Quantum technology holds the promise of revolutionary applications such as enormous computing power, extremely precise sensors, or advanced encryption. As key players in the field, Karlsruhe and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) took the top position in Germany in an international ranking by the European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE). Karlsruhe placed seventh worldwide and second in the EU.
"Our designation as the most important quantum cluster in Germany and the second-strongest in the European Union hightlights our location's national and international visibility," said Professor Oliver Kraft, Vice President Academic Affairs at KIT. "This is a testament to our long-term strategy of tightly coordinating basic research, application-oriented development, and industrial implementation."
"Being the German leader and also having one of the top positions among Europe's quantum clusters is a clear indicator of Karlsruhe's long-term competitiveness," said Dr. Frank Mentrup, mayor of Karlsruhe. "Our success is the result of years of close cooperation involving first-class research, innovative businesses, and a reliable public sector. KIT is a key showpiece for Karlsruhe, demonstrating just how effectively academia, business, and the local community can work together."
Jochen Ehlgötz, Managing Director of the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion, said: "The current ECIPE study clearly confirms that Karlsruhe offers ideal conditions for networking, driving innovation, and enabling sustainable growth - an ideal framework for the outstanding scientific research performed at KIT."
Long-standing Synergy between Research and Practice Pays off
According to the ECIPE report, a special feature of Karlsruhe as a quantum cluster is its brokerage role; the report highlights KIT as a "top research collaborator." Karlsruhe takes first place worldwide in the "external collaborations" subcategory, second place in its "bridging power" to connect otherwise isolated scientific and technological communities, and third place in overall "collaboration intensity." According to its authors, the report is the first international ranking of quantum clusters by market orientation, collaboration, and ecosystem maturity. It analyzed some 130 locations worldwide.
Quantum Research at KIT
Quantum technology research at KIT covers a broad spectrum, ranging from basic research on quantum materials to the development and implementation of application-oriented systems for future technologies. Key areas of research include quantum materials and their integration into functional components, including quantum spintronics and molecular quantum spin systems; superconducting quantum circuits; and hybrid quantum architectures that link spins, photons and superconducting circuits. These are used by researchers to transmit, test and refine quantum keys.
Quantum Link between KIT Campuses
One of the most significant breakthroughs in recent years is the discovery of a new class of optically addressable molecular spins with extraordinary optical coherence. To demonstrate the potential of such systems for quantum communication, KIT researchers have set up a 20-kilometer fiber optic connection between KIT's Campus North and Campus South for transmitting, testing and refining quantum keys. They also plan to establish a quantum network to connect quantum computers. Meanwhile, the researchers are working on the optical readout of quantum systems and on linking molecular nanostructures with photons - crucial steps towards scalable quantum architectures.
Fredrik Erixon, Andrea Dugo, Dyuti Pandya and Elena Sisto: Quantum Clusters: Ranking the World's Deep-Tech Epicentres. ECIPE, 2025
