Quantum Technologies and Industry
Towards Quantum Made in Portugal
Date: Friday, 22 May 2026, 10:00 – 13:00
Venue: Auditório 3, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon
Format: in-person
Registrations are closed.
The workshop will address the roles of industry in quantum ecosystems, including providing use-cases, developing classical technologies enabling quantum industry, and developing innovation in quantum technologies.
The workshop is organised by the Centre for Quantum Innovation and Industrialisation of PQI – Portuguese Quantum Institute, in the context of its initiative Quantum Made In Portugal.
Organising Committee: João Pimentel (Instituto da Soldadura e Qualidade), José Reis Santos (PQI – Portuguese Quantum Institute), Maria João Graça (Instituto Português da Qualidade), Paulo Soeiro (Visabeira), Yasser Omar (IST, ULisbon & PQI – Portuguese Quantum Institute)
Programme
09:30 – Registration
09:55 – Welcome by Paulo Soeiro (Visabeira), on behalf of the Organising Committee
Session chair: Isabel Godinho (Instituto Português da Qualidade)
10:00 – Opening address, Dr. Bernardo Correia, Secretary of State for Digitalisation
10:20 – The Revolution of Quantum Technologies, Yasser Omar (IST, ULisbon & PQI – Portuguese Quantum Institute)
10:40 – Quantum Europe Strategy: Opportunities for Industry, Oscar Diez (Deputy Head of Unit Quantum Technologies, DG Connect, European Commission)
11:00 – Break
Session chair: Isabel Alves Lopes (Instituto da Soldadura e Qualidade)
11:20 – Industrial Opportunities in Quantum Computation and Quantum Sensing, Marc de Voogd (Challenge-Based Program Manager at QDNL)
11:40 – Industrial Opportunities in Quantum Communications and Defence, Johanna Sepulveda (Technical Domain Manager Quantum Technologies, Airbus Defence and Space GmbH)
12:00 – Quantum Supply Chain, Celia Merzbacher (Executive Director of QED-C – Quantum Economic Development Consortium & SRI International)
12:20 – Panel discussion” Towards Quantum Made in Portugal”, moderated by Mario Campolargo, with:
– Alexandre Caldas (Head of Innovation, AIP – Associação Industrial Portuguesa)
– Ana Gonçalves (Executive Director of Academia CIP – Confederação Empresarial de Portugal)
– Jorge Portugal (General Director, COTEC Portugal)
– Magda Cocco (Group Executive Partner Regulatory & Digital, VdA – Vieira de Almeida)
– Rui Semide (CEO, Entangled Space)
12:50 – Concluding remarks, José Reis Santos (PQI – Portuguese Quantum Institute)
13:00 – Networking lunch
14:00 – End
Invited Speakers and Panelists
Bernardo Correia
Mr. Bernardo Correia is the Secretary of State for Digitalization of the XXV Government of the Portuguese Republic, in the Ministry of State Reform. With a degree in Economics from Universidade Nova de Lisboa, he was Country Director of Google Portugal for nine years. Previously, held international leadership positions at multinationals Google and Unilever, based in the United Kingdom for over a decade. He also chaired the Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity Commission of the American Chamber of Commerce in Portugal (AmCham) and was a member of the board of APDC (Portuguese Communications Association).
Celia Merzbacher
Dr. Celia Merzbacher is Executive Director of the Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C), a global, industry-driven consortium managed by SRI International that aims to grow the quantum economy. Dr. Merzbacher has more than two decades of experience leading large multidisciplinary partnerships and programs at the intersection of government, industry, and academia. Previously she was Assistant Director for Technology R&D at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and Executive Director of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. She was named a member of the Quantum 100 as part of the International Year of Quantum for her dedication and contributions and is on the US delegation to the NATO Transatlantic Quantum Community. She serves as an advisory to several quantum organizations and is a Fellow of the AAAS.
Johanna Sepulveda
Johanna Sepúlveda received her M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering – Microelectronics from the University of São Paulo, Brazil. She was a Senior Researcher in the area of security and emerging technologies at the University of South Brittany (France), INRIA (France) and at the Technical University of Munich (Germany). Currently, she holds a position as the Airbus Senior Expert on Quantum-Secure Technologies and Technical Domain Manager for Quantum Technologies in all Airbus Defence and Space, being Chief Engineer of different European quantum initiatives such as the European Quantum Communication Infrastructure (EuroQCI).
Marc De Voogd
Marc de Voogd is Challenge-Based Program Manager at QDNL, where he works on accelerating the development of the Dutch quantum ecosystem and strengthening its position in the global quantum value chain. His work focuses on developing a strategic innovation program that bridges the gap between the quantum sector and the sectors where quantum technologies should ultimately deliver value. Before joining QDNL, Marc co-founded two startups in the quantum sector and also worked at Delft Circuits as a systems engineer and business developer. He holds a PhD in physics focused on quantum sensing and combines technical insight with a strong interest in innovation strategy, industrialisation, and ecosystem development.
Oscar Díez
Oscar Diez is the Deputy Head of Unit for Quantum Technologies at the European Commission, where he leads strategic initiatives to position Europe as a global leader in the quantum domain. With a robust background in both academia and public sector innovation, he previously served as Head of the Datacentre at the European Medicines Agency in London. Dr. Diez holds a PhD in Computer Science from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and a Master’s in Open eGovernment from Stockholm University. He also shares his expertise as an adjunct professor at IE University in Madrid. His work focuses on fostering scientific excellence, supporting industrial innovation, and advancing Europe’s competitive edge in quantum technologies.
Alexandre Caldas
Alexandre Caldas is President of Kiplomacy, a global diplomacy and innovation think tank based in New York, and an internationally recognized leader in innovation, technology, digital transformation, and public policy. He served as Director at the United Nations Environment Programme (2016–2025), where he led initiatives in digital transformation, big data, climate action, and early warning systems, while also chairing the ECOSOC UN Geospatial Network across 45 UN agencies. Previously, he served as Director-General and Chief of eGovernment for the Prime Minister of Portugal, and held senior roles with the European Union, as well as engagements with the African Union and NATO. Professor Caldas was a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at University of Oxford and has maintained a long-standing affiliation with the Oxford Internet Institute focused on internet policy and e-government. He also served as Visiting Assistant Professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science and as Faculty Researcher at the Science Policy Research Unit in the United Kingdom. He additionally served as Director of Innovation at AIP – Associação Industrial Portuguesa (2011–2012).
Ana Gonçalves
Ana Rodrigo Gonçalves is the Executive Director of Academia CIP – Confederação Empresarial de Portugal, where she leads the executive training and development strategy aimed at companies, managers, and talent in Portugal. She has worked in the areas of executive education, innovation, university-business partnerships, talent development, and organizational transformation, with a special focus on the competitiveness of SMEs and preparing companies for major technological, economic, and social challenges. She also leads the development of the AI Nation Portugal movement, a CIP initiative aimed at accelerating the literacy, adoption, and strategic use of Artificial Intelligence within the Portuguese business community. Throughout her career, she has promoted projects connecting companies, educational institutions, public entities, and strategic partners, with the goal of bringing together knowledge, technology, and industry.
Jorge Portugal
Jorge Portugal is a manager and consultant with experience in executive leadership across various sectors, as an advisor to public institutions, and as a researcher and professor in academia. Since 2016, he has served as director-general of COTEC Portugal, the leading association for business innovation, whose mission is to strengthen the competitiveness of companies by enhancing knowledge, skills, and financial capital, as well as public policy instruments. At COTEC, he was responsible for carrying out the government's mandate to oversee, monitor, and evaluate the "Industry 4.0" program aimed at the digital transformation of the business sector. In the private sector, Jorge Portugal has management experience across various sectors and has led projects in organizational transformation, with a focus on information technology, retail, and banking. As a consultant in the public sector, he advised the President of the Republic for a decade on entrepreneurship, innovation, and competitiveness, and the Portuguese government on innovation and administrative modernization. He holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the Instituto Superior Técnico, specializing in physical-mathematical modeling of contaminant dispersion in geophysical flows, an MBA from NOVA SBE, and completed the Cybersecurity Leadership Program at the invitation of the U.S. Department of State.
Magda Cocco
As a Partner in the Communications, Data Protection & Technology practice, and as the Partner in charge of VdA's Digital Frontiers and Aerospace sectors, has extensive experience leading teams on innovative technology projects across various jurisdictions and regions, particularly in Europe and Africa. Has advised several international organizations such as the International Telecommunication Union, the World Bank, and the European Investment Bank. Has provided expert advice to companies and public entities across various industries on a range of legal issues related to the digital economy, from electronic and postal communications to information and emerging technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence, robotics, blockchain, nanotechnology, Big Data, and IoT. Is a member of the Advisory Board of the Observatory of Digital Ecosystems and Infrastructures (OEID), a member of the Advisory Board of APDC – Digital Business Community, a member of the Board of Directors of the Portuguese Quantum Institute (PQI), and a member of the European Union Digital for Development (D4D) Hub Private Sector Advisory Group (PSAG). Participated as an Independent Expert in the drafting of the first General-Purpose AI Code of Practice by the European Commission's EU AI Office.
Rui Semide
With a degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Rui Semide has, over the last thirty years, accumulated extensive experience in different highly reputed companies in the space, biomedical, health services, diagnostics technology sector, among others. He brings significant expertise in marketing and business development in high technology, particularly in Space. He is currently CEO of N10gled, where he has Systems Engineering responsabilities. Rui also collaborates with Omnidea in the field of quantum technologies. Additionally, he also has a company that underrepresents prescription medical devices. He has a solid network of international contacts and experience in raising national and international, private, and public funds.
VENUE
Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian
Av. de Berna, 45A, 1067-001 Lisbon
