Q*Bird, the Dutch leader in quantum secure communication and the world’s only commercial provider of Measurement-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution (MDI-QKD), is proud to announce the official signing of its EIC Accelerator 2025 grant.
Q*Bird’s NEXUS project, commissioned under the EIC Accelerator, will enhance MDI-QKD hardware size and efficiency, introduce next-generation optical modules and enable high-density user node deployments. It will also develop the orchestration layer required for multi-operator, multi-domain quantum networking, ensuring that Europe possesses an end-to-end sovereign capability spanning hardware, control systems and network-level intelligence. Under this programme, Q*Bird has secured €2.5 million in grant funding and €5 million in equity investment to accelerate the scale-up of its quantum secure network solutions.
With the EIC Accelerator, Q*Bird will expand its European production capacity and advance its broader roadmap spanning quantum security network orchestration, and components essential for a future federated quantum internet. The initiative will drive down QKD costs, increasing market growth and job creation, all while strengthening Europe’s digital sovereignty and strategic autonomy in secure communication technologies.
Also Read: Torq Raises $140 Million Series D, Reaches $1.2 Billion Valuation as AI SOC Adoption Accelerates
Selected from 959 applicants, Q*Bird is one of only 40 elite startups to receive this prestigious blended finance support and one of just four Dutch companies in this elite cohort. The programme, which began on 1 December 2025, backs deep-tech innovations that deliver transformative capabilities to the European market while reducing strategic dependencies in critical sectors.
This recognition comes amid a strong year for Dutch deep tech, with startups collectively raising €35.5 million in this round, contributing to the €299 million awarded across Europe. With this recognition, Q*Bird’s selection reinforces its leading role in quantum secure communications and its mission to bring next-generation, operational-ready MDI-QKD solutions to scale.
Q*Bird’s flagship products, the Falqon® Series, powered by MDI-QKD, are already deployed across strategic infrastructures including ports, telecom networks and national infrastructure operators. The programme will strengthen Europe’s quantum secure communication capabilities by expanding the deployment and industrial readiness of Q*Bird’s Falqon® QKD products designed for operational networks in critical infrastructure, telecom, defense and government environments.
CEO and Co-Founder, Dr. Ingrid Romijn emphasised that this marks an expansion of an already operating commercial technology. “Quantum secure communication is a foundational capability for Europe’s digital sovereignty. We are strengthening the backbone of Europe’s digital resilience. This programme allows us to scale at a rate that matches Europe’s urgency. With the EIC Accelerator, we will extend our technology from individual deployments to continental-scale infrastructures that define how Europe secures its most critical communication networks.”
SOURCE: Q*Bird