We are a transnational funding network supported by the European Commission, uniting more than 40 Research Funding Organisations (RFOs) from over 30 countries — in Europe and beyond. We are dedicated to advancing basic and applied research in Quantum Technologies (QT), fostering collaboration, and strengthening the quantum ecosystem with sustainable funding.
What is QuantERA?
Our mission
Through our work, we:
- Launch joint Calls for Proposals, enabling researchers to collaborate across borders and combine their experience, expertise, and resources
- Support exceptional, original, and high-impact projects in basic and applied research within Quantum Technologies
- Bridge science, policy and industry by fostering dialogue and joint action
- Map and align national, regional, and European policies to build a coherent research environment
- Promote responsible and open science, ensuring transparency and accessibility, and making sure that quantum advances benefit society as a whole
- Advance the global spread of scientific excellence, foster gender balance, and support early-career researchers
Our history
The QuantERA Programme traces its origins to 2014, when the National Science Centre (NCN) in Poland initiated efforts to bring together the European quantum research community and Research Funding Organisations (RFOs) to establish a dedicated transnational funding consortium. In August 2014, the first partners signed a Letter of Intent, marking the beginning of a continuously growing alliance.
A key meeting in June 2015 in Kraków gathered 31 delegates from 20 European and associated countries, who confirmed their commitment to launch a pan-European programme in Quantum Technologies and entrusted NCN with coordination. Those efforts led to the official launch of QuantERA Programme in December 2016 under the EU Horizon 2020 ERA-NET Cofund, which laid the foundations for the network and opened its first joint transnational call for proposals.
QuantERA II expanded the consortium to 41 RFOs from 31 countries and organised two joint calls for proposals — in 2021 and 2023 — supporting a new series of multinational quantum research projects. Throughout its development, QuantERA has hosted strategic conferences, bringing together researchers, policymakers, and funding organisations to discuss priorities and strengthen cooperation.
In mid-2025, the Programme entered its third phase with the launch of QuantERA III. The first call under this edition, announced the same year, builds on a decade of joint efforts. QuantERA I and QuantERA II were ERA-NET Cofunds supported by the European Commission under the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme. QuantERA III takes a new form as a Research and Innovation Action within Horizon Europe, implemented with Financial Support to Third Parties (cascading grant).
Our vision
We envision a future where Quantum Technologies are advanced through a strong, connected, and inclusive network — with Europe at its heart, cooperating with partners worldwide that share common values.
We believe in a forward-looking quantum ecosystem built on trust, transparency, and scientific excellence, serving societies, enhancing security, and contributing to solutions for emerging challenges.
We promote research that is open, responsible, and inclusive, ensuring that its benefits are shared broadly across communities. The QuantERA network continues to expand, building bridges to address the challenges and opportunities of the quantum era.
Coordinator
The National Science Centre (NCN) is a Polish government executive agency set up in 2011 to fund basic research. The primary task of the Centre is to support scientific excellence by means of a variety of funding programmes open to researchers at every stage of their research career. The NCN funds initiatives in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Life Sciences and Physical Sciences and Engineering in the form of research projects, scholarships for PhD students and post-doc internships. To ensure the highest quality of the research selected for funding, the Centre has adopted a two-stage, peer review-based procedure of proposal evaluation. Another important task of the Centre is to foster international cooperation in research and disseminate information on calls for proposals among researchers in Poland and abroad. The NCN also supports the progress of research projects and monitors the spending of the funding granted – through review and assessment of annual and final reports, as well as on-site visits to selected host institutions.
website: ncn.gov.pl
QuantERA Team
QuantERA is a multinational network composed of representatives of more than 40 Research Funding Organisations aimed at ensuring excellent research in Quantum Technologies.
The Programme is coordinated by the National Science Centre (NCN), Poland and Call Secretariat managed by Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR), France. Strong support for QuantERA activities is provided by a Strategic Advisory Board (SAB), the European Commission and the Quantum Flagship.
The QuantERA team, formed by a group of dedicated experts and experienced collaborators, has proven to be a major contributor to the success of the Programme. Established to be effective in operation, the team is ready and skilled to face the challenges of this vast and ambitious Programme.
Coordination
Programme Coordinator’s Office
[email protected]
Programme Coordinator’s Office
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Communication Officer
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Call Secretariat
Call Secretariat Leader
[email protected]