"Quantum computing is no longer just a thing of the future—but for many businesses, it still feels that way," explains Dr. Walter Hahn, project leader at Fraunhofer IAF. "INQUBATOR bridges this gap: We provide businesses with practical access to real quantum computing and support their own use cases so that the technology can deliver tangible benefits where it is needed most—in practice."
Testing quantum computing without your own quantum computer
Businesses are now invited to apply to this open call for use cases—no prior knowledge or proprietary hardware is required. The research partners involved in the initiative collaborate with participants using state-of-the-art quantum computers from various international manufacturers. This approach also facilitates direct comparisons of different hardware platforms for the end-to-end solutions developed. Participants benefit from the shared expertise of the Fraunhofer Institutes, receiving personalized consulting and jointly developing specific exploitation strategies for their respective applications.
The submission phase ends on August 31, 2026. Afterward, at least four use cases will be selected for joint development over a period of approximately ten months. For each use case, an individual exploitation plan will be created. "Especially for companies that have not yet engaged with quantum computing, INQUBATOR offers an opportunity to bring their own challenges into focus and collaborate on solving complex problems efficiently in the long term," emphasizes Dr. Walter Hahn. The main focus is on promising quantum algorithms that are tested on current systems and validated in economic contexts.
About INQUBATOR
Quantum computing has enormous potential, but entry into the field remains a significant hurdle for many businesses. INQUBATOR, Fraunhofer's quantum computing consulting and testing center, addresses this challenge. As part of the project, the participating Fraunhofer Institutes (IAO, IAF, IPA, and ITWM) are working on four initial use cases in fields such as medicine, cybersecurity, insurance, and the automotive industry, developed alongside selected industry partners. In the next stage, the project aims to expand to include at least four additional use cases, thereby bringing in new industry partners.
The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) under grant number 13N17420.
Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO