What NNF Quantum Computing Programme (NQCP) does

NNF Quantum Computing Programme (NQCP) is a mission-driven, non-profit research programme hosted at the Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, and entirely funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. Established in 2021, NQCP targets the development of fault-tolerant quantum computing hardware and quantum algorithms aimed at solving computationally intractable problems in life sciences, including drug discovery, materials science, chemistry, and biology. The programme is not a commercial entity; it does not sell products or services and produces research outputs through publications, talent training, and technology transfer.

NQCP operates four parallel development pilot lines spanning the principal quantum hardware modalities: superconducting qubits (SQuID Lab under Morten Kjaergaard), semiconductor spin qubits in silicon and germanium (pilot line established September 2024 under Francesco Borsoi), quantum photonics (including the POEM Technology Center with Denmark's first 300mm wafer molecular beam epitaxy facility, machine ROSIE), and neutral atoms (strontium-based, led by Stefan Alaric Schäffer). These are supported by shared Nanofabrication and Characterization services and are organized under the proprietary Pathfinder Framework, which provides a common project-management language with exit criteria across materials, devices, subsystems, modules, and pilot deployments. The programme employs 115–150 mission-focused researchers and collaborates with QuTech, MIT, UC Berkeley/LNBL, University of Toronto, DFM, DTU, and Japan's Q-STAR alliance.

The programme's revenue model is grant-based: it is funded primarily by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, supplemented by competitive grants such as the 2025 ERC Starting Grant (€2.1M to Stefano Paesani), a NERD grant (10M DKK to Frederik Nathan), a Villum Young Investigator grant (Shingo Kono, effective March 2026), and Gefion supercomputer access. Customer engagement is non-transactional; outputs flow through academic publications, the Quantum Training Lab, industry partnerships, and structured frameworks like the Pathfinder Framework that are being extended to allied ecosystems. Approximately 150 people work at the Niels Bohr Institute as part of NQCP's mission, with leadership including CEO Peter Krogstrup and Scientific Director Gemma Solomon.

Name

NNF Quantum Computing Programme (NQCP)

Legal name

Novo Nordisk Foundation Quantum Computing Programme

Website

https://nqcp.ku.dk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

NQCP is a non-profit quantum computing research programme at the University of Copenhagen, funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation to develop fault-tolerant quantum hardware and algorithms for life-science applications, operating four parallel pilot lines (superconducting, spin, photonic, neutral atoms) supported by the proprietary Pathfinder Framework.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Quantum Computing Research

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5415)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

QEC Verification, Validation & Benchmarking (logical RB, threshold tests, cycle benchmarking) (HDAGAJAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Quantum Network Control, Routing & Orchestration (SDN/NFV for Quantum) (HDAGAFAD)

Keywords

• Quantum computing research
• Fault-tolerant quantum hardware
• Quantum algorithms development
• Quantum nanofabrication services
• Quantum photonics research

Headquarters

HQ city

Copenhagen

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Novo Nordisk Foundation Funding: The programme is entirely funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The foundation provides substantial grants supporting the mission to develop fault-tolerant quantum computing hardware and algorithms addressing life-science-relevant problems.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

NQCP is a mission-driven research program at the Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, that develops fault-tolerant quantum computing hardware and quantum algorithms targeting life-science-relevant chemical and biological problems. It operates four parallel development pilot lines (superconducting qubits, semiconductor spin qubits, quantum photonics, and neutral atoms) supported by shared nanofabrication, characterization, and theory services organized under the Pathfinder Framework.

Product overview

NQCP is a mission-driven research program at the University of Copenhagen focused on enabling fault-tolerant quantum computing hardware and quantum algorithms for life-science applications. The program operates as a multi-platform development initiative running four pilot lines in parallel: Superconducting Qubit Platform, Semiconductor Spin Qubit Platform, Quantum Photonic Platform, and Neutral Atoms Platform. These are supported by shared services including Nanofabrication Services, Characterization Services, and the POEM Technology Center (molecular beam epitaxy facility), all organized under the Pathfinder Framework for mission-driven project management. The program also includes the Quantum Training Lab for education. NQCP does not offer commercial products; it is a research and development program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Superconducting Qubit Platform Development of extensible control, validation, and error-mitigation techniques for superconducting qubits towards realizing logical qubits, including protected qubit encodings and novel qubit couplers based on Josephson Ring Modulators. Targeted at researchers and industry collaborators advancing quantum hardware.
• Semiconductor Spin Qubit Platform Prototyping quantum dot spin qubit arrays in silicon and germanium, leveraging high-quality quantum materials and innovative control techniques for achieving quantum advantage through advanced semiconductor technology. Targeted at quantum researchers and semiconductor collaborators.
• Quantum Photonic Platform Research and development of quantum photonic components including single photon emitters, waveguides, couplers, and detectors for fault-tolerant quantum computing processors, along with microwave-to-optical transducers. Targeted at quantum computing researchers and photonics collaborators.
• Neutral Atoms Platform Development of neutral atom-based qubit platforms using ultra-cold atoms such as Strontium with short-range and long-range interactions, pursuing optical lattice configurations for atom-based quantum computing. Targeted at researchers in quantum simulation and computation.
• Nanofabrication Services Central device fabrication service utilizing cleanrooms at DTU Nanolab and University of Copenhagen, establishing nanofabrication protocols for various qubit types with rigorous monitoring of process variabilities. Targeted at NQCP pilot lines and academic collaborators.
• Characterization Services Data-driven research backbone providing optical and electron microscopy, surface probe techniques, X-ray scattering, and cryogenic electrical and photonic measurements, with standards for extracting relevant metrics. Targeted at quantum hardware researchers and academic collaborators.
• POEM Technology Center Denmark's first facility producing wafers using the leading 300mm standard, featuring the ROSIE machine for molecular beam epitaxy to deposit ultra-thin atomic layers for photonic quantum chips. Targeted at photonic quantum chip researchers and industry collaborators.
• Pathfinder Framework

Quantifiable outcome

• €2.1 million ERC Starting Grant secured for scalable silicon photonic devices integrating color centers
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, satellite and minor.

• Q-STAR (Quantum STrategic industry Alliance for Revolution)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 November 2025MoU signed to strengthen industry-driven collaboration in quantum computing. Establishes a practical framework for joint projects, coordinated outreach, and shared language for quantum computing development. Initial priorities include presenting Pathfinder Framework to Q-STAR members, establishing packaging workstreams, and quantum ecosystem mobilization via conferences and exhibitions.
• QuTech (Delft University of Technology and TNO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 November 2023Formal partnership for development of silicon-germanium epitaxial heterostructures for quantum processor chips. Includes co-financing of epitaxy equipment for TU Delft and funding for PhD scholarship. QuTech is a world leader in SiGe materials for quantum technologies under Giordano Scappucci's team.
• DFM (Danish Fundamental Metrology)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 May 2023Partnership agreement with Danish Fundamental Metrology for developing standardized measurement protocols and defining metrics for wafer-based materials for quantum computing processors. Includes equipment sharing and student training for systematic data logging of structural, electronic, and photonic properties.
• DTU (Technical University of Denmark)satelliteStrategic or Co-development PartnerDTU (Technical University of Denmark) joined as an NQCP satellite partner, collaborating on various quantum technology research initiatives.
• MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMIT collaborates with NQCP on quantum computing research. The Engineering Quantum Systems group at MIT, led by Prof. Will Oliver, works with the superconducting qubit team.
• LNBL / UC BerkeleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and UC Berkeley collaborate with NQCP on quantum research initiatives.
• Maybell Quantum IndustriescoreTechnology or IntegrationMaybell Quantum co-locates with NQCP, providing cryogenics equipment and expertise for quantum systems development.
• Quantum MachinescoreTechnology or IntegrationQuantum Machines provides control hardware and software solutions for quantum processors, collaborating with NQCP teams on qubit control and readout systems.
• University of OslominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic collaboration with University of Oslo on quantum research projects.
• NORDITAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNORDITA (Nordic Institute for Theoretical Physics) collaborates with NQCP's Theory & Simulation team on quantum physics research.
• Aarhus UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAarhus University collaborates with NQCP, including partnership with Professor Nikoaj Zinner at Aarhus University in the A&A area.
• University of TorontocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessor Alan Aspuru-Guzik at University of Toronto collaborates with NQCP's Algorithms & Applications team.
• RiverlanecoreTechnology or IntegrationRiverlane collaborates with NQCP on quantum error correction decoding solutions and hardware development.
• University of BristolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic collaboration with University of Bristol on quantum research initiatives.
• University of WashingtonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic collaboration with University of Washington on quantum research.
• ICN2 (Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with ICN2 on nanoscience and nanotechnology research relevant to quantum computing.
• Quantum for Life Center, University of CopenhagencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Quantum for Life Center on quantum algorithms for life science applications.
• HQC2 (Hidden Quantum Computing)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with HQC2 project at University of Copenhagen.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• PsiQuantum: Photonic quantum computing company pursuing fault-tolerant systems using silicon photonics — closely aligned with NQCP's photonic platform integration work and POEM facility investment thesis.
• Atom Computing: US-based quantum computing company focused on neutral atom platforms, recently demonstrating 1000+ qubit systems. Directly comparable neutral atom technology approach and similar life-science/pharma focus.
• QuTech: Dutch quantum research consortium (TU Delft and TNO) operating as NQCP's formal partner, with similar multi-platform mission across superconducting, spin, and topological qubits. Most direct academic peer — NQCP explicitly partners with QuTech on SiGe heterostructures and shares the public-good research mission.
• MIT Engineering Quantum Systems (EQS): MIT research group led by Prof. Will Oliver that collaborates directly with NQCP's superconducting qubit team. Operates a comparable academic mission around fault-tolerant superconducting hardware with similar talent pipeline focus.
• QuEra Computing: Neutral atom quantum computing company spun out of Harvard/MIT. Builds on similar fundamental research base (cold atom arrays, Rydberg interactions) that NQCP's neutral atom pilot line targets.
• Pasqal: French commercial quantum computing company focused on neutral atom qubits using strontium and rubidium — the same atomic platform NQCP develops. Closely comparable technology choice with similar algorithmic ambitions for chemistry and optimization.
• Rigetti Computing: Superconducting quantum computing company developing fault-tolerant architectures — directly comparable to NQCP's superconducting pilot line and partner Quantum Machines also serves both.

Broad incumbents

• Google Quantum AI: Industry leader in superconducting qubit fidelity and QEC demonstrations (Willow chip). Sets the public benchmark for fault-tolerant progress that NQCP's superconducting pilot line targets.
• IBM Quantum: Industry incumbent with the largest superconducting quantum hardware program (1000+ researchers, Heron/Condor processors). While NQCP is academic and broader in platform scope, IBM defines the trajectory NQCP's superconducting team benchmarks against.

Emerging players

• Alice & Bob: French quantum startup pursuing fault-tolerant superconducting qubits using cat qubits — a specialized QEC architecture that overlaps with NQCP's protected qubit encoding and error mitigation research.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nnf-quantum-computing-programme-nqcp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about NNF Quantum Computing Programme (NQCP)