The collaboration explores how photonic quantum processors can become part of larger, connected quantum computing systems.
Building more powerful quantum computers may not simply be a question of making individual processors bigger. Increasingly, the industry is looking at how multiple quantum processors can be connected to work together, much like servers in a data center.
This is the ambition behind a new partnership between Sparrow Quantum and French quantum networking company Welinq. The two companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore how Sparrow's emerging photonic quantum technology could be integrated into Welinq's multi-platform quantum computing clusters.
The collaboration brings together two complementary technologies: Sparrow's ability to generate quantum light on demand and Welinq's infrastructure for connecting quantum processors. The shared ambition is to enable deployable clusters that bring together different quantum computing technologies.
Why light could make quantum computers easier to connect
Light plays a central role in connecting quantum computers because photons can carry quantum information between processors. For many quantum computing technologies, that means converting quantum information from their physical qubits into photons before it can travel through a network. Photonic quantum computers have the advantage: they already use photons to process information, making them a natural fit for optical connections. But working with photons comes with its own challenges. Photonic quantum computing requires a reliable supply of high-quality photons that can be generated when needed.
This is where Sparrow Quantum's technology comes in. Its semiconductor-based sources produce individual photons on demand, providing the foundation for the photonic quantum processors the company is developing. The partnership with Welinq will explore how these processors could become part of larger computing systems rather than operating as standalone machines.
From individual processors to quantum computing clusters
Welinq is developing the networking infrastructure and software needed to connect quantum processors built on different technologies. By combining this expertise with Sparrow's photonic technology, the companies aim to explore the interfaces required to integrate photonic processors into multi-platform quantum computing architectures. The longer-term vision is a more modular approach to quantum computing, where computing capacity can grow by connecting additional processors instead of relying on a single, increasingly complex machine.
Such systems could eventually be deployed in data centers, cloud environments, and high-performance computing facilities.
"Welinq is building networking solutions to deploy multi-platform QPU clusters, directly into data centers. We have already partnered with cloud providers and quantum computing providers from different modalities. Photonic qubits will play a key role in these clusters, and we are thrilled to have Sparrow Quantum, a leader in the field, join us on this journey toward on-premises, multi-platform quantum computing," says Tom Darras, CEO and co-founder of Welinq.
For Sparrow Quantum, the partnership supports its broader roadmap toward fault-tolerant photonic quantum computing and connected quantum systems.
“The future of quantum computing will not be defined by individual processors alone, but by how we connect them into larger, more powerful systems,” says Peter Lodahl, Founder & CEO of Sparrow Quantum.
“At Sparrow Quantum, we are developing photonic processors built on our technology for generating quantum light on demand. Our partnership with Welinq is an important step toward integrating these processors into larger quantum computing systems, and demonstrates how European companies can combine their strengths to build the next generation of quantum computing infrastructure.”
For Sparrow Quantum and Welinq, the partnership is a step toward making connected quantum computing a practical reality, combining complementary European technologies to support the development of larger, more scalable quantum systems.
About Welinq
Welinq is a quantum networking company that builds the networking layer required for scalable quantum computing. It develops and commercializes full-stack interconnect systems that aggregate quantum processors from multiple providers and deploys them as clusters in data centers. Welinq is a spin-out from Sorbonne Université, CNRS and PSL University, founded in 2022 by Tom Darras, Prof. Julien Laurat and Dr. Eleni Diamanti. For more information, visit www.welinq.fr.
.jpg)
