Quantum Study Tour 2026

16 Nov 2026, 11:00 → 20 Nov 2026, 14:30 Europe/Amsterdam

Switzerland

The European Space Deep-tech Innovation Centre (ESDI), ESA’s site in Switzerland, scouts how emerging technologies transition from science to industrial capabilities and new forms of competitiveness, with a focus on understanding technology convergence and its implications for the space sector.

Quantum technologies are a key domain in this effort. 

The Quantum Study Tour, organised by the ESA team at ESDI from 16 to 20 November 2026 in Switzerland, examines the conditions required to turn quantum research into enduring capability. It supports ESDI’s work to identify implications for ESA’s role in Europe’s deep-tech landscape. 

 

For participants, the tour caters to two broad interests: 

• Technical: Explore quantum technology and its applications. 

• Strategic: Discuss convergence, emergence, talent, infrastructure, capital, sovereignty, and industrialisation. 

 

The tour builds on ESDI’s six-month effort to map the quantum technology landscape from a space perspective. The study tour will then further deepen the understanding of the capabilities, dependencies, and conditions shaping the ecosystem, refining the map and drawing implications for ESA. 

Monday 16 November

1 Introduction to Quantum Study Tour - start in Geneva at NH Airport Hotel

Please note that no discount has been granted for this hotel, in case you opt to arrive the day before.

Hotel reference: https://www.nh-hotels.com/en/hotel/nh-geneva-airport

12:00 Lunch

13:10 Bus transfer, arrival and registration to University of Geneva

Geneva is home to the world’s first citywide dedicated quantum network, a landmark initiative that connects the University of Geneva, CERN, HEPIA, and Rolex. This network leverages hundreds of kilometers of existing fiber optics to enable quantum key distribution and experiments with entangled photons, integrating ultra-precise time signals from Rolex’s optical rubidium atomic clock and synchronization systems from CERN. The Geneva Quantum Network is not just a technical achievement but a strategic one, positioning Geneva as a hub for quantum innovation and a testbed for real-world quantum communication and metrology. Here, the focus is on what must happen to transition isolated quantum systems into interconnected, functional networks, with a systems view that includes infrastructure, standards, partnerships, and operational experience.

2 Introductory presentation and discussion from University of Geneva

14:45 Coffee break

3 Contextual presentation and exchange - CERN

4 Contextual presentation and exchange - iDQ

16:30 Bus transfer to Lausanne

5 Hotel check-in

18:40 Bus to ice-breaker activity

19:00 Informal ice-breaker activity

20:30 Bus back to hotel

Tuesday 17 November

6 EPFL visit and Lingentec presentation

At EPFL’s Center for Quantum Science and Engineering, the conversation shifts to the emerging development environment that turns scientific advances into working systems.

EPFL is the first Swiss university to integrate a real quantum computer into its high-performance computing infrastructure, enabling advanced simulations and research workflows. The center’s interdisciplinary approach and recent theoretical work on quantum learning problems further push the boundaries of what is computationally possible.

The European Patent Office will demonstrate how patent analytics can reveal the direction of the quantum field, supporting startups and companies in navigating the landscape of intellectual property.

A visit to LiGENTEC, a leading photonics company will make the enabling layer tangible, showcasing photonic integrated circuits and their unique properties that future quantum systems may depend on, and the laboratory infrastructures that made this possible.

13:00 Lunch

7 Visit Ligentec Lab Tour

19:00 Swiss dinner

Wednesday 18 November

07:40 Bus to train station

08:17 Train to Bern SBB CFF FFS

8 Visit to Swiss Quantum Initiative

The visit will include:

• Startup pitches
• World Economic Forum session
• Speculative Technologies session

In Bern, the Swiss Quantum Initiative frames the national context, comparing global quantum strategies and addressing the "Red Queen" race, where countries must continuously advance to maintain their position. Switzerland’s recently published quantum strategy stands out for its clarity and practicality, emphasizing the need for a real-world quantum communication testbed to avoid falling behind. The strategy is a product of the Swiss Quantum Commission, a body of leading experts, and aims to strengthen Switzerland’s position as a leader in quantum research and innovation.

Startup pitches will test these strategies against market realities, exploring which capabilities attract capital, where talent and infrastructure constrain growth, and what separates credible paths from hype. A moderated exchange with the Speculative Technologies and the World Economic Forum will connect new research models, technology convergence, and the institutional choices shaping future capabilities.

15:00 Train to Zürich SBB CFF FFS

Thursday 19 November

9 Deep Tech Nation Switzerland (DTN) visit, Verve Ventures presentation and company pitches

Zurich is where vision meets scale.

Thursday begins at Deep Tech Nation Switzerland, where we will examine how frontier technologies attract capital, build talent, and achieve scale. The discussion will focus on convergence—how quantum, AI, and other deep-tech domains intersect—and the deep-tech talent and capability pipeline needed to sustain innovation. Verve Ventures will provide a European VC perspective, bringing startups and examining what works and what doesn’t in the quantum ecosystem. The discussion will address the gap between rising expectations and technological reality, as captured in their observation: "[In Quantum], Expectations go up faster than the technology can develop"—and how to navigate this challenge. Selected company pitches will test strategies against market realities, exploring which capabilities attract capital, where talent and infrastructure constrain growth, and what separates credible paths from hype.

13:00 Lunch

10 IBM Rüschlikon visit

At IBM Research Zurich in Rüschlikon, we will explore the development of quantum algorithms and training of systems, addressing risks in post-quantum computing, AI, photonics, hardware/software integration, and beyond. The lab, where several Nobel Prize discoveries have been made and which celebrates 75 years of IBM innovation, is a hub for both quantum and AI research. IBM has released the industry’s first quantum-centric supercomputing reference architecture, a blueprint for integrating quantum processors with classical high-performance computing to tackle complex scientific problems.

18:00 Bus transfer to Zurich hotel

19:00 Closing dinner

Friday 20 November

11 Visit to Technopark, visit to Zurich Instruments Labs (TBC)

At Zurich Instruments, we will examine what companies need in the future in view of quantum, including IP systems, the concept of antifragile IP, industrial strategy, and technology leadership.

The tour concludes with a strategic discussion on supply chain vulnerabilities, cybersecurity, and the intersection with space, viewed through the lens of resilience, and presented by ETH Zurich’s Center for Security Studies. The journey ends with a synthesis of conclusions and next steps, leaving participants with actionable insights and a forward-looking perspective.

12:00 Lunch

12 Conclusion and next steps

14:00 Independent transfer to airport, station or onward travel