The Quantum Era: From Research to Applications That Will Transform Industry

The race in quantum technologies is no longer a distant prospect but has become one of the key strategic priorities for the coming decade. What, until just a few years ago, was being developed almost exclusively in academic settings and specialized laboratories is now beginning to take shape in the form of infrastructure, industrial projects, and new digital capabilities with a real-world impact. Quantum computing, quantum communications, advanced sensing, and post-quantum cryptography are evolving at different paces, but they share a common goal: to redefine how we protect information, process data, and build the next generation of digital infrastructure.

Interest continues to grow. Governments, research centers, and major technology companies are competing to lead an ecosystem that is rapidly moving from basic research toward concrete applications. In just a few years, the debate has shifted from questioning whether these technologies would be viable to when they will begin to transform entire sectors.

Europe has recognized this development as a strategic issue. Initiatives such as Quantum Flagship, EuroHPC, and EuroQCI reflect a commitment to strengthening European technological sovereignty and reducing dependence on critical capabilities developed outside the continent. The goal goes beyond scientific advancement: it is about ensuring resilient digital infrastructures, protecting sensitive communications, and guaranteeing that Europe plays a leading role in a global technological revolution.

The progress can already be seen Early experimental developments have given way to more stable platforms, pilot quantum communication networks, hybrid supercomputing environments, and new cryptographic protection strategies against future threats. The potential impact extends to sectors such as industry, healthcare, defense, space, and critical infrastructure.

Along with these opportunities comes an unavoidable challenge: cybersecurity. The future ability of certain quantum computers to compromise current cryptographic algorithms is driving a global shift toward new security standards. Post-quantum cryptography has evolved from a theoretical exercise into a priority for organizations that need to ensure the confidentiality of their data for decades to come.

It is precisely in this context that companies with expertise in critical systems integration, advanced software, aerospace, defense, and cybersecurity are called upon to play a key role. This is the context in which GMV operates. For years, the company has been developing capabilities in applied quantum computing, quantum communications, and preparing for the impact these technologies will have on cybersecurity.

More than just technology: new capabilities

The term "quantum technologies" encompasses a wide range of developments, each with different applications and levels of maturity. Quantum computing is probably best known for its potential to tackle optimization, simulation, and modeling problems that are difficult to solve using conventional computing. However, the most likely scenario does not involve replacing current systems, but rather complementing them with hybrid architectures that integrate supercomputing, artificial intelligence, and quantum capabilities.

At the same time, quantum communications are paving the way for a new generation of networks capable of protecting sensitive information with unprecedented levels of security. Technologies such as quantum key distribution (QKD) make it possible to strengthen the security of communications in particularly sensitive areas, ranging from defense and space to government and critical infrastructure.

There is also post-quantum cryptography, which aims to protect current systems against future quantum attacks capable of compromising the algorithms that underpin the internet and digital communications today. The threat known as "harvest now, decrypt later"—intercepting encrypted information today in order to decrypt it in the future—has accelerated the need to plan for a transition to quantum-resistant systems.

Understanding this diversity is important for distinguishing between expectations and reality. Not all of these technologies evolve at the same pace or are focused the same goals. The challenge lies in identifying which are beginning to generate tangible value and which will shape the future of the industry, communications, and cybersecurity.

Europe: From Scientific Excellence to Technological Sovereignty

The significance of these technologies also stems from a geopolitical context in which the United States, China, and Europe are competing for leadership in capabilities that will be decisive for the economy, defense, and security.

In Europe, the strategy is a combination of investment in research, the deployment of infrastructure, and the development of a domestic industrial ecosystem. Initiatives such as EuroHPC, which aims to advance European supercomputing, and EuroQCI, which is focused on building out continental infrastructure for secure quantum communications, are examples of this strategy. The challenge lies in transforming scientific excellence into industrial capacity, standards, talent, and real-world applications.

Spain is also strengthening its position in this area. The creation of associations such as Spanish Quantum Alliance (SQuA), which GMV is a member of, reflects the desire to build a more coordinated national ecosystem capable of connecting business, research, and applied innovation, and to make a more significant contribution to the European strategy.

The intensity of this race is also reflected in the public and private investment announcements made in recent years. Competition is no longer limited to the laboratory. It also hinges on the ability to market, integrate, and scale these technologies within one’s own ecosystems.

From research to development

Quantum computing is beginning to move beyond the purely experimental phase and into more tangible territory: the sphere of real-world applications. The goal is no longer to envision quantum computers replacing current systems, but rather to identify the specific problems where they can offer advantages alongside supercomputing and artificial intelligence.

GMV has been working consistently with this technology since 2021. Over the years, the company has contributed to the state of the art and developed a clear understanding of the actual capabilities this technology offers today: what can already be done effectively, what still depends on hardware advancements, and what intermediate approaches can deliver value right now.

One area where this trend is most evident is in optimization and advanced simulation. Quantum computing is being explored to improve route planning, resource management, and the modeling of materials and molecules. Its potential lies in its ability to tackle problems whose complexity is growing exponentially, especially when combined with supercomputing and artificial intelligence in hybrid environments.

Potential applications span a wide range of sectors. In the field of healthcare, quantum simulations could accelerate the development of new drugs. In the energy, finance, logistics, space, and defense sectors, these technologies are beginning to be used to solve complex problems involving optimization, simulation, and prediction.

This is the context in which CUCO operates—one of the most prominent projects in Spain’s quantum ecosystem, funded by the CDTI and led by GMV. The initiative has made it possible to develop and validate quantum and quantum-inspired algorithms for use in strategic sectors. The use cases explored include models for identifying solar power plants in satellite images, predicting wind conditions, valuing financial derivatives, and designing new catalysts.

In addition to this line of work, there is Q-MIND, which focuses on the convergence of quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and advanced information processing. This type of initiative reflects one of the sector’s clearest trends: quantum computing is emerging as a complementary capability within hybrid workflows involving simulation, analysis, and optimization.

The experience GMV has gained has also enabled it to strengthen relationships with key players in the ecosystem, including quantum hardware providers such as IBM and D-Wave, specialized platforms such as QCentroid, and quantum emulation environments such as OHV Cloud. At a time when access to actual quantum hardware remains a key differentiator, centralizing and coordinating internal efforts is particularly important for accelerating the transition from technological exploration to concrete applications.

This vision is also reflected in GMV’s involvement in the integration of a quantum computer into MareNostrum 5, where it has provided classical systems and network infrastructure, as well as remote access services and user support, within a fully European technological environment.

All of this has made it possible to take a realistic view of the current state of technology. Some approaches, such as optimization systems based on annealers (quantum computers specialized in solving optimization problems), are beginning to yield promising results for certain problems. Other areas, such as quantum machine learning, hold enormous potential. However, they still depend on significant advances in available hardware. Alongside these, quantum-inspired approaches, such as tensor networks, represent another valuable tool for tackling complex problems using advanced classical computing.

This approach is already being translated into specific internal initiatives. GMV is collaborating with various teams to assess the extent to which certain current limitations can be addressed through new quantum or quantum-inspired approaches. The goal is to identify problems where these capabilities can provide real benefits and generate tangible value.

Quantum communications: protecting critical information

Advances in quantum technologies are not limited to computational power. Quantum communications have become one of the areas with the greatest strategic potential, especially in sectors where information security is critical.

In this field, QKD is emerging as one of the most mature technologies. Its goal is to enable information exchanges that can detect any attempt at interception. This is the context for QuKee, GMV’s initiative aimed at strengthening communications security through quantum technologies.

This vision is underpinned by the strategic partnership between GMV and LuxQuanta, which is focused on accelerating the deployment of QKD capabilities in Europe. The partnership combines GMV's expertise in cybersecurity, key management, and space systems with the technology developed by LuxQuanta for terrestrial fiber-optic networks. The goal is to move toward an integrated ecosystem of secure quantum communications aligned with European initiatives such as EuroQCI.

Quantum technologies not only offer benefits on Earth, but are also transforming space. Some have been around for decades, albeit they have not been in the spotlight: a good example is the atomic clocks installed on navigation satellites (GNSS, such as Galileo), which are based on the principles of quantum physics and allow us to determine positions on our planet with great precision.
 
Other advances are already a reality. Lasers, classic examples of quantum technology, are beginning to play a key role in space communications thanks to optical links between satellites—known as intersatellite links—and ground tracking stations. These solutions speed up the transmission of information and ensure more secure and efficient communications. GMV is participating in this technological revolution by contributing to leading European projects such as HydRON, which aims to demonstrate an optical communication network between satellites and the ground; and EDRS, which aims to establish a high-speed laser communication network with relay capabilities between satellites and ground stations. The new generation of space-based quantum technologies goes even further and is based on phenomena inherent to quantum physics, such as entanglement, superposition, and the tunneling effect. Notable projects in this field include Eagle-1 (from a low Earth orbit of approximately 700 km above Earth), Caramuel (a geostationary orbit approximately 36,000 km from Earth), and SAGA (the satellite constellation for the EC’s future EuroQCI infrastructure), in which GMV is also participating and which focus on quantum key key distribution (QKD). 

New possibilities are also emerging in the areas of navigation and synchronization. The QUANTICO project combines quantum measurement techniques with quantum key distribution to design systems that are more resistant to interference. GMV has already developed a prototype capable of achieving accuracies of up to 6 centimeters without relying on traditional GNSS systems.

Finally, it is worth mentioning the CARIOQA project, which will explore ultra-precise measurements from space using quantum sensors. The goal: deploy a quantum accelerometer in orbit capable of detecting and analyzing minute variations in Earth's gravitational field.

Prepare for post-quantum security today

Although large-scale practical quantum computing still faces significant technical challenges, its development already poses a direct challenge to cybersecurity. Some of the cryptographic systems that currently protect our communications, transactions, and data could be compromised in the future due to the capabilities of the most advanced quantum computers.

The transition to post-quantum cryptography is no longer viewed as a matter solely for research, but rather as a requirement for long-term resilience and protection for organizations that handle sensitive information or critical infrastructure.

In this context, a new generation of algorithms is emerging, designed to withstand future quantum attacks. The evolution of international standards confirms that this transition is no longer a theoretical issue, but a real necessity for public and private organizations.

The challenge isn't just about replacing algorithms. This entails reviewing architectures, adapting systems, ensuring crypto-resilience, and planning for an orderly transition in sectors where trust, availability, and data protection are essential.

Preparing for a change in scale

In the coming years, we will see the emergence of the first hybrid applications combining quantum computing with HPC and artificial intelligence, the gradual rollout of secure quantum communications, and an acceleration of the transition to post-quantum cryptography. Everything points to a scenario in which various quantum technologies will gain ground at an uneven but steady pace in industrial and strategic sectors.

The question is no longer whether these capabilities will have an impact, but which organizations will be prepared to turn them into useful, secure, and operational solutions. For Europe, this means turning scientific excellence into technological sovereignty. For GMV, this means continuing to contribute to that transition from a clear standpoint: combining technological vision, integration capabilities, and a focus on applications that deliver real value.

And it also means something else: opening this conversation up to the entire company. Identifying early on the issues that could benefit from these technologies will be a key component of competitive advantage in the coming years. Because in the quantum age, the difference will not be made solely by those who master the technology, but by those who can identify, before anyone else, where they can make a real impact.