Swiss institutions show interest in Karnataka’s proposed Quantum City in Bengaluru

Top Swiss universities and research centres, including ETH Zurich and CERN, express willingness to collaborate with Karnataka’s Quantum City project, boosting Bengaluru’s global quantum ambitions.

Switzerland’s top research institutions and technology companies have shown keen interest in partnering with Karnataka’s ambitious Quantum City project in Bengaluru, Minister for Minor Irrigation, Science and Technology N.S. Boseraju announced on Wednesday.

Speaking at a press conference, Boseraju said the project aims to establish Bengaluru as the global focal point for quantum science and technology, positioning the city at the forefront of next-generation computing, communication, and cryptography research.

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The announcement follows the state’s participation in the “Swissnex Quantum Summit”, where the Karnataka delegation presented investment and collaboration opportunities to major international quantum firms. A demo model of the proposed Quantum City was also showcased at the event.

During his recent visit to Switzerland, Boseraju met officials from globally renowned institutions including ETH Zurich and CERN, both key leaders in quantum research. He said Dr. Michael Hengartner, President of the ETH Zurich Board, responded positively to Karnataka’s proposal for joint research projects.

The delegation also extended invitations to ETH Zurich Quantum Center directors,  Andreas Wallraff, Jonathan Home, and Klaus Ensslin, who are pioneers in superconducting qubits and trapped ion systems research, to attend the upcoming Quantum India Conference in Bengaluru.

Highlighting Karnataka’s commitment to developing a skilled quantum workforce, Boseraju said the state, in collaboration with IISc Bengaluru, has already started academic and training programs in quantum technologies.

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He added that ETH Zurich University has agreed to provide specialized training to Karnataka research students, ensuring knowledge exchange and hands-on exposure in global laboratories.

The Minister also revealed that the delegation visited Zurich Instruments, a company manufacturing critical quantum computing hardware. The firm has agreed to assist in equipment design and training programs for students and researchers from Karnataka.

Boseraju said the state is working towards creating a vibrant research-to-startup ecosystem, inspired by Switzerland’s model where university innovations have successfully evolved into global quantum startups.

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With land already allocated for the project, the government’s next step involves setting up the Quantum City infrastructure and building global partnerships to attract top talent and investments.