In an era where the global technological stage is dominated by the explosion of Artificial Intelligence, quantum computing is emerging as the next great pillar of digital sovereignty. Jan Goetz, co-founder and CEO of IQM Quantum Computers—Europe’s leading player in the sector—sat down with Bloomberg Tech to explain his company’s strategic path toward a Nasdaq listing and how quantum technology is preparing to disrupt problem-solving in ways impossible for today’s supercomputers.
The Strategic Nasdaq Choice and the European Challenge
IQM’s decision to pursue a listing on New York’s Nasdaq exchange is a move with profound economic and symbolic implications. According to Goetz, this choice was far from accidental. Despite IQM being rooted in Finland and serving as the "crown jewel" of the European quantum scene, the depth of capital and the sophisticated understanding of deep tech in the US remains unparalleled. Goetz emphasized that to compete with giants like Google, IBM, and Microsoft, access to an investor base that embraces high-risk, long-term horizons is essential.
This move also highlights a perennial issue for the European Union: the lack of a unified and equally powerful capital market system capable of keeping tech "unicorns" on the continent. Goetz explained that Nasdaq offers the visibility and liquidity necessary for a company in the scaling phase. Quantum computing is no longer a laboratory experiment; it is an industry requiring billions in investment to build stable, fault-tolerant systems that can operate at scale.
Quantum Supremacy vs. Traditional Supercomputers
A central theme of the interview was the comparison between quantum power and classical supercomputing. Goetz made it clear that quantum computing is not just a "faster" version of today’s computers, but an entirely different paradigm of information processing. While classical computers use bits (0 or 1), quantum systems use qubits, which, through superposition and entanglement, can perform countless calculations simultaneously.
"There are problems in chemistry, materials science, and cryptography that would take thousands of years for the most powerful supercomputers we have today to solve," Goetz noted. IQM focuses on developing application-specific quantum processors, an approach that accelerates the commercialization of the technology. For instance, designing new catalysts for carbon capture or drug discovery through molecular simulation at the quantum level are areas where IQM sees immediate application in the coming years.
The Synergy with Artificial Intelligence
Perhaps the most compelling part of Goetz’s analysis was the relationship between quantum computing and the current AI boom. Many wonder if AI is "stealing" the spotlight and capital from quantum technology. Goetz argued the opposite: AI is the greatest accelerator for the quantum industry. The training of Large Language Models (LLMs) already requires massive amounts of energy and computing power, reaching the physical limits of silicon architecture.
Quantum technology can provide the "next level" for AI, enabling the training of more complex models with a fraction of the energy and in much less time. "We are seeing a convergence," Goetz said. "Quantum computing will unlock new capabilities for AI, while AI, in turn, helps us design better quantum systems and correct errors in quantum processors." This symbiotic relationship creates a new technological ecosystem where each technology feeds the other's progress.
The Future and the Geopolitical Chessboard
In conclusion, Goetz touched upon the importance of technological sovereignty. In a world where the US and China are investing billions in quantum supremacy, Europe must find its own footing. IQM, by remaining true to its European roots while leveraging American capital markets, represents a hybrid model of success. The goal is to build a quantum ecosystem accessible to industries worldwide, ensuring that ethics and data security remain at the forefront.
The quantum revolution is no longer a distant dream. With companies like IQM leaping into public markets and technology maturing at a rapid pace, we stand on the threshold of a new era where the impossible becomes computationally feasible.
