Analysing Italy's Multi-Million Euro Push into Quantum Technology
Milan, Sunday 7 June 2026
Researchers have mapped Italy’s booming quantum technology sector, revealing a strategic €140 million public investment designed to attract international venture capital and establish a formidable European technological hub.
Bridging the Funding Divide in European High-Tech
The global race for quantum supremacy is heavily capital-intensive, with native quantum computing companies worldwide securing $15 billion between 2020 and 2025 [1]. Despite the European Union hosting 33 per cent of these companies, it captured merely 13 per cent of the global funding, starkly contrasted by the United States’ 68 per cent share [1]. This disparity is partly driven by fragmented public investment, as the European Commission allocated only 10 per cent of total public quantum funding within the bloc [1]. Recognising this structural weakness, Italy channelled over €140 million through the EU-funded National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) between 2023 and 2025 to consolidate its academic landscape, which ranks seventh globally in quantum computing scientific publications [1].
Building the Hardware and Supply Chain Infrastructure
A critical component of Italy’s strategy involves bolstering high-tech systems and materials (HTSM) and quantum hardware manufacturing [1]. A standout success is the Milan-based startup Ephos, which recently secured €41.5 million in Chips Act funding specifically for the manufacturing of photonic chips [1]. This aligns with the nation’s recognised industrial strengths in photonics and quantum communication, championed by domestic academic spinoffs such as QSENSATO, QTI, Planckian, and G2Q [1]. Furthermore, foundational hardware development is actively progressing at the University Federico II in Naples and La Sapienza University in Rome [1].
Corporate Adoption and Dual-Use Applications
Beyond hardware, the integration of quantum technologies into critical sectors such as defence and energy transition is gaining traction [GPT]. Between June 2023 and the publication of the Politecnico di Milano report on 5 June 2026, approximately 15 Italian end-user companies publicly engaged in quantum projects [1]. Notable participants include aerospace and defence conglomerate Leonardo, the banking group Intesa Sanpaolo, and the energy multinational Eni, the latter operating through its ITQuanta joint venture, Eniquantic [1]. A 2025 survey indicated that 33 per cent of large companies reported increased interest in quantum computing since 2023, while 41 per cent had established relationships within the quantum community—more than doubling the figures from 2023 [1].
Strategic Governance for Future Capabilities
To manage this complex matrix of public funding, private enterprise, and international partnerships, the Italian National Quantum Strategy has outlined a phased governance architecture [1]. In the short term, this involves the creation of a Permanent Committee for Quantum Technologies, followed by a National Quantum Hub in the medium term, and culminating in a Quantum Foundation designed to integrate public and private resources [1]. These institutions are intended to coordinate alongside the Italian Quantum Alliance, which currently bridges national research and industry efforts [1].