Quantum Europe returns to Brussels on 1 October 2025 with Top-Level Keynote Speakers from the European Commission and its Member States

Quantum Europe returns to Brussels on 1 October 2025, with European Commission’s Executive Vice President Henna Virkkunen, Director General for Research & Innovation Marc Lemaître and Spain’s Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Universities Juan Cruz Cigudosa all set to deliver keynote speeches at the conference.

The event will gather policymakers, industry leaders, national authorities, and civil society experts to explore what is needed to establish a thriving European ecosystem for quantum technologies, positioning the region as a global leader in quantum excellence and innovation. 

Continue reading for an update on the latest keynote speakers along with confirmed speakers from policy and industry, as well as a deeper explanation of each session and the key themes expected to be discussed at this year’s conference, along with a link to register.

Keynote speakers confirmed

• Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice President, Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, European Commission
• Marc Lemaître, Director-General, Directorate General for Research and Innovation, European Commission
• Juan Cruz Cigudosa, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Universities, Government of Spain

This year, the conference will focus on the following key topics: 

• Europe's Global Quantum Edge
• Preparing for the Quantum Threat
• Quantum Communication in the EU
• Quantum in Action
• The EU Quantum Vision

Building on the success of the inaugural conference last year, this edition will explore the EU’s expanding quantum agenda, including initiatives such as the Quantum Flagship, EuroQCI, and the EU Quantum Strategy and forthcoming EU Quantum Act. Discussions will focus on how to scale Europe’s quantum ecosystem, foster commercial leadership, and secure global competitiveness in line with Digital Decade goals. 

Agenda at a glance

The opening session will dive into the European Commission’s new Quantum Strategy, which sets out bold steps to make Europe a global quantum leader by 2030. With initiatives spanning research, chip pilot lines, a quantum internet facility, and a forthcoming Quantum Skills Academy, the Strategy signals a major push for a resilient and unified quantum ecosystem. Panelists will debate whether these measures go far enough, how the upcoming Quantum Act will strengthen governance, and what it will take - from harmonising national efforts to building a skilled workforce - for Europe to truly become the world’s “Quantum Valley”.

The second session will examine the practical implementation of quantum technologies across European industries, featuring real-world case studies from companies offering and applying quantum solutions in sectors ranging from life sciences to financial services. It will address the critical challenges hindering broader commercial adoption, including technical barriers, infrastructure readiness, talent shortages, and the complex transition from laboratory research to scalable business applications. The discussion will address strategic questions around timeline expectations for mainstream quantum adoption, breakthrough technologies that could accelerate deployment, and practical steps organizations should take today to prepare for the quantum era. 

The discussion will shift in the third session to spotlight quantum communication as a cornerstone of Europe’s digital sovereignty, with a focus on the EuroQCI initiative to build a secure, pan-European quantum network. Panelists will assess progress on fibre and satellite-based infrastructure, explore the technical and regulatory hurdles ahead, and consider how interoperability, standardisation, and global cooperation can strengthen Europe’s digital resilience. The panel will ask what it will take to ensure secure, scalable, and future-proof quantum communication across the EU.

The fourth panel will tackle the dual impact of quantum computing on cybersecurity, both as a threat to today’s encryption and as a driver of next-generation safeguards. With CRQCs on the horizon, panelists will examine Europe’s roadmap for transitioning to post-quantum cryptography, assess the role of PQC, QKD, and QRNGs in strengthening resilience, and debate how policy, coordination, and skills development can prepare Europe for the quantum age. The discussion will explore what concrete steps organisations, Member States, and the EU must take now to secure digital infrastructure against future quantum threats.

As quantum technologies rise on the global agenda, the final panel will explore Europe’s role in the international quantum ecosystem, balancing the need for global collaboration with ambitions for digital sovereignty. Panelists will debate how trade, supply chains, export controls, and regulatory frameworks shape Europe’s strategy, and consider how partnerships with global players and developing economies alike can strengthen innovation, resilience, and competitiveness. The discussion will assess how the Quantum Strategy and upcoming Quantum Act can guide Europe’s engagement on the world stage.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Gustav Kalbe, Acting Director, Enabling and Emerging Technologies and Head of Unit, Quantum Technologies, DG CONNECT, European Commission
• Aymard De Touzalin, Head of Unit, Emerging & Disruptive Technologies, European Commission
• Mira Yossifova, Director of Innovation Policy and Analysis, Ministry of Innovation and Growth, Bulgaria
• Laurent Jaffart, Director of Connectivity and Secure Communications, ESA
• Jan Ellsberger, Director General, ETSI
• Sarmīte Mickeviča, Senior Expert in Digitalisation at the Ministry of Education and Science of Latvia, Chair of the States Representatives Group of the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking
• Elena Kaiser, Deputy Head of Division, Cybersecurity Strategy and Policy Division, ACN ITALY
• Gerald Mullally, CEO, Oxford Quantum Circuits

Additional confirmed speakers, along with the full event agenda, can be found on the event website. This event will also provide opportunities to network with many prominent figures in quantum policy, governance, and industry. 

Join us to discuss the future of quantum computing in Europe. Book your place at the conference today, as remaining places are limited. 

Interested in becoming involved? Please contact Melanie Thomas on quantum@forum-europe.com.