One of the most dynamic moments of The Entropy Nexus – Quside Showcase Day 2025 came with the Flash Talks session, a fast-paced, six-speaker format designed to spotlight quantum innovation across Europe: from startups and research labs to government and industry.
The session was moderated by Daniel Akinmade Emejulu, Head of Global Public Policy & Social Impact at Quside, who set the tone with energy and humor:
“2025 is the UN International Year of Quantum and today, we’re spotlighting quantum for good,” he said. “We’ll keep it short, sharp, and memorable.”
Each speaker had just two minutes to present their vision. The result was a vivid snapshot of Europe’s thriving quantum ecosystem: practical, collaborative, and ready to scale.
David Morcuende – Building Europe’s Quantum Industry Network (QuIC)
Opening the session, David Morcuende, Network Manager at the European Quantum Industry Consortium (QuIC), introduced the audience to the growing strength and diversity of Europe’s quantum industry.
“Our mission is to strengthen the ecosystem for quantum technologies in Europe,” he explained.
QuIC now brings together more than 200 members across 21 EU countries, coordinating expert groups in computing, sensing, communications, and enabling technologies. The consortium also leads key policy initiatives such as IP valorization and industry position papers shaping Europe’s quantum strategy.
“If your company’s logo isn’t on our map yet,” Morcuende added with a smile, “come find me.”
Paula Alonso – Combining Quantum and Classical Cryptography (ICFO)
Representing ICFO, Paula Alonso presented a recent proof-of-concept project developed with Nestlé, demonstrating how quantum entropy can enhance classical cryptography.
Her team integrated quantum random number generation (QRNG) into post-quantum cryptographic protocols, testing latency and performance across hybrid infrastructures.
“The overhead of using quantum entropy was negligible — on the order of 10⁻⁶,” she explained. “This shows that we can combine both worlds — classical and quantum — for stronger, more efficient cryptography.”
Her work showcased how entropy as a service can bring measurable security benefits without sacrificing performance.
Vanesa Díaz – Scaling Quantum Key Distribution (LuxQuanta)
Vanesa Díaz reflected on the progress of quantum key distribution (QKD) and how its integration into existing telecom networks is becoming increasingly tangible.
“The real challenge is not proving that quantum technology works — it’s making it work everywhere,” she said.
Her talk emphasized the need to bridge research and deployment, transforming complex scientific advances into practical solutions that strengthen communication networks.
“Collaboration is what makes this possible,” Díaz added. “Only by connecting research, industry, and policy can quantum security truly scale.”
Juan Pedro Brito – Connecting the Quantum Network (Qoolnet)
Juan Pedro Brito, co-founder of Qoolnet, described his company’s mission to bridge the gap between quantum devices and classical telecom infrastructures.
“We help integrate quantum technology into existing networks,” he said. “There’s no need to replace everything — we connect it all together.”
Qoolnet’s key management system (KMS) and network controller have been deployed in large-scale European proof-of-concepts, linking quantum key distribution devices, QRNGs — including those from Quside — and multiple encryptors into seamless networks.
“Our system can manage more than 500 parallel applications across five nodes,” Brito explained. “We’ve proven that building a quantum network in one day is possible.”
Álex López – Quantum Trust for Everyday Life (Centro Tecnológico del Notariado)
Bringing a unique perspective from the world of notaries, Álex López, Head of Emerging Technologies at the Centro Tecnológico del Notariado, explained how quantum entropy is now being used to guarantee fairness and transparency in everyday processes like lotteries and draws.
“It’s not rocket science — but it’s about trust,” López said. “When you hear ‘Sorteo ante notario’ in Spain, soon those draws will use Quside’s quantum entropy to ensure true randomness.”
He revealed that the notarial network will launch this new system nationwide within weeks, marking one of the first operational uses of quantum entropy in public certification.
“Working with Quside has been easy and inspiring,” he added. “Their team delivers quality and makes collaboration effortless.”
Catarina Cabral Bastos – Building the Iberian Quantum Network (Indra-Deimos)
Closing the session, Catarina Cabral Bastos, Head of Secure Communications and Quantum Technologies at Indra-Deimos, highlighted Portugal’s progress in quantum communications for defense and government, and its growing collaboration with Spain.
“We’ve worked closely with the Ministry of Defence and our NSA,” she said. “We’ve already deployed quantum devices — including Quside’s QRNG — in defense applications.”
Bastos announced that Portugal’s national quantum communication network, connecting four ministries in Lisbon, will soon expand into the Iberian QCI, a cross-border infrastructure between Portugal and Spain.
“We’re neighbors — and we need to collaborate,” she emphasized. “Quantum is the next step for our shared security.”
Quantum for Good
As Daniel closed the session, he reminded the audience that these short presentations together represented something larger — a snapshot of Europe’s collective quantum ambition.
“We’ve seen the ecosystem in motion — from startups to ministries, from science to society,” he said. “Quantum isn’t just about physics. It’s about people, partnerships, and purpose.”
The Flash Talks proved that Europe’s quantum revolution is not only about algorithms and devices — it’s about connecting minds, industries, and nations to build a future grounded in trust.
