The Volta Declaration for quantum, artificial intelligence, and sovereign computing infrastructures was signed at the World Tech Conference in Milan, aiming to strengthen Italy’s position in the global technology landscape. The declaration brings together institutions, research, and industry, with the goal of building an integrated and competitive ecosystem. Alessio Butti, Undersecretary for Technological Innovation and Digital Transition, signed the declaration along with Italian Research Council (CNR), Confindustria, the Alessandro Volta Center, the National Quantum Science and Technology Institute, Q-Alliance (a joint initiative founded by D-Wave and IonQ with the participation of independent scientists and the endorsement of Italian institutional authorities.), D-Wave, Sielte SpA, Almaviva SpA, and Enel.
“For the first time, Italy has a complete quantum computing supply chain,” emphasized President Andrea Lenzi, Italian Research Council’s (CNR): “A concrete strategy that begins with scientific research and the idea of a discovery, all the way to the enterprise. It is the key point of the so-called last mile, where scientific research and innovation become tools available to companies. The values that guide scientific collaboration in Europe can position us, alongside the United States and Eastern powers, among the three players shaping global innovation.”
Also present at the signing was the Director of the Department of Physical Sciences and Matter Technologies, Stefano Fabris, who stated: “The Volta Declaration represents an important step because it creates a stable framework for collaboration between research, institutions, and industry, which is essential for transforming Italy’s scientific excellence into innovation, competitiveness, and technological sovereignty.”
National Quantum Science and Technology Institute (NQSTI), a consortium that teams up 20 Italian entities carrying out competitive and innovative research in the field, will bring skills and infrastructures together, resulting from the PNRR (Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza, Italy’s strategic economic recovery plan funded by the European Union’s Next Generation EU instrument) investment in quantum sciences and technologies.
“The NQSTI community welcomes the signing of this agreement with great satisfaction, which represents a significant step for the consolidation of the Italian quantum technology ecosystem,” says NQSTI President Prof. Claudio Pettinari. “We are convinced that collaboration between institutions, research and industry is the key to facing future challenges. NQSTI makes available the skills, knowledge and scientific heritage of its community to concretely contribute to the growth and competitiveness of quantum technologies in our country, promoting innovation, the training of new talents and the transfer of knowledge to the production system.”
