The Netherlands is getting a House of Quantum. The House of Quantum is to be known as the smartest 12,000 ‘square meters of quantum’ in Europe and will be built around an ecosystem of companies, investors and researchers who create the quantum technologies and business of tomorrow.
In the presence of the mayor of Delft, Marja van Bijsterveldt, the rector of Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), Tim van der Hagen, Quantum Delta NL director Freeke Heijman and director of the ASR Dutch Science Park Fund, Luc Joosten, the first construction sign was symbolically placed today. The House of Quantum will be located on the southern part of TU Delft Campus, which has made the space available for this ambitious project. It will be close to the freeway and prestigious knowledge institutes such as QuTech and TNO and will soon house various startups, corporate (field) labs and shared tech facilities. The TU Delft Campus already houses part of the Faculty of Applied Sciences. A new cleanroom is also in the making, so all quantum and nano activities will soon be clustered within walking distance of each other.
The House of Quantum will be the national headquarters of this quantum campus and will be further developed in close cooperation with the ASR Dutch Science Park Fund, which invests in commercially exploitable real estate located in Dutch science parks. That collaboration was also sealed today. Construction of the House of Quantum will be completed in 2024.
European headquarter for quantum technology
Building a barrierless ecosystem and showing the societal impact of quantum technology are important pillars of the Quantum Delta NL-program that received 615 million euros from the National Growth Fund in early April. In a barrierless ecosystem, scientists, entrepreneurs, students, financiers and companies work together easily to accelerate technology development and its applications. In the case of quantum technology, the expectation is that this acceleration can make a major contribution to solving societal challenges in areas such as energy, food and healthcare.
The House of Quantum will be the physical heart of this ecosystem. It will be an open meeting place around quantum technology where various functions will be integrated: space for scientists, startups and the business community, combined with rooms for meetings and interaction. Part of the House of Quantum will also be the world’s first Living Lab Quantum and Society: a digital and physical environment where companies, governments, social organizations, scientists and citizens will come together to help society move forward by developing shared ethical, legal and social standards around quantum technology. The building also contains a high-tech environment for developing and testing quantum technology. Access to these facilities is now unaffordable for many companies.
Freeke Heijman, founder and director of ecosystems Quantum Delta NL: “With the House of Quantum we are taking the next important step in building the best ecosystem for quantum technology for Europe. It’s great to soon have a place where our program comes together ‘physically’. This really will be our business card to the world.” Victor Land of QuSoft in Amsterdam and coordinator of Quantum Delta NL’s Living Lab Quantum and Society: “With the House of Quantum, we are building a national quantum ecosystem with international impact and a place where we collectively develop technology and applications for a healthy society for all.”
Tim van der Hagen, President of the Board and Rector Magnificus of TU Delft: “Delft University of Technology is among the world’s top universities in the field of quantum research. As a university, we are extremely pleased and proud with the arrival of the House of Quantum, which will form the heart of the Dutch quantum ecosystem. TU Delft Campus is the ideal place for business and science to work together on the development of this key technology.”
Luc Joosten, Director ASR Dutch Science Park Fund: “Quantum technology has the potential to have a major impact on our society. Applications of quantum technology can lead to breakthroughs in fields such as new materials and new medicines. With the investment in House of Quantum, we are realizing an inspiring work environment in which quantum technology is central, thereby creating a positive impact on the ecosystem of the TU Delft Campus.”
