so that the North Rhine-Westphalian ecosystem for quantum technologies reaches an even higher level in breadth and at the top,
- ... to make the strengths of North Rhine-Westphalia's location for quantum technologies even more visible nationally and internationally.
The service and task description is divided into six work packages. Please compare the contents of the service description in detail.
The term of the contract as well as the option to extend it should be based on the planned further development of "EIN Quantum NRW". The construction is planned to be divided into three phases, with phase 1 completing shortly. Phase 2 includes the contract period for the office for "EIN Quantum NRW"; there is a three-year extension option by the client for phase 3.
- Phase 1 - from April 2022: with a press conference with Mr. MP Wüst in April 2022, the construction of "EIN Quantum NRW" begins (phase completed)
- Phase 2 - 01.01.2024 to 31.12.2026: Cooperation of the members of "EIN Quantum NRW" in concrete projects in the three target dimensions of "EIN Quantum NRW"; The tasks of the office explicitly include the development of a proposal for an adequate legal structure for "EIN Quantum NRW" as a prerequisite for the transition to phase 3.
- Phase 3 - from 01.01.2027: Ideally, quantum technologies will be so advanced by the beginning of 2027 that industry - as science is demonstrating between 2024 and 2026 - will contribute to "EIN Quantum NRW" with financial contributions. This enables the transfer of "EIN Quantum NRW" into a regular legal form - e.g. along the lines of It's OWL. This is to be prepared by the contractor in accordance with specification No. 2.1, here: e). In the event of success, the client receives a three-year extension option for the office activities.