Quantum computing may promise a new generation of computational power, but turning experimental machines into reliable, large scale systems depends on solving one of the field’s hardest problems: keeping fragile quantum information from being corrupted by errors. Europe is now bringing academia and industry closer together to tackle that challenge, with fault tolerant quantum computing company Alice & Bob joining QuBriC, a major research and training network focused specifically on quantum error correction.
Alice & Bob Joins QuBriC
QuBriC, Europe’s first Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions Doctoral Network dedicated to quantum error correction, has expanded its industry participation with the addition of Alice & Bob.
The network brings together 16 universities and seven quantum companies across Europe, including ETH Zürich, TU Delft, University College London, INRIA, Riverlane and IQM. Together, the organisations will recruit and train 15 doctoral researchers focused on developing technologies required for scalable, fault tolerant quantum computing.
QuBriC is supported by €4.6 million in funding over 48 months through Horizon Europe’s Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions programme.
Tackling Quantum Computing’s Biggest Challenge
Quantum error correction is considered fundamental to building useful quantum computers.
Quantum systems are extremely sensitive to environmental disturbances and operational imperfections. Even small errors can affect the information stored in quantum states, making reliable computation increasingly difficult as systems become larger.
Addressing the problem requires expertise across several disciplines. Researchers working on classical coding theory, quantum information and hardware engineering often develop highly specialised knowledge within their individual fields.
QuBriC aims to connect these areas by training researchers across the complete quantum error correction stack, covering theoretical foundations, algorithms and practical hardware implementation.
Industry Meets Academia
Alice & Bob will contribute its expertise in cat qubit based error correction to the programme, helping shape both research and training activities.
For the company, participation provides access to a specialised talent pipeline while strengthening connections with European universities and research organisations working on fault tolerant quantum computing.
The collaboration also reflects the broader objective of MSCA Doctoral Networks, which bring universities, research institutions and private companies together to recruit, train and supervise doctoral researchers.
Participants gain experience across academic and industrial environments while developing technical and transferable skills relevant to emerging scientific and technology fields.
Advancing Cat Qubit Technology
Alice & Bob was founded in 2020 and specialises in cat qubits, a quantum technology developed by its founders.
The company is working towards building a universal, fault tolerant quantum computer and has attracted significant investment to advance its approach.
Alice & Bob says its cat qubit architecture can substantially reduce the hardware requirements needed to build useful large scale quantum computers. The company recently demonstrated results suggesting its approach could reduce those requirements by as much as 200 times compared with competing architectures.
The company has raised €180 million to date and employs more than 250 people.
Building Europe’s Quantum Talent
The expansion of QuBriC comes as Europe seeks to strengthen its position in quantum computing by developing both advanced technology and specialised talent.
The MSCA programme has supported more than 150,000 researchers over its 30 year history, including 23 Nobel Prize winners. Its focus on international mobility and collaboration has made it an important part of Europe’s research and innovation ecosystem.
For quantum computing, where progress depends on combining expertise across physics, computer science, mathematics and engineering, such collaboration could be particularly valuable.
With Alice & Bob joining QuBriC, the network gains another specialist industry partner while its doctoral researchers gain access to expertise directly connected to the development of fault tolerant quantum machines.
The initiative ultimately aims to create a new generation of researchers capable of bridging academic disciplines and industry requirements, helping Europe move closer to practical, scalable quantum computing.
