During 2024, CQIQC hosted several international visits strengthening global partnerships in quantum technologies, among them:

• Austrian Delegation: This visit on November 1st was a part of a broader initiative to enhance collaboration between Austria and Canada in quantum innovation. The delegation explored various Canadian institutions, including the Quantum Valley Ideas Lab in Waterloo, Ontario, and CQIQC itself.  The focus of the visit was on leveraging Austria’s research strengths and Canada’s commercialization expertise for future collaboration. The Austrian delegation included representatives from several Austrian research centres and quantum companies like the Austrian Business Agency, and Advantage Austria (Austria’s trade organization). The delegation met with CQIQC researchers, students, and the Creative Destruction Lab quantum stream team.

• Munich Centre for Quantum Science and Technology and Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics: On October 4, Xanadu and CQIQC co-organized and hosted the visit of around 35 researchers from the Munich Centre for Quantum Science and Technology (MCQST) and the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics in Germany. This visit focused on quantum applications and commercialization, featuring talks and panel discussions with speakers from CQIQC, Xanadu, MCQST, and the University of Waterloo. This interaction emphasized bridging scientific research with practical applications, sparking new ideas and fostering ongoing partnerships.

• Dutch Delegation: CQIQC hosted a Dutch Quantum Mission to Canada as part of their week-long Canadian tour in October 2024. This group included representatives from Dutch quantum startups and universities such as Leiden and Delft, as well as members from the Embassy and Consulate General of the Netherlands. The visit aimed to cultivate further collaborations and exchange of ideas between Canada and the Netherlands in the field of quantum technology.

Through these initiatives, CQIQC is supporting international collaborations in the quantum field, and fostering innovation in Ontario and across Canada. We continue to see a strong interest from international partners to collaborate with UofT in the field of quantum sciences and technology.