Sherbrooke at the heart of the quantum revolution

[Excerpt] Sherbrooke at the heart of quantum revolution
Text and photo: Philippe Renault, Le Figaro

The capital of Estrie relies on its cutting-edge university and its innovation zone to bring quantum technology to the forefront.

The competition to develop the first quantum processors is intensifying on a global scale. In December 2024, Google announced a major breakthrough with its Willow chip, followed in January by Microsoft with its Majorana I chip. In March, China unveiled its prototype demonstrating computing power a million trillion times greater than current supercomputers. In response to these announcements, Canada is asserting itself, with the Sherbrooke ecosystem at the forefront. According to Lisa Lambert, CEO of Quantum Industry Canada, and Christian Sarra-Bournet (Director of Institut Quantique at the Université de Sherbrooke, IQ), this ecosystem represents “one of the most promising centers of excellence on the planet.” Nearly $1.3 billion has been injected between 2014 and 2025 to make Sherbrooke a stronghold of quantum research.

A COHERENT INNOVATION ENVIRONMENT

In 2022, the Ministry of Economy of Quebec officially recognized Sherbrooke as a quantum innovation zone, the first of its kind in the province. The University of Sherbrooke plays a central role, with its cutting-edge institutes and laboratories in physics, engineering, materials science, computer science, and cryogenics. An incubator for young companies, supported by the technological entrepreneurship center (ACET), completes the picture. The zone also includes a high-performance computing center, a clean room, and an ultra-low temperature cryogenics laboratory, necessary for testing quantum environments. All of this is structured by the Interdisciplinary Institute for Technological Innovation (3IT), which collaborates with local and foreign industries to transform science into concrete applications.

CLOSE TIES WITH FRANCE

In this microcosm of the University, a well-known accent dominates: that of the Hexagon. Every year, about French researchers and students in dual degrees join the teams at the Quantum Institute. The goal is clear: to strengthen synergies, share skills, and promote international mobility. Several collaborative projects are underway with CNRS, CEA, and French universities (Paris-Saclay, Grenoble-Alpes, etc.). Sherbrooke is now positioned as a hub of quantum research, where Francophone talents are building the computer of the 21st century.

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