Hamburg wants to become a world leader in quantum computing

Quantum computers are considered the next stage of the digital revolution - and Hamburg wants to play a very decisive role in the development of the super computers. In order to promote their development in the Hanseatic city, the red-green Senate decided on Tuesday to invest 34.1 million euros for the years 2023 to 2028.

The city financed 25.1 million euros of this itself, seven million euros came from EU funds and two million euros came from the universities, said Science Senator Katharina Fegebank (Greens), who together with Economics Senator Michael Westhagemann (independent) developed the package of measures to expand quantum computing. and the President of the Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Andreas Timm-Giel.

Quantum computers are said to outperform conventional computers many times over because they work completely differently. Instead of classic bits, which can either have the value 0 or 1, they use so-called quantum bits, which can be 0 and 1 at the same time. Quantum computers are required for highly complex processes, for example in climate science, logistics or to calculate combinations of active ingredients for medicines. Conventional computers would need months or even years to calculate them.

You are on the “threshold of a technological revolution,” said Fegebank. So far there is a quantum computer operated by IBM, but with significantly fewer bits “than what we are planning here”. There are not many locations worldwide that are as advanced as Hamburg in the field of research and basic research. Both the universities, such as the university and the TUHH, as well as several research institutions in the city have built up expertise in quantum computing over the past few years. According to the senator, this special starting point should be used in a targeted manner. The package of measures starts there. "We are now setting the right course so that nobody can get past Hamburg when it comes to quantum technology."

The funding is divided into four measures. With 19.1 million euros, the largest share goes to the establishment of the Hamburg Quantum Computing School (HQS). This is a major project run jointly by the university and the TUHH, in which specialists and managers are to be trained in quantum computing. Scientists and specialists in the areas of hardware, software and applications of quantum computers will work together in the HQS.

The project "Quantum computing for shipping and maritime logistics in Hamburg (QSH)" at the Fraunhofer Center for Maritime Logistics and Services (CML) is being supported with two million euros. Three million euros will flow into the expansion of the Hamburg Quantum Innovation Capital Initiative (HQIC) and ten million euros into the quantum computing funding initiative.