Beyond the fluctuations in the advances in quantum computing, the most media branch of science that studies the behavior and properties of matter and energy at microscopic scales, technologies based on this physics are a reality and, according to the European Commission, they will be fundamental for economic safety and technological sovereignty of the EU in the coming decades. “The quantum revolution is not an option, it is a strategic imperative,” concludes a recent report by the Royal Institute Elcano y Tecnalia. The Spanish government has assumed these premises and presents the plan this Thursday Quantum Technologies Strategy 2025-2030a road map that provides for an investment of 808 million, more than double what has been destined since 2020, and attract another 700 so that, this time, Spain does not lose the most disruptive innovation train.
According to the Plan, approved in the Council of Ministers of April 15 and presented on Thursday the Ministers of Science, Diana Morant, and of Digital Transformation, Óscar López, the quantum strategy seeks to “consolidate the progress, accelerate the rhythm in the technological career and amplify its impact.” To achieve these objectives, the program is presented as a “common framework” for decision -making, coordination and management of resources and to generate a reliable “quantum ecosystem” that attracts institutional, academic and private participation to exceed 1.5 billion investment.
Behind this initiative there are technological reasons: quantum physics already facilitates developments in all areas, from energy or financial management to logistics or the improvement of industrial processes and from health (pharmacology, diagnosis and personalized medicine) to the defense and internet security. But there is also an economic background. According to him Quantum Economy Blueprint From the World Economic Forum, the global market for quantum technologies will reach between 106,000 and 173,000 million dollars by 2040 and will generate added value to the economy as a whole of up to two billion.
For Judith Arnal, principal researcher for economic matters of the Royal Institute Elcano and also a signatory of the work of this entity and technalia, “economic growth will depend, fundamentally, on productivity profits and these will contribute them, above all, new technologies”
The three great development fields are computing, communication and sensory. On the first, there is coincidence that there is still a way to have applications for real -scale problems, but every day progress is made in solutions to some of its main challenges: the noise that alters the quantum properties that allow an exponential capacity of the systems and the correction of errors that are generated. The second, communication, has to do with the need to achieve the necessary cryptographic security to ensure all communications and with the development of networks (quantum Internet) that allow universal access to this technology. The last, sensory (use of quantum states in subatomic particles to measure and detect phenomena with precision that goes beyond what is allowed conventional technology), has huge applications in the field of health and defense.
In this sense, an NATO document (Emerging and disruptive technologies), emphasizes that “disruptive capabilities [de las tecnologías cuánticas] They will radically change electronic warfare, communications, the security of critical infrastructure and military intelligence. ”
The moment is adequate to reverse the situation, according to Arnal: “It is considering increasing the investment in defense greatly; we will try to make it as tractor as possible for our industrial and technological fabric.”
Spain arrives at this new technological context of incipient revolution with a common evil in the rest of Europe. As recognized by the Government’s own strategic document, “the fragmentation of national efforts remains a challenge and special importance becomes a common, coordinated and strategic plan between EU member states.” It coincides with the conclusions of the Document of the Institute Elcano y Tecnalia, where there is a lack of public-private coordination, poor transfer of knowledge, dispersion or fragmentation of initiatives and weakness of viable industrial ecosystems.
It is true that until now a significant northern axis has been developed in Spain, formed by Galicia, the Basque Country and Catalonia, with specialized centers in quantum physics and with prominent infrastructure, to which Madrid adds and public initiatives such as Quantum Spain, the complementary plan of quantum communication and the aerospace belonging.
But to guarantee technological sovereignty and national and European security, there are still challenges to overcome and that the strategic plan presented this Thursday identifies: lack of technological infrastructure, dependence on critical materials and essential components, insufficiency of large -scale risk capital funds, shortage of private demand in the absence of short -term returns, poor transfer to the knowledge industry generated in the academic field Public and private initiatives, absence of large corporations with high capacities and escape and shortage of talent.
The planned investment in the strategic plan aims Promote the training of highly qualified professionals.
In the latter aspect, the plan includes the possibility of creating a Felisa Martín Bravo award, in honor of what was the first doctor in Spain, to distinguish significant initiatives in quantum technologies of young people or companies or entities that emerged from the fields of research.
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