On January 31, 2023, Japan’s Q-STAR, together with the Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C), Quantum Industry Canada (QIC), and the European Quantum Industry Consortium (QuIC), signed a memorandum of understanding to formally establish the International Council of Quantum Industry Associations.
According to the QED-C announcement, the council aimed to strengthen communication and collaboration among participating consortia on goals and approaches to quantum technology development. The four organizations had been meeting informally for over a year and released a joint statement on World Quantum Day in April 2022.
Q-STAR Chair Taro Shimada stated that quantum technologies were “expected to revolutionize the health, mobility, logistics, finance, climate science, environmental sustainability, energy and secure communications sectors.” The council was intended to grow to include additional national quantum industry associations.