On October 29, 2018, the European Union formally launched the Quantum Technologies Flagship at a kick-off event in Vienna, Austria. The Flagship is a ten-year research and innovation initiative with an expected budget of €1 billion (approximately $1.14 billion) from EU funds, making it one of the largest scientific research programs ever undertaken by the European Commission.
During its initial ramp-up phase from October 2018 to September 2021, the initiative funded 20 projects selected from 140 submitted proposals, with an overall budget of €132 million and the involvement of over 500 researchers. The Flagship supports projects across four core application areas: quantum communication, quantum computing, quantum simulation, and quantum sensing and metrology, along with basic science research.
According to the European Commission, the Flagship was established following the 2016 Quantum Manifesto, endorsed by more than 3,400 individuals from academia and industry. Over its ten-year lifespan, the initiative is expected to involve more than 5,000 researchers from European academia and industry.