encryptionGrupo Oesía is a brand focused on secure communications and cybersecurity, and it stands as a key participant in the Quantum Communication Innovation Forum held in Bilbao on November 28-29. The gathering showcased Spain’s leading efforts in quantum communications, highlighting the sector’s most impactful projects and the players driving them forward.
The event opened with remarks from Ager Izaguirre, the Provincial Deputy for Public Administration and Institutional Relations in Bizkaia. It forms part of the EuroQCI initiative, a European Commission program aimed at building a secure quantum communication infrastructure that will span the entire European Union.
The EuroQCI consortium brings together universities and research centers such as ICFO as the project coordinator, along with the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) and the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC). It also includes industrial groups like Cipherbit-Grupo Oesía and Indra, and major telecommunications firms such as Telefónica and Cellnex, creating a broad ecosystem for quantum technologies.
During the opening session, participants included Enrique Sánchez, the Brussels-based coordinator of the EU Quantum Flagship Quantum Communications Network (QCN) Office, Oscar Diez, head of the Quantum Computing Sector at the European Commission, and Luis Furnells, Chief Executive of Grupo Oesía. They underscored the Basque government’s commitment to establishing Bizkaia as a reference hub for quantum technology knowledge and development.
Luis Furnells spoke about the consortium’s pride in leading quantum communications initiatives and supporting the Bizkaia Provincial Council in shaping a research and business ecosystem around these technologies. He added that quantum is the technology expected to redefine communications over the next decade and that Grupo Oesía’s current investments will strengthen national sovereignty in critical capabilities while reinforcing Europe’s role as a benchmark for quantum leadership.
European network of the European quantum communications network
EuroQCI is envisioned as the European Union’s infrastructure to protect sensitive data and critical infrastructure by integrating quantum technologies with existing networks. It will add a new layer of security grounded in quantum physics and aims to bolster the protection of European state institutions. Data centers, hospitals, and energy networks are among the facilities expected to benefit most, becoming core pillars of the EU’s long-term cybersecurity framework.
The initiative is also positioned to advance Europe’s digital sovereignty and industrial competitiveness, contributing to the Digital Decade objective of leading in quantum capabilities by 2030.
Oesía Group Projects
At present, Cipherbit-Grupo Oesía participates in two EuroQCI-supported projects, each aimed at extending practical quantum security across sectors.
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Quarter is an industrial project where Cipherbit analyzes and implements security functions tied to quantum key distribution (QKD) modules. The effort includes developing an industrialization roadmap for this technology and contributing to its certification processes.
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EuroQCI Spain focuses on establishing the groundwork for disseminating QKD technology within Spain. It designs and deploys various use cases, with Cipherbit playing two central roles: selecting and validating suitable technologies for distinct applications and building a national, Europe-wide quantum communications ecosystem that connects industry, universities, institutions, demand-side companies, and public bodies.