How Spain’s ICFO Helped Build a Quantum Security Startup for the AI Era

2026-05-06 · Source: Big Data & AI News - EE Times · Field: Technology & Digital — Cybersecurity & Data Privacy, Emerging Technologies & Innovation, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning · Depth: Intermediate, medium

Summary

Quside, a Barcelona-based startup spun out of ICFO (Institute of Photonic Sciences), is commercializing quantum security hardware, specifically the SP800-90B certified Ruby N1 quantum random number generator (QRNG) chip. This device uses photonic chip technology to generate high-quality, verifiable entropy, which is crucial for creating robust encryption keys, secure communications, and authentication credentials. The company has shipped to over 50 customers globally across sectors like defense, space, high-performance computing, and data centers, anticipating profitability within 24 months. Quside's technology addresses the increasing demand for secure, hardware-based randomness driven by the expansion of AI infrastructure and the transition to post-quantum cryptography, which requires more cryptographic operations and robust entropy sources. Unlike traditional generators relying on electronic noise, Quside's photonic devices leverage quantum effects in light emissions for inherently unpredictable and verifiable randomness.

Key takeaway

For CTOs and VPs of Engineering evaluating future-proof security infrastructure, Quside's photonic QRNGs offer a compelling solution to bolster cryptographic systems against emerging threats. Your teams should prioritize integrating verifiable, hardware-based randomness, especially when designing for AI workloads and the transition to post-quantum cryptography, as this approach mitigates risks associated with weak entropy and increased key generation demands. Consider piloting these solutions in high-security environments like defense or data centers to establish robust foundational security.

Key insights

Photonic quantum random number generators provide verifiable, high-quality entropy crucial for AI and post-quantum cryptography.

Principles

• Randomness quality is foundational for cryptographic security.
• Photonics offers verifiable entropy from quantum effects.
• Deep-tech commercialization requires long-term incubation.

Method

Quside's method involves using photonic devices to generate entropy from quantum effects in light emissions, which can be modeled from first principles to verify the physical source of randomness during operation.

In practice

• Integrate QRNGs for post-quantum cryptography transitions.
• Deploy hardware-based randomness in AI clusters.
• Consider photonic QRNGs for defense and space applications.

Topics

• Quside
• Quantum Random Number Generators
• Photonic Chip Technology
• Post-Quantum Cryptography
• AI Infrastructure Security

Best for: CTO, VP of Engineering/Data, Director of AI/ML, AI Security Engineer, AI Architect, Entrepreneur

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by Big Data & AI News - EE Times.