News and PressJul 2025

Quantum computers are coming, and the Netherlands is ready

Delft, 21 July 2025 – Whenever you share sensitive information, caution is essential. Strong passwords and two-step verification offer protection. But what if a new technology could soon render that security ineffective? That’s exactly what quantum computers are capable of. Fortunately, the Netherlands is a leader in this field, as we demonstrated in the run-up to the NATO Summit.

Quantum computers explained 

So what exactly does this technology involve? Quantum computers operate differently from the computers we know today. Instead of bits that are either 0 or 1, they use qubits that can be both 0 and 1 at the same time. That may sound abstract, but it has far-reaching implications. Quantum computers can solve certain mathematical problems much faster than traditional computers. And it just so happens that complex mathematics forms the basis of almost all current forms of encryption – the secure way to protect information.

Threat

The biggest threat is that in a short time quantum computers will be able to crack existing security methods such as RSA (an algorithm developed in 1977 by Ron Rivest, Adi Shamir and Len Adleman), which is widely used in internet security, email encryption and digital signatures. What would take an ordinary computer millions of years could take a powerful quantum computer just minutes. This means that information encrypted today could potentially be accessed in the future. A dangerous scenario is ‘store now, decrypt later’, where malicious actors intercept encrypted data now, such as state secrets, medical records or financial information. Although they cannot read this data today, they store these files in anticipation of quantum technology that can break the encryption. No wonder the European Commission has emphasised in its roadmap that the digital future must be quantum-safe.

Solution

Post-quantum cryptography offers a solution. This is cryptography based on mathematical problems that are believed to be unbreakable even by a quantum computer. Dutch central government’s Quantum-Secure Cryptography programme is working on tools to manage the risks quantum technology poses to cryptography in a timely manner. When it comes to information and communication security, the Dutch quantum technology ecosystem also offers an additional measure: quantum key distribution. This method enables two parties to share secret cryptographic keys with each other, and any attempt to eavesdrop immediately triggers an alert. As a result, the sender and receiver instantly notice if someone is trying to spy and can break the connection. The key cannot be intercepted or copied unnoticed, something that is possible with traditional cryptographic keys.

Netherlands sets the tone at pre-NATO Summit event

To keep the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice and Security safe in the quantum era, a pilot project has been launched to experiment with the complementary use of quantum key distribution.

It involves a trial set-up of a quantum network, which has been used to investigate a number of cases for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, enabling the method to be tested in an isolated environment. The significance of this became clear during the pre-NATO Summit event ‘Securing the Future.’ Here, the ministries gave a presentation with a live demonstration showing that the Dutch government now has an operational quantum network, and demonstrating how quantum key distribution and post-quantum cryptography work in a complementary way. This made quantum-secure communication tangible and showed that it is no longer just a future prospect but is already working in practice.

The pilot is a joint initiative of several ministries, including the Ministry of Justice and Security and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in partnership with QDNL, Q*Bird, RINIS, Sogeti, the Ministry of Justice and Security’s ICT organisation and Eurofiber.

International quantum computing

The European Commission has presented its roadmap for a quantum-safe digital future. The Netherlands is ready to lead by example, by investing in strengthening cryptographic resilience through research and testing in quantum technology, and fostering close collaboration between government organisations, academia and businesses. Together, we are building a digital infrastructure that will remain secure for generations to come.

Urgency

The urgency is clear: once quantum computers truly breakthrough in a few years, all government networks and systems must be quantum-secure. This means switching to post-quantum cryptography – encryption that can withstand attacks from quantum computers. It also requires targeted investment in quantum technologies like quantum key distribution and careful choices about what data we should already be protecting against future decryption. Because what appears secure today could be out in the open and up for grabs tomorrow.

Original article: https://www.government.nl/latest/news/2025/07/17/quantum-computers

Note: Q*Bird rebranded as Falqon® Systems in September 2026.

How can I get support for my Falqon® Systems solution?

You can contact our support team through the form on this page or by e-mail at support@falqonsystems.com. Our team is available to assist with technical questions, product support and deployment-related enquiries.

What is a Quantum Secure Network (QSN)?

A Quantum Secure Network (QSN) is an operational communication infrastructure that combines quantum key generation, secure key lifecycle management, network orchestration and interoperability within a unified product solution. Rather than protecting individual communication links, Quantum Secure Networks (QSN) embed security directly into the network architecture, enabling trusted connectivity across distributed environments. 

Are you moving away from QKD?

No. Measurement-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution (MDI-QKD) remains the technological foundation of Quantum Secure Networks (QSN) and continues to be a core technology within the Falqon® Systems product portfolio.

Operational Quantum Secure Networks (QSN) require considerably more than quantum key generation alone. They require integrated infrastructure capable of securely managing cryptographic keys, orchestrating network operations, supporting architectures and enabling interoperability across distributed infrastructures. Falqon® Systems introduces and develops this broader infrastructure while continuing to advance scalable MDI-QKD.  

Does the transition affect our existing relationship?

No. The transition to Falqon® Systems does not affect our existing relationship, ongoing collaboration or commitment to supporting your organisation. While the company’s corporate identity has evolved, our leadership, expertise, technology, customer focus and long-term commitment remain unchanged. Customers and partners will continue working with the same teams while benefiting from a broader product portfolio and long-term strategy centered around Quantum Secure Networks (QSN). 

I have additional questions. Who should I contact?

If you have any questions regarding the transition, please contact your existing Falqon® Systems representative or reach out via our Contact page. Our team will be pleased to assist you. 

For specific enquiries, please use the following points of contact:   

Commercial, Customer and Partnership Enquiries:  

For commercial discussions, ongoing projects, customer engagement and partnership opportunities, please visit the Falqon® Systems website or contact via e-mail at sales@falqonsystems.com.   

Marketing and Communications:  

For questions relating to the corporate identity, company information, branding, logos, approved marketing assets, presentations or corporate communications, please contact the dedicated Marketing and Communications Specialist of Falqon® System via milu@falqonsystems.com. 

Technical and Product Enquiries:  

For technical support, product information, deployments, integration activities or product roadmap discussions, please visit our Support Page or contact via e-mail at support@falqonsystems.com.   

General Enquiries:  

For all other enquiries, please visit the Falqon® Systems website or contact via e-mail at info@falqonsystems.com.  

Is Falqon® Systems B.V. a new company?

No. Q*Bird B.V. is changing its registered company name to Falqon® Systems B.V. This does not create a new legal entity. The same Dutch legal entity continues to exist under its new registered name. The company’s Chamber of Commerce (KvK) number, VAT registration and other corporate identifiers remain unchanged.

What is changing?

Q*Bird becomes Falqon® Systems. The Falqon® portfolio becomes the unified product solution. Future technologies will be developed under the Falqon® Systems portfolio as part of a unified product solution that enables Quantum Secure Networks (QSN).

What is MDI-QKD and why does it matter for Quantum Secure Networks?

Measurement-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution (MDI-QKD) is the technological foundation of Falqon® Quantum Secure Networks (QSN). It removes detector-side vulnerabilities from the QKD security model and enables secure key distribution across scalable multi-user network architectures. This makes it well suited for building resilient, operational quantum secure communication infrastructure.

Where can I find documentation or setup guides?

Documentation and setup guides are available for Falqon® Systems products. If you are unsure which materials you need, contact our support team and we will guide you to the right resources.

Why is Q*Bird becoming Falqon® Systems?

The transition to Falqon® Systems reflects the evolution of both the company and the market. Q*Bird established itself as a pioneer in scalable Measurement-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution (MDI-QKD), demonstrating that quantum secure communications can move beyond laboratory environments towards operational deployment.   

As the market matures, customer requirements are evolving beyond standalone quantum communication technologies towards operational Quantum Secure Networks (QSN) capable of securing communications across multiple networks, applications and distributed infrastructures. Building upon the technological foundation established through scalable MDI-QKD, Falqon® Systems reflects the company’s broader strategy of developing the infrastructure required to deploy, integrate, manage and operate Quantum Secure Networks (QSN).   

The transition aligns the company’s identity with its long-term strategy, future technology roadmap and international growth ambitions.  

Will product names change?

The company becomes Falqon® Systems. The product portfolio continues under the Falqon® brand, including the Falqon® MDI-QKD Series, Falqon® Key Manager and Falqon® Domain Controller. Future technologies will be incorporated into this product portfolio.  

Can I request remote support from your team?

Yes. Our Support Team can provide remote assistance where required. Contact us and we will coordinate the appropriate next steps based on your support needs.

Is the legal entity changing?

No. The legal entity remains the same. Only the registered company name changes from Q*Bird B.V. to Falqon® Systems B.V. The change does not affect the company’s ownership, existing rights, obligations or contractual commitments.

Is this just a rebrand?

No. The transition represents the strategic evolution of the company rather than a change in direction.   

What has evolved is the scope of the product portfolio and the market it serves. Falqon® Systems reflects the company’s expansion beyond quantum key generation towards integrated infrastructure supporting the complete operational lifecycle of Quantum Secure Networks (QSN).  

What has not changed?

The transition does not change the company’s ownership, leadership, legal entity, employees, customer relationships, technology roadmap, research programmes, intellectual property or existing deployments.   

Measurement-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution (MDI-QKD) remains the technological foundation of the company’s portfolio.  

What is a Quantum Secure Network (QSN)?

A Quantum Secure Network (QSN) is an operational communication infrastructure that combines quantum key generation, secure key lifecycle management, network orchestration and interoperability within a unified product solution. Rather than protecting individual communication links, Quantum Secure Networks (QSN) embed security directly into the network architecture, enabling trusted connectivity across distributed environments. 

Why does quantum security matter now?

With the advancement of quantum computing, organisations are preparing for the eventual arrival of Q-Day, the point at which sufficiently powerful quantum computers could compromise widely used public-key cryptography. This risk is already driving action through “Harvest Now, Decrypt Later” (HNDL), where encrypted data is collected today for potential decryption in the future. As a result, organisations are increasingly defining their quantum secure strategies and moving from evaluating individual technologies towards deploying operational quantum secure communications across networks and distributed infrastructures.

Will existing contracts change?

No. Existing contractual agreements remain unchanged. The transition affects the corporate identity and brand positioning rather than the company’s contractual commitments.

Will existing Q*Bird documentation remain valid?

Yes. Technical documentation, user manuals, installation guides, certification documentation and other previously issued materials remain valid unless superseded by a newer revision. Updated documentation will gradually be released under the Falqon® Systems corporate identity as part of the normal documentation lifecycle.  

Are the company's ownership or leadership changing?

No. The company’s ownership and leadership remain unchanged.

Do we need to sign new agreements?

No. Existing agreements remain in force and no action is required as a result of the transition. Should any future administrative updates be required, these will be communicated directly by your Falqon® Systems representative.

What is the Falqon® product portfolio?

The Falqon® portfolio brings together the core technologies required to build and operate Quantum Secure Networks (QSN). The Falqon® MDI-QKD Series enables quantum key distribution across scalable network architectures, the Falqon® Key Manager manages and delivers cryptographic keys across QKD, PQC and hybrid environments and the Falqon® Domain Controller provides centralised control, configuration and monitoring of the quantum network.

Why is the company focusing on Quantum Secure Networks (QSN)?

The market is evolving beyond standalone technologies towards operational infrastructures. Quantum Secure Networks (QSN) represent the next stage in the evolution of quantum secure communications by integrating quantum key generation, secure key lifecycle management, orchestration and interoperability within a unified product solution. The company’s long-term strategy is aligned with this market evolution. 

Why is the transition taking place now?

The market is entering a new phase. Quantum secure communications are moving beyond technology validation and pilot deployments towards operational implementation. Organisations increasingly require interoperable infrastructure capable of supporting secure communications across multiple networks and distributed environments. The transition to Falqon® Systems reflects this market evolution and aligns the company’s identity with its long-term strategic direction.

Will your website change?

Yes. The corporate website will transition to reflect the Falqon® Systems identity. Customers and partners will continue to have access to product information, technical documentation, company news, contact information and other corporate resources through the  Falqon® Systems website, accessible here: falqonsystems.com. Where applicable, redirects will be implemented to support a seamless transition and minimise disruption.

Do customers and partners need to take any action?

No immediate action is required. Customers will be informed of the transition and provided with updated corporate information where applicable, including company branding, e-mail domains and corporate communications. Existing contracts, products and support arrangements remain unchanged.

Does the company's Chamber of Commerce (KvK) number change?

No. The company’s Chamber of Commerce (KvK) number remains unchanged.No. The company’s Chamber of Commerce (KvK) number remains unchanged.

How does Quantum Secure Networks (QSN) fit into the company's longer term technology roadmap?

Quantum Secure Networks (QSN) provide the infrastructure for secure communications today while establishing the foundation for Falqon® Systems’ longer-term technology vision. The network architecture is designed to evolve alongside future quantum networking technologies, supporting quantum interconnects, distributed quantum computing, networked quantum sensors and the future quantum internet.

Is Falqon® technology ready for deployment today?

Yes. Falqon® technologies are already deployed across operational quantum communication networks in Europe, including multi-site and cross-border environments. These deployments demonstrate the scalability, interoperability and operational readiness of Falqon® technology across real-world network infrastructures.

What does Falqon® Systems represent?

Falqon® Systems represents the company’s long-term strategy of building the infrastructure required to deploy, integrate, manage and operate scalable Quantum Secure Networks (QSN). The new identity reflects the evolution from standalone quantum communication technologies towards integrated infrastructure supporting trusted digital connectivity and future quantum networking capabilities.

News and Press·September 2026

Q*Bird becomes Falqon® Systems, building the infrastructure for Quantum Secure Networks (QSN)

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Events·September 2026

QIA Kickoff and PI+ Meeting 2026

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