UVigo and Zona Franca Launch New Chair in
Quantum Optical Computing to Strengthen Research and Innovation

The Universidade de Vigo and the Consorcio de la Zona Franca de Vigo have signed a strategic agreement to create a new Chair in Quantum Optical Computing, aimed at driving forward research, knowledge transfer, and innovation in quantum computing based on photonic technology.

The collaboration was formalised in a ceremony in Vigo attended by key representatives from both institutions. The Chair will support and enhance the activities of the Vigo Quantum Communication Center (VQCC), reinforcing the city’s position as a hub for cutting-edge quantum science and technology.

Under the agreement, the Chair will focus on consolidating the Quantum Optical Computing Lab, promoting opportunities for researchers, and advancing experimental work in quantum computing, including efforts toward developing an optical Ising machine, a promising approach to tackling complex computational problems with high efficiency.

Prof. Marcos Curty, Scientific Director of VQCC, highlighted that the new Chair will play a key role in supporting the experimental quantum computing laboratory recently established at the center. This initiative is expected to create new research positions and strengthen collaboration between academia and industry in the rapidly evolving field of quantum technologies.

The Chair agreement will be in force for four years starting on 1 July 2026, with an annual budget jointly provided by UVigo and Zona Franca, further enabling high-impact research and innovation in quantum optical computing.

Read the full article here: UVigo e Zona Franca impulsan a creación e transferencia do coñecemento en computación cuántica con tecnoloxía fotónica a través dunha cátedra | Universidade de Vigo