Newsroom / Press release

Quandela and Welinq Join Forces to Create Custom Quantum Interconnects for Photonic Quantum Computing

Quandela the European leader in photonic quantum computing, and Welinq, a leading quantum networking company, proudly announce a transformative partnership for the quantum industry. This collaboration combines Quandela’s expertise in photonic quantum computing with Welinq’s pioneering full-stack quantum interconnects technology, to provide custom quantum links for photonic quantum computers, setting new industry standards and paving…

Quandela the European leader in photonic quantum computing, and Welinq, a leading quantum networking company, proudly announce a transformative partnership for the quantum industry. This collaboration combines Quandela’s expertise in photonic quantum computing with Welinq’s pioneering full-stack quantum interconnects technology, to provide custom quantum links for photonic quantum computers, setting new industry standards and paving the way for clusters of interconnected and error-corrected photonic quantum computers.

 Advancing QPU scaling

To achieve all the promises of quantum computing’s powers, Quantum Processing Units (QPUs) will need to execute algorithms across vast numbers of qubits, this making error correction even more important. In joining forces, Welinq’s state-of-the-art quantum interconnects combined with Quandela’s quantum processors, will support fault-tolerant computing and the expansion of comprehensive quantum networks, beyond the capabilities of a single chip.

This strategic partnership with Welinq marks a significant milestone in our quest to scale photonic quantum computing. By combining Quandela’s expertise in photonic quantum processors, with Welinq’s cutting-edge quantum interconnect technology, we’re laying the groundwork for clusters of interconnected, error-corrected photonic quantum computers. This collaboration puts us at the forefront of the quantum revolution, bringing us closer to enable the full potential of quantum computing via networked quantum computers.” Niccolo Somaschi, CEO and co-founder, Quandela

Welinq’s interconnect technology natively offers compatibility with all existing QPU architectures. We are delighted to partner with Quandela, a recognized leader in photonic quantum computing, to push the boundaries of our full-stack quantum interconnect technology and demonstrate the added value of our solution for scalability and error correction.” Tom Darras, CEO and co-founder, Welinq

Tom Darras, CEO and co-founder, Welinq and Niccolo Somaschi, CEO & co-founder, Quandela

Importance of Photonic QPUs and Quantum Interconnects

Photonic QPUs, such as those developed by Quandela, offer significant advantages due to their inherent modularity. This modular design  enables computing scalability, as additional qubits can be seamlessly integrated into the system. As the carriers of quantum information, photons provide high-speed data transmission with minimal interference, making photonic QPUs highly efficient and reliable for complex quantum computations. Scaling to a large number of qubits will involve the interconnection of multiple independent photonic QPUs, a process that demands additional technological advancements and represents a huge technological challenge in itself.

Full-stack quantum interconnects based on efficient quantum memories are crucial for linking multiple QPUs regardless of the qubit modality. These interconnects enhance the overall computational power by allowing quantum information to be transferred between different processors with high fidelity and low latency. Welinq’s state-of-the-art quantum memories ensure that the integrity of quantum information is maintained during transmission, which is essential for the development of robust and scalable quantum networks.

Implementing a multi-pronged approach

This partnership is in line with Quandela and Welinq’s desire to work together to develop fully-fledged clusters of photonic quantum computers, which would have both hardware and algorithmic advantages over alternative approaches.

This technological partnership is in line with the announcement a few weeks ago of the AQADOC project, the world’s largest initiative dedicated to distributed quantum algorithms, led by Welinq and of which Quandela is a key member. The aim of this project is to explore energy-related use-cases and to develop the next generation of distributed software capabilities, capable of running on several QPUs interconnected by the hardware work to be carried out as part of this strategic partnership.

About Quandela

Quandela, entreprise leader dans le domaine du calcul quantique, propose des solutions de niveau industriel. Quandela conçoit, construit et fournit des systèmes quantiques prêts à l’emploi pour les datacenters, des processeurs quantiques accessibles via le cloud, et des services d’accès aux algorithmes.
Fondée en 2017 par la professeure Pascale Senellart, directrice de recherche au Centre de nanosciences et nanotechnologies (C2N) du CNRS, Niccolo Somaschi et Valérian Giesz, experts de renommée internationale en physique quantique, Quandela emploie plus de 100 collaborateurs de 20 nationalités différentes, en majorité des chercheurs et des ingénieurs en optique, algorithmes et sciences de l’information.
Quandela s’engage à rendre l’informatique quantique accessible à tous pour relever les défis industriels et sociétaux les plus complexes.
Pour en savoir plus : www.quandela.com

GB
Quandela, a leader in quantum computing, specializes in industry-grade quantum computing solutions. Quandela designs, builds, and supplies datacenter-ready quantum computing systems, cloud-accessible quantum processors, and algorithm with industrial value.
Founded in 2017 by Professor Pascale Senellart, Research Director at the Centre for Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies (C2N) at CNRS, Niccolo Somaschi and Valerian Giesz, internationally renowned experts in quantum physics, Quandela currently has over 100 employees from 20 different nationalities, mostly researchers and engineers in optical, algorithm and data science.
Quandela is committed to making advanced quantum computing accessible and beneficial for all, empowering innovators to solve the most complex industrial and societal challenges.

About Welinq

Welinq is a pioneering Quantum Networking company that develops and commercializes quantum links based on laser-cooled neutral atom quantum memories to interconnect quantum computers in order to drastically increase their computational power and to ensure their deployment in clusters on customer premises. Welinq is a spin-out from Sorbonne Université, CNRS and PSL-University, founded in 2022 by Tom Darras, Prof. Julien Laurat, Dr. Eleni Diamanti and Jean Lautier-Gaud.
To learn more about Welinq, visit www.welinq.eu

Explore More

Read more

Quandela Wins DIGITALEUROPE 2026 Future Unicorn Award

×

Quandela was honored with the 2026 Future Unicorn Award by DIGITALEUROPE, recognizing its leadership in photonic quantum computing, deployment of five quantum computers across Europe and North America, and launch of Europe’s first open-source quantum cloud. The award highlights Quandela’s contribution to Europe’s innovation ecosystem and digital sovereignty. The Future Unicorn Award jury included representatives from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Innovation Council Fund (EIC Fund), among other European investment and innovation leaders.

Brussels, 25th February 2026 – Quandela was awarded the 2026 Future Unicorn Award by DIGITALEUROPE in recognition of its technological excellence and contribution to Europe’s innovation ecosystem. The award was presented during Masters of Digital 2026 (#MoD2026) in front of Europe’s digital and industrial leaders.

The Future Unicorn Award recognizes Europe’s most promising tech scale-ups and emphasizes the importance of supporting European innovation and digital resilience. Quandela was selected for its pioneering photonic quantum technology, the deployment of five quantum computers across Europe and North America, and the launch of Europe’s first open-source quantum cloud. These milestones provide researchers and industry with scalable quantum computing resources and a path toward fault-tolerant, energy-efficient quantum systems.

Quandela’s COO, Valérien Giesz received the award on behalf of the company. During the ceremony he commented “This recognition reflects the dedication, expertise, and vision of our teams. Europe has the scientific talent and industrial depth to lead in quantum computing, and at Quandela, we are committed to turning this potential into real-world impact.”

The Future Unicorn Award jury comprised leaders from Europe’s investment and innovation ecosystem, including the European Investment Bank (EIB), European Innovation Council Fund (EIC Fund), Bridgepoint Group, Invest Europe, Temasek, DIGITALEUROPE, and Atomico.

Other finalists for the Future Unicorn Award included Canatu and Sparrow Quantum. Sateliot, meanwhile, was the winner of the Dual‑Use Technology Award.

About Quandela

Quandela develops and deploys photonic quantum computers designed for real-world environments, with room-temperature operation, data-center compatibility, and a full software stack for programming and running workloads via cloud and on-prem access. Beyond hardware, Quandela works with corporations, research teams, and public institutions to identify, prototype, and integrate quantum use cases through training, technical support, and joint pilot projects. Founded in Europe, Quandela pursues a progressive path from usable systems to fault-tolerant quantum computing.

Read more

Quandela and Seoul Metropolitan Government Sign MoU to Support a Quantum Technology Development Center in Seoul

×

Building on Seoul’s efforts to strengthen its position as a global quantum hub, Quandela entered into a MoU with the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) to support the establishment of a Quantum Technology Development Center in Seoul.

The signing took place at Seoul City Hall on November 12, 2025, and the MoU was signed by Kim Tae-Kyun, Administrative First Deputy Mayor of Seoul, and Niccolo Somaschi, CEO of Quandela. Under the MoU framework, SMG outlined an investment plan of up to ₩80 billion, subject to applicable review, approval, and administrative processes, to support the center and related initiatives.

The ceremony was attended by Philippe Bertoux, French Ambassador to Korea, and Kim Yoo-seok, head of Quandela Korea.

Under the agreement, Quandela plans to build a public–private, academia-linked R&D network in Seoul to support quantum talent development and the local ecosystem, including component manufacturers and startups in the quantum sector.

“This MoU is a major milestone in Quandela’s global strategy,” said Niccolo Somaschi, CEO of Quandela. “Our goal is to help create an ecosystem in Seoul where innovation, research, and industrial applications of quantum technologies are closely connected and made accessible.”

Kim Tae-Kyun, Administrative First Deputy Mayor of Seoul, stated that the city will provide comprehensive support to global companies investing in Seoul, including Quandela.

About Quandela

Quandela develops and deploys photonic quantum computers designed for real-world environments: room-temperature operation, data‑center compatibility, and a full software stack for programming and running workloads (cloud and on‑prem access). Beyond hardware, Quandela helps corporations, research teams and public institutions identify, prototype and integrate quantum use cases through training, technical support and joint pilot projects. Founded in Europe, Quandela pursues a progressive path from usable systems to fault‑tolerant quantum computing.

Read more

Quandela and OVHcloud join forces to democratize quantum machine learning with MerLin

×

At the international Adopt AI event in Paris, Quandela and OVHcloud announce a strategic initiative to bring closer AI and quantum computing thanks to MerLin, Quandela’s quantum machine learning environment. This collaboration will enable researchers and companies to prototype and simulate hybrid models on NVIDIA GPUs before testing them on Quandela’s photonic quantum computers, directly accessible from OVHcloud’s cloud platform.

Paris, Roubaix (France), November 25, 2025 – Quandela, European leader in photonic quantum computing, and OVHcloud, a major European cloud provider, announce that MerLin – the first programming language and environment dedicated to quantum machine learning – will be made available on OVHcloud’s platform starting mid-2026. This unified approach will accelerate the development of hybrid applications within a sovereign cloud environment.

A bridge between AI and quantum

Unveiled in summer 2025, MerLin lays the groundwork for a new generation of Quantum Machine Learning (QML) tools, integrated into standard AI frameworks such as PyTorch and scikit-learn.
Now, thanks to its integration into the OVHcloud platform, users will be able to design, simulate, and test their hybrid AI-Quantum neural networks in a unified cloud environment powered by NVIDIA GPUs, a shared partner of both companies.

This approach will accelerate the development of industrial quantum applications: users will first be able to run their simulations on GPUs, then test and validate their models on Quandela’s photonic quantum computers, hosted and operated within OVHcloud.

A clear quantum roadmap

As part of this partnership, OVHcloud has published its quantum roadmap, announcing that Quandela’s quantum computers will become available on its cloud platform in mid-2026. The first systems to be offered will be BELENOS, a 12-qubit photonic processor, and CANOPUS, a 24-qubit photonic processor.

This deployment will be a major milestone in integrating quantum computing into the cloud, paving the way for democratized and sovereign access to European quantum power.

This partnership with OVHcloud perfectly embodies our vision: to make quantum accessible and useful for AI experts. With MerLin, we provide a seamless environment – from GPU to quantum processor – allowing the exploration of new hybrid algorithms and accelerating the journey from concept to real-world application,” says Jean Senellart, Chief Product Officer at Quandela.

With MerLin, data scientists finally have an accessible framework that does not require quantum computing skills – an actual tool that democratizes its use for the most innovative function in companies: data science,” says Fanny Bouton, Quantum Lead and Product Manager at OVHcloud.

Toward a sovereign European quantum cloud

By combining their expertise – photonics and hybrid algorithms for Quandela, cloud and sovereign infrastructure for OVHcloud, GPU acceleration for NVIDIA – the two partners are laying the foundations of a competitive and open European quantum ecosystem. An ecosystem expected to foster the emergence of hybrid applications in fields such as cybersecurity, finance, energy, healthcare, and logistics.