NorQSoft: Norwegian Quantum Software Centre

Quantum Computing (QC) is advancing globally with investments from major technology companies (e.g., IBM and Google), specialized quantum computer vendors (e.g., IQM, Quantinuum, and D-Wave), and public funding.

Recent advances in quantum hardware and software indicate that QC is moving toward enabling real-world applications.

However, the cost-effective and automated development of reliable applications with quantum software remains a major challenge. Overcoming this challenge is a key to unlocking QC's full potential for business, the public sector, research, and society.

We will address this challenge by establishing NorQSoft as the Norwegian quantum software center. Its scope will span foundational research on quantum application software, the full quantum software stack, and quantum artificial intelligence. We will pioneer quantum software technologies with real-world relevance by developing the necessary foundations, implementing them in prototype tools, and validating their feasibility and cost-effectiveness through academic and industrial case studies. We will also establish a world-class QC education program to lower entry barriers and train the next generation of professionals.

To maximize impact, we will collaborate nationally with Oslo Metropolitan University and SINTEF and internationally with Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden), the University of Southern Denmark (Denmark), and the National Institute of Informatics (Japan).

To test our methods, which require access to quantum computers, we will collaborate with quantum computer vendors, i.e., Quantinuum and ORCA. We will also access quantum computers through European HPC infrastructures (e.g., LUMI-Q). Finally, we will co-develop proof-of-concept real-world applications with key stakeholders, including the Cancer Registry of Norway, Syngens (Norway), ORCA (UK), and DNV (Norway), ensuring our methods are driven by practical needs.