A new optical quantum
computing facility at the VQCC
The Vigo Quantum Communication Center (VQCC) will soon host the Quantum Optical Computing Lab, a shared laboratory specialized in optical quantum computing. The new facility will involve an investment of €2.4 million and will focus on the development of a next-generation optical quantum processor.
The agreement establishing this new infrastructure was signed today by the Rector of the University of Vigo, Manuel Reigosa, and the Galician Regional Minister for Education, Science, Universities and Vocational Training, Román Rodríguez, during a ceremony held at the School of Telecommunication Engineering of the University of Vigo.
According to Rector Reigosa, the new laboratory will complement the VQCC’s existing capabilities in quantum communications, an area in which the University of Vigo is already positioned at the international forefront. “We are now equipping ourselves with the tools needed so that, in the coming years, Galicia will have its own voice in quantum computing and will be able to compete globally,” he stated.
For his part, Román Rodríguez described the collaboration as “a highly significant milestone that strengthens Galicia’s R&D&I ecosystem,” made possible by the joint efforts of two leading institutions in their respective fields, CESGA and the University of Vigo.
A shared governance model
The agreement between the Galicia Supercomputing Center (CESGA) and atlanTTic, the University of Vigo’s research center on telecommunication technologies, establishes a shared governance model, covering both operational and scientific aspects. The laboratory will be equipped with highly specialized research staff, state-of-the-art equipment, and advanced technical infrastructures.
AtlanTTic through the VQCC will contribute its expertise in quantum technologies and telecommunications, while CESGA will provide its capabilities in advanced computing infrastructures and specialized technological support, co-funded through the PERTE Chip programme and the Regional Ministry of Science’s own resources. The University of Vigo will contribute additional institutional resources and will assume responsibility for the long-term consolidation and operational sustainability of the laboratory.
The Quantum Optical Computing Lab will have an initial duration of four years, with the possibility of extension.
The signing ceremony was also attended by Carmen Cotelo, Director of the Galician Innovation Agency; Lois Orosa, Scientific Director of CESGA; Martín Llamas, Director of atlanTTic; Marcos Curty, Director of the VQCC; and Belén Rubio, Vice-Rector for Research at the University of Vigo.
Optical quantum computing for future challenges
The new laboratory will enable further advances in optical quantum computing as a dedicated experimental platform, consolidating itself as a unique and open infrastructure designed to facilitate collaboration with external researchers through shared protocols.
The development of this optical quantum computing system will make it possible to tackle complex optimization problems much faster and with significantly lower energy consumption than classical processors, accelerating artificial intelligence algorithms and offering applications in areas such as materials design, logistics, healthcare planning, and bioinformatics. Potential use cases include identifying optimal logistics routes, creating efficient schedules, designing new materials, and managing investment portfolios.
In addition, the Quantum Optical Computing Lab will help position Galicia within the experimental platform of the future European Artificial Intelligence Factory, thanks to its strong synergies with AI and its potential to execute algorithms more efficiently. This initiative reinforces the role of the VQCC in the development of cutting-edge computing infrastructures and in strengthening Europe’s technological sovereignty.
“A day of extraordinary satisfaction”
For the Rector of the University of Vigo, today marks “a day of extraordinary satisfaction,” as it represents the successful alignment of multiple Galician institutions around a strategic project. “The goal is that, ten years from now, it will be recognized that this is where the foundations were laid for Galicia to develop its own technology and achieve international recognition in quantum computing,” he emphasized.
Román Rodríguez, who referred to the VQCC as a “top-tier center,” highlighted the importance of networked collaboration, combining CESGA’s capabilities with those of the Galician universities to face future challenges linked to quantum computing and to ensure new opportunities for Galicia.
