Seoul Attracts French Quantum Company Quandela... 80 Billion KRW Investment Cooperation Including Research Center

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Following its successful attraction of Pasqal, a neutral atom-based quantum computing company, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has now secured Quandela, a quantum company specializing in photonic technology. Quandela will carry out various investment activities in Seoul worth approximately 80 billion KRW, including the establishment of a quantum computing research and development center.

On the morning of the 12th, at the main building of City Hall, the Seoul Metropolitan Government signed a business agreement with Quandela, centered on a total investment of 57 million USD (approximately 80 billion KRW). Attending the signing ceremony were Kim Taegyun, First Deputy Mayor of Seoul; Nicolo Somaski, CEO of Quandela; Philippe Bertoux, French Ambassador to Korea; and Kim Yuseok, Head of Quandela Korea.

On the morning of the 12th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government signed an investment business agreement worth 80 billion won with quantum technology company Quandela. Attending the signing ceremony were Nicolo Somaski, CEO of Quandela, and Kim Taegyun, First Deputy Mayor of Seoul. Seoul Metropolitan Government

Quandela is a quantum computer system manufacturer specializing in photonic technology, co-founded in 2017 near Paris, France, by Somaski, Val?rian Giesz, and others. The company is headquartered in Massy, southwest of Paris, and operates overseas branches in countries such as Canada and Germany.

Globally, Quandela employs about 150 professionals. To date, the company has supplied four quantum computers, was selected for projects by the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking, and has solved all technical challenges for the commercialization of 24-qubit photonic quantum computers as well as the development of 40-qubit quantum computers.

For this agreement, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has been in discussions with Quandela’s headquarters and Korean branch since the beginning of this year, highlighting Seoul’s global competitiveness in research and development infrastructure, location, and talent. As a result, Seoul was evaluated as the optimal base for entering the Asian market, leading to Quandela’s decision to invest in establishing a research and development center. This center will serve as a key base for research, development, and manufacturing. The city also plans to review support for foreign investment incentives in cooperation with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, in accordance with relevant laws such as the Foreign Investment Promotion Act.

Previously, in the previous month, the Seoul Metropolitan Government successfully attracted Pasqal, a leading French quantum computing company founded by Nobel Physics laureate Alain Aspect. The city agreed to a total investment of 52.84 million USD (approximately 75.2 billion KRW) and the creation of 51 new jobs, including the establishment of a quantum computer research and development center.

With global quantum companies consecutively choosing Seoul as their investment hub, the Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to further develop the city into a hub for investments in new industries such as the quantum sector. Building on this agreement, the city will accelerate the creation of the “Seoul Quantum Industry Ecosystem.” The city is currently promoting various initiatives to vitalize the quantum industry, including: ▲ establishing a joint research and development network among industry, academia, research institutes, and government; ▲ nurturing core talent; and ▲ providing technical support for quantum materials, components, and equipment companies. In addition, the city has set mid- to long-term policies such as: ▲ hosting quantum science and technology seminars and forums; ▲ operating the Seoul Quantum Campus industrial specialization program; ▲ constructing the Quantum Technology Convergence Support Center (scheduled for completion in Hongneung Special Zone by 2027); and ▲ establishing the Seoul Quantum Hub based on AI-quantum computing convergence (targeted for completion by 2030).

Nicolo Somaski, CEO of Quandela, stated, “Collaboration with the Seoul Metropolitan Government is a key milestone in Quandela’s global strategy. Our goal is to organically connect innovation, research, and industrial applications to build an ecosystem in Seoul where quantum technology is truly accessible and impactful.”

Kim Taegyun, First Deputy Mayor of Seoul, remarked, “Seoul is a city with outstanding talent, technological infrastructure, and the energy of innovation. Quandela’s decision to invest in Seoul is an excellent choice. We will continue to provide comprehensive support to global companies investing in Seoul, so that Seoul’s quantum ecosystem can grow into the center of the global quantum industry, extending beyond Asia.”