Finland Allocates €2.8 Million for Quantum Projects

Business Finland allocates €2.79 million for industrial quantum projects.

The state agency Business Finland has allocated grants totaling €2.79 million for the implementation of two industrial quantum projects. The funding was awarded to software developer QMill and shipping operator ESL Shipping.

The funds were distributed as follows: 

• €1.09 million for the Smart Fleet Optimization project for ESL Shipping;
• €1.7 million for the Supernova research initiative by QMill.

ESL Shipping is testing a hybrid model: classical computing and quantum algorithms for fleet optimization. This pertains to tramp shipping, where scheduling depends on cargo flows, power constraints, emissions, and commercial priorities. 

The Supernova initiative focuses on creating algorithms tailored to the constraints of current noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) systems. The aim is to identify commercially significant tasks in the energy, transport, and telecommunications sectors where quantum computing can offer a practical advantage over classical architectures. 

Supernova is a continuation of the QMill program, launched in 2024 with support from the same agency. 

The investments are part of Business Finland’s national program to strengthen the quantum hub in Northern Europe. The project aims to demonstrate how heavy industry and logistics can integrate quantum tools to reduce fuel consumption and comply with environmental standards. 

In May, Quantinuum and BP initiated a joint project to apply quantum computing for subsurface sensing and mapping of the Earth’s interior.