SQuaD Spokesperson Dr. Nicolas Spethmann about the Potential of Quantum Technology –
In an interview published in mid-December 2025 in the newsletter of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Dr. Nicolas Spethmann – Head of the PTB’s Quantum Technology Competence Center, Co-Managing Director of QVLS Innovation GmbH, and spokesperson for the umbrella project of Quantum Communication in Germany (Schirmprojekt Quantenkommunikation Deutschland, SQuaD) – discusses the potential and challenges of Quantum Technologies. He describes their development as a long-term marathon that requires endurance and reliable public funding. According to Spethmann, Germany has a strong scientific and technological starting position, particularly in Quantum Physics, and can build on targeted investments by the federal government as well as on regional innovation ecosystems that have emerged from them, such as Quantum Valley Lower Saxony (QVLS). There, start-ups and companies benefit from close networking, research infrastructure, and effective technology transfer, strengthening their international competitiveness.
To accelerate the transition from basic research to economically viable applications, focused funding strategies and well-connected projects are essential. In the interview, he highlights the role of national initiatives such as SQuaD, which bring together stakeholders from research, industry, and policymaking and enable the efficient use of existing testbeds. At the same time, he cautions against reducing public funding too early or too sharply: sustained support is crucial to safeguarding technological sovereignty and ensuring the long-term protection of sensitive data and critical infrastructures.
Internationally, Spethmann also sees a pressing need for action – particularly in developing comparable measurement methods and common standards for Quantum Technologies. To this end, the PTB launched the NMI‑Q initiative in mid-October 2025 together with the metrology institutes of the G7 countries plus Australia, aiming to establish consistent procedures for characterizing Quantum Technology Components. His appeal to policymakers: further strengthen the transfer to industry, enable flexible technology transfer instruments, and decisively harness the innovative potential of Quantum Technologies for new, economically relevant applications. Read the full interview here.
Source reference: Press release PTB