Quantum Technologies

Quantum Technologies could radically transform Information Technology, opening new opportunities to solve computing, security, or communication issues that today are considered complex and having significant impact in various sectors and business models. These technologies could have multiple application fields, such as machine learning, cryptography, cybersecurity, and optimization.

This market is still in a research and development stage, the roadmap to a large scale quantum computer is rapidly progressing as is the moment when companies will be called to evaluate the impact. The creation of a solid and independent knowledge base is essential to prepare Italian companies to seize the opportunities at stake, rather than abide by them or chase them.

The Quantum Technologies workgroup aims to become a noncompetitive point of reference on the topic at Italian level, involving a community of demand and supply side interested businesses and experts at national and international level.

In a context characterised by lack of clarity on the status of technologies, on the enabling benefits and possible application areas, the workgroup aims to combine the management and technology perspectives by combining the experience of the Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering and of the Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria (DEIB).

2023 Research

The workgroup is focused on exploring the following lines of research:

• definitions: identify Quantum Computing and Quantum Communication characteristics highlighting main differences from traditional methods;
• technologies and solution offering supply chain: identify technologies on which Quantum Computing is based through an analysis of available solutions (big techs and startups) and by monitoring their evolution;
• application areas: analysis of use cases in different application areas at Italian and international level;
• monitor research and development scenarios: examine industrial and public research evolution, the latter especially focused on Italy, by analyzing public investments, papers, and published patents;
• analyze competences and organization models: in depth examination of the change management process necessary to approach these technologies and the profiles of competence to be supervised;
• monitor the Italian scenario: Quantify Italian investments, monitor projects related to the National Research Center in High-Performance Computing, Big Data and Quantum Computing, and make suggestions regarding the levers required for the growth of the Italian ecosystem;
• analyze the benefits of Quantum Computing: Analyze benefits provided by Quantum Computing by identifying KPIs and comparison metrics adopted by companies as an alternative to ROI.