PQ-REACT Open Call 2 - IMPLEMENT
Funding for consortia to implement and validate post-quantum cryptography (PQC) solutions across four strategic use cases
PQ-REACT's second Open Call, IMPLEMENT, seeks quantum innovators to develop and implement solutions addressing cryptographic encryptions based on classic algorithms that currently protect data and infrastructure. The call aims to test and validate solutions across various scenarios and use cases, contributing to a more secure digital future.
Type of projects to be funded: Development and implementation of innovative PQC solutions in line with specific use cases. Eligible activities include software development, testing and validation, engineering, participation in events, infrastructure costs, and project management.
Sectors / domain: The focus is on quantum cryptography applied to energy-aware contexts, specifically targeting smart energy meters, 5G and 6G architectures, context agility management, and Eclipse-Qrisp for PQC.
Individual or consortium: The call is strictly for consortia, expecting a mini-consortium of two or three partners. One partner must be an SME and another a technical provider, which can include start-ups, universities, research centres, NGOs, or foundations.
Specific eligibility requirements: Eligible entities must be legally established in EU Member States or Horizon Europe-associated countries.
Specific topics or challenges: The proposals must fit within one of the following Use Cases:
- Use Case 1: Smart Grid Meters upgraded with PQC capabilities, via testing and evaluating the efficiency of PQC algorithms in real smart energy meters (loT) considering H/W limitations, bandwidth, length of Digital Signature PQC algorithms keys and signatures, CPU and memory usage etc.
- Use Case 2: 5G and 6G architectures: Leveraging PQC and QKD hybridization approaches related to 5G and their evolution to 6G architectures. PQ-REACT will investigate their application to significant use cases, especially related to protection mechanisms for the network infrastructure, addressing the security and performance requirements in highly pervasive, critical networked environments.
- Use Case 3: Context Agility Manager (PQC Benchmarking): Test and validation of innovative services/apps that use PQC algorithms, extending beyond existing liboqs-based applications such as cURL, Nginx, and HTTP, to include new PQC enablers for protocols across communication, authentication, and network security domains. These enablers can support for example QUIC and SIP for secure transport and real-time communications, DNSSEC for quantum-safe domain integrity, and authentication frameworks like OAuth2, OpenID Connect, and Kerberos to resist quantum attacks.
- Use Case 4: Eclipse-Qrisp for PQC: Practical validation and assessment of the resilience of new applications/solutions using PQC techniques, exploiting the capabilities of an HPC (High Performance Computer) or QC (Quantum Computer) via a suite of tools (C++/Python/Qrisp). Additional tools like, Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA), Shor's algorithm, algorithmic primitives (e.g., quantum Fourier transform (QFT), quantum phase estimation (QPE)) and solving QUBO problem instances with QAOA are available in Qrisp.
Projects duration: 12 months (August 2025 to July 2026).
Budget, funding rates and payment conditions:
- Funding rate: 100% (lump-sum)
- Budget conditions / limitations: Max €162,500 per project, total €650,000 available in Open Call #2. Max €300,000 per third party across both calls.
- Payments: 25% at start (Month 1) – upon approval of work plan and KPIs; 40% mid-term (Month 8) – based on 75% KPI progress; 35% final (Month 12) – based on final KPI and report delivery.
Key dates:
- Opening date: 2nd April 2025
- Submission deadline: 27th May 2025, 17:00 Brussels time
- Results announcement: around 4th July 2025.
Links
Closes
27/05/2025
Max funding per project
162.500€