Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften

What Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften does

The Austrian Academy of Sciences (Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, ÖAW) is Austria's national public research institution, founded in 1847. The Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information Vienna (IQOQI Vienna), established in November 2003 under ÖAW and operating from the historic Boltzmanngasse 3 building, is the primary entity under analysis. IQOQI Vienna is a non-profit fundamental research institute conducting theoretical and experimental work in quantum optics, quantum information science, quantum foundations, quantum thermodynamics, quantum cryptography, quantum communication, and quantum sensing. It hosts nine research groups (Aspelmeyer, Asenbaum, Brukner, Castro Ruiz, Christodoulou, Huber, Müller, Navascués, and Zeilinger) and a Quantum Technology Unit (QTU) developing applied quantum technologies including SiC Quantum Photonics, Superconducting Levitation experiments, and Diamond Quantum Sensing.

The institute's core technology stack centers on experimental quantum optics platforms (satellite-based and free-space quantum communication, fiber-based long-distance entanglement distribution) and theoretical quantum foundations (quantum reference frames, indefinite causal structures, gravitationally mediated entanglement). Research outputs are distributed through peer-reviewed publications in Nature Physics, Physical Review Letters, and Quantum, plus an active conference and public outreach program including the Vienna Quantum Foundations Conference and the Ehrenfest Award.

IQOQI does not operate a commercial revenue model. Its operations are funded primarily through competitive government and supranational grants — including the European Research Council (ERC), FWF Austrian Science Fund, European Space Agency (ESA), Horizon 2020, Austria Research Promotion Agency (FFG), Marie Curie Fellowships, John Templeton Foundation, and the Foundational Questions Institute (FQXI). Pricing details are not publicly disclosed and the institute serves the academic research community rather than commercial customers. Geographic operations are concentrated in Vienna, Austria, with international collaborations spanning Canada (Perimeter Institute), China (Chinese Academy of Sciences), and multiple European institutions.

Name

Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften

Legal name

Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften

Website

https://iqoqi-vienna.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

IQOQI Vienna, part of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, is a non-profit fundamental research institute in Vienna conducting theoretical and experimental research in quantum optics, quantum information, and quantum technologies, serving the international academic community through nine research groups and publicly funded operations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Quantum Physics Research

NAICS

Research and Development in Nanotechnology (541713), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169), Engineering Services (541330)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)

akta.pro primary industry

Quantum Communications, Networking & Quantum Internet Research (HDAGAMAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Quantum Sensing, Metrology & Imaging Research (HDAGAMAJ), Quantum Control, Cryogenics & Measurement Research (HDAGAMAC), Quantum Education, Workforce Development & Academic Centers (HDAGAMAM), Quantum Spectroscopy & Chemical/Biological Sensing (HDAGAHAH), Quantum Thermometry & Temperature Metrology (HDAGAHAI)

Keywords

• Quantum optics research
• Quantum information science
• Fundamental physics research
• Quantum technology development
• Academic research institute

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Others

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

IQOQI Vienna, the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, conducts fundamental theoretical and experimental research in quantum optics, quantum information, quantum foundations, quantum thermodynamics, quantum communication, and quantum sensing. It operates nine research groups plus a Quantum Technology Unit, trains doctoral and postdoctoral researchers, and collaborates with universities and institutes worldwide on quantum science projects.

Product overview

IQOQI Vienna (Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information) is a research institute of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, not a product company. It pursues fundamental research in quantum information science and quantum technologies. The institute comprises multiple research groups focused on theoretical and experimental quantum optics and quantum information research. Research groups include: Aspelmeyer Group, Asenbaum Group, Brukner Group, Castro Ruiz Group, Christodoulou Group, Huber Group, Müller Group, Navascués Group, and Zeilinger Group. The institute also houses a Quantum Technology Unit (QTU) and maintains IQOQI Fellows and Topical Teams collaborative programs. The institute does not offer commercial products or services but conducts academic research in quantum physics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Quantum Technology Unit (QTU): A unit within IQOQI Vienna dedicated to developing new experiments in applied and fundamental quantum science, following two complementary paths: utilizing advanced technological methods for fundamental physics and harnessing discoveries from quantum physics for new technology.

Products and services

• IQOQI Vienna Research Programs Fundamental and applied research programs in quantum optics and quantum information, spanning quantum foundations, quantum communication, quantum thermodynamics, quantum sensing, and gravitational entanglement. Conducted through nine research groups and the Quantum Technology Unit.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Perimeter Institute for Theoretical PhysicscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2016Formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) established for student, postdoc, and scientist exchange visits between IQOQI-Vienna and Perimeter Institute. The collaboration focuses on areas of common research interest and strengthens academic relations between both institutions. Exchange visits during 2016-2019 were funded through the international consortium project 'Quantum Causal Structures' funded by the John Templeton Foundation. Contact person: Caslav Brukner.
• Bavarian Academy of Sciences (Walther Meissner Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTopical Team collaboration on 'Superconducting Gravimeters in the Quantum Regime' investigating experimental basis for gravitational coupling of levitated superconductors in the quantum regime. The WMI is a world leader in low-temperature physics and superconductivity. Lead Scientists from WMI: Hans Hübl, Rudolf Gross; from IQOQI: Markus Aspelmeyer, Michael Trupke.
• University of Vienna (Faculty of Physics)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTopical Team collaboration on 'Quantum Aspects of Space, Time and Gravity' through the TURIS research platform. Investigates experimental and theoretical aspects at the interface between quantum physics, gravitation and cosmology.
• Institute of High Energy Physics (HEPHY) of the ÖAWcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with IQOQI through the TURIS research platform on 'Quantum Aspects of Space, Time and Gravity'.
• Chinese Academy of SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTopical Team collaboration on 'Long-Distance Quantum Entanglement' exploring fundamental aspects of quantum entanglement distribution over long distances and its relevance for future quantum communication networks. Operates within the 'Quantum Physics Hub: Austria-China'. Lead Scientists from CAS: Jian-Wei Pan, Yu-Ao Chen; from IQOQI: Marcus Huber, Anton Zeilinger.
• European Space Agency (ESA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Space Agency provides funding and collaboration opportunities for space-related quantum research.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• IQOQI Innsbruck (Austrian Academy of Sciences): Sister institute of IQOQI Vienna under the same Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW), focused on quantum optics and quantum information in Innsbruck — sharing mission, governance, and visiting scientist programmes, making it the most directly comparable research peer.
• Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics (MPQ): Germany's leading centre for experimental and theoretical quantum optics, run by Max-Planck-Gesellschaft. Directly comparable in scale, Nobel-laureate lineage, and research portfolio (cold atoms, cavity QED, quantum information) to IQOQI Vienna.
• Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics: Canadian independent theoretical physics institute with which IQOQI holds a formal MoU (2016) for student/postdoc/scientist exchange on quantum foundations and causal structures, making it a directly comparable foundational-quantum-science peer.
• Walther-Meißner-Institut (Bavarian Academy of Sciences): Partner institute under the Bavarian Academy collaborating with IQOQI on superconducting gravimeters and levitated superconductors; a directly comparable low-temperature/superconductivity research peer for the gravitationally-mediated entanglement programme.
• University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) / CAS — Jian-Wei Pan Group: Chinese partner running satellite-based quantum communication (Micius) with which IQOQI collaborates through the 'Quantum Physics Hub: Austria-China'. Directly comparable experimental quantum communication peer, especially to Zeilinger's group.
• Institute for Quantum Information and Matter (IQIM), Caltech: US NSF-funded Physics Frontiers Center focused on quantum information science and foundations; directly comparable in combining theoretical and experimental quantum information research with an academic mission similar to IQOQI Vienna.
• MIT Center for Quantum Engineering (CQE): MIT-based interdisciplinary hub pursuing quantum information, computing, and communication research. Directly comparable to IQOQI in blending foundational quantum science with engineering-oriented quantum technology development.
• QuTech (Delft): Dutch public-private quantum technology collaboration (TU Delft, TNO) developing quantum computing, quantum internet, and sensing. Directly comparable as a publicly funded, mission-driven quantum research centre with an explicit technology translation layer paralleling IQOQI's Quantum Technology Unit.
• Oxford Quantum (Clarendon Laboratory / QIS): University of Oxford's hub for quantum information and quantum foundations, including Oxford's Quantum Hub. Directly comparable in research portfolio (foundations, communication, computing) and talent profile to IQOQI Vienna.
• CNRS — Institut d'Optique Graduate School / Laboratoire Charles Fabry: Major French public research centre with deep quantum-optics heritage (Alain Aspect's group) directly comparable in research focus on entanglement, Bell tests, and quantum foundations — historically the closest European counterpart to IQOQI's founding mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/oeaw
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCpQw4bwTZF1yt7YHoSVKNZQ/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/oeaw.at
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/austrian-academy-of-sciences
• Instagraminstagram.com/iqoqi_vienna

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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