Medication, climate models: how quantum is shaping the future

Quantum, sustainable mobility. High tech is playing an increasingly important role in our daily lives. Today, we interview Mayra van Houts. She is head of strategy at the Quantum Delta NL growth fund program. She is also involved in Holland High Tech as a program council member for the Quantum Technologies innovation domain. According to Houts, exciting things are on the horizon. “Medicines that are completely tailored to you thanks to quantum technology: it's coming.”

How did you end up in the world of quantum?

"After graduating, I started working at the Ministry of Economic Affairs. In that role, I was involved in a number of European Union projects. One of them was GAIA-X, a collaboration to advance cloud infrastructure in Europe. That's when I came into contact with one of the founders of Quantum Delta. He said, 'Maybe working for us would be something for you. As a policy officer, I had been following developments in quantum for a long time. Because of my broad interests, the field really appealed to me. So I applied for a job at Quantum Delta."

Are there exciting things happening in the field of quantum?

“Yes, there are many different applications. Quantum computing, for example. The implications and possible applications are incredibly exciting, such as climate modeling or the development of medicines that are completely tailored to you. That's still a long way off, but it's coming.”

At the same time, I'm also excited about developments in quantum communication: an unbreakable quantum network. The first connection between Delft and The Hague is already in place. I think it's great to see people experimenting with this."

Is the Netherlands a pioneer in this field?

“In the Netherlands, we are particularly strong in hardware components for quantum computing, such as the superconducting domain. Many start-ups in Delft are among the best in the world. We are also good at quantum communication in the Netherlands. The connection between Delft and The Hague that I just mentioned was truly a unique moment worldwide. So, as a relatively small country, we are among the world leaders. A European quantum strategy was also recently launched, which includes ambitions for the realization of a European quantum network. We are making a significant contribution to this.“

What role does Holland High Tech play in the quantum ecosystem?

”Within Holland High Tech, different fields work together. Quantum, semicon, photonics: it is precisely the crossovers between these fields that are being stimulated. Semicon, for example, is both a supplier and a customer of quantum technology. Think of lithography machines and other components needed to make quantum chips. At the same time, components of quantum sensing can be used to improve processes within semicon, for example, in the field of metrology."

What is on the agenda for the coming period?

"As far as Holland High Tech is concerned, we are looking at which projects we can take on and what instruments are needed to improve the ecosystem. A new call is coming up, the HTSM Call 2025, for which companies can register. We will provide input to ensure that it matches the needs of the field as closely as possible.

Zooming in on the growth fund program, we have worked hard over the past year and a half on a new strategy. That is now complete, and the projects are about to start. It's great to finally be able to get started after all that preparatory work—and endless writing and reading of documents."

Do you have a message for our readers?

“It is important that more and more people become familiar with quantum, because we will need a lot of talent and knowledge in the coming years. Think of PhDs, but also of business activity. Many people still think: “Quantum? Isn't that super complicated?” The image of Einstein and ‘spooky particles’ still lingers a bit. But even without a background in quantum, you can find a great job in this field.”