QUDORA’s NEQTAR project will chart a roadmap for integrating the company’s proprietary microwave qubit control technology with high-performance computing infrastructure, as one of 13 European quantum startups selected under the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking’s Quantum Grand Challenge.
Braunschweig, Germany — September 8, 2026. — QUDORA Technologies, the German full-stack quantum computing company, today announced that it has been selected under the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking’s (EuroHPC JU) Quantum Grand Challenge, an EU program designed to accelerate the development of market-ready, utility-scale quantum computing platforms. QUDORA is one of 13 companies chosen from across Europe, and receives the recognition alongside the EU’s STEP Seal: the European Commission’s quality label for high-performing project proposals.
QUDORA’s selected project, NEQTAR (NEar-Field Quantum ConTrol High-Performance Computing ARchitecture), will develop the technical and financial roadmap for scaling QUDORA’s proprietary Near Field Quantum Control (NFQC®) technology and integrating it with European high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure.
“Being selected as one of 13 European quantum companies is a testament to our entire team’s work and our progress toward building a globally competitive quantum computing company from Europe,” said Dr. Amado Bautista-Salvador, CEO and Co-Founder of QUDORA.
“It is a privilege to receive the EU’s recognition, and we are excited to use the NEQTAR roadmap to advance our Near-Field Quantum Control technology toward scalable, fault-tolerant quantum computers,” said Dr. Giorgio Zarantonello, CTO and Co-Founder of QUDORA.
About NEQTAR
QUDORA’s NFQC® technology replaces the bulky laser systems used by conventional trapped-ion quantum computers with on-chip microwave electronics, manufactured using standard semiconductor processes. The approach is designed to combine high-precision qubit control with long coherence times in a platform that can scale using established industrial manufacturing techniques.
Through NEQTAR, QUDORA will map out how this architecture can be integrated into European supercomputing environments, building toward a commercially deployable, utility-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer.
The Quantum Grand Challenge in detail
The Quantum Grand Challenge is a flagship EU scale-up program combining Horizon Europe grant funding with European Investment Bank (EIB) financing to support European quantum startups building integrated hardware-software platforms:
- Phase 1 (October 2025 – January 2026): An open competitive call for European quantum startups. Selected companies receive Horizon Europe funding (approximately €4 million in total across the program) to develop technical and financial roadmaps, supported by proofs of principle or preliminary prototypes.
- Phase 2 (January 2027): Successful Phase 1 participants apply to the EIB Venture Debt Platform. Following due diligence, selected companies become eligible for venture debt financing to accelerate industrial scaling and commercialization.
- Long-term objective: Build European quantum champions capable of delivering commercially deployable, utility-scale fault-tolerant quantum computers while strengthening Europe’s technological sovereignty and quantum supply chain.
The EuroHPC JU’s Governing Board approved the final list of selected proposals on 19 June 2026 (Decision No. 31/2026). Of 30 proposals submitted, 27 met the admissibility and eligibility requirements; an international panel of independent experts evaluated them, with 13 retained for funding on the main list and three placed on a reserve list. Selected hardware modalities span cat-state superconducting, silicon-spin CMOS, trapped-ion, photonic, and analog processors, which will be integrated into EuroHPC supercomputing centers across Europe.
About QUDORA
Founded in 2021 and headquartered in Braunschweig, Germany, QUDORA is one of the leading european full-stack trapped-ion quantum computing companies. Its proprietary Near Field Quantum Control (NFQC®) technology combines ultra-precise qubit control, exceptionally long coherence times, and semiconductor-compatible manufacturing to enhance performance per qubit. QUDORA delivers quantum computing systems through both on-premises deployments and its QUDORA Cloud platform, and has expanded internationally with the launch of QUDORA Japan K.K. to support partnerships and commercial growth across the Asia-Pacific region.
About EuroHPC JU
The European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) is a legal and funding entity bringing together the European Union and participating countries to pool resources and establish Europe as a world leader in supercomputing. It has procured 12 supercomputers across Europe, including JUPITER and Alice Recoque — Europe’s first exascale systems — and currently oversees 19 AI Factories complemented by 13 AI Factory Antennas. The JU also funds research and innovation projects spanning the European supercomputing supply chain, from processors and software to applications and workforce development. It is jointly funded by its members with a budget of at least €8.2 billion for 2021–2027, matched by an equivalent contribution from participating countries.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
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