Quantum computing may not be an immediate threat, but quantum-safe readiness is already a priority for Europe.
Last week, on 11 June, our wonderful colleagues Marina Ortega, Project Manager, and Mikel Apesteguía, Team Leader EU Projects, travelled to Bucharest to represent Sploro at Beyond the Algorithm: The Road to Quantum-Safe Europe — the final event of the SPQR Cluster & PQ-REACT project.
And it was exactly the kind of event the moment calls for. Hosted at the Nord Events Centre, it marked an important milestone for PQ-REACT, one of the European projects in Sploro’s EU portfolio, and brought together the wider SPQR Cluster community around a shared priority: preparing Europe for a future where current cryptographic systems may no longer be enough.
The event reinforced a clear message: post-quantum cryptography is no longer a distant technical discussion. As the cyber threat landscape evolves, organisations need to start assessing their infrastructure, data and communications today.
Waiting for “tomorrow” is not a strategy. The transition to quantum-safe systems will require awareness, planning, coordination and practical implementation across sectors.
The day brought together researchers, policymakers, industry representatives and EU project partners in a genuinely cross-sector conversation — covering everything from live use-case demonstrations to expert panels on PQC standardisation, legislation and adoption. For those who could not make it to Bucharest in person, the event was also livestreamed, which felt in keeping with the spirit of the day: this is a conversation that needs to be as open and accessible as possible.
Attending this final event was especially meaningful for Sploro. Beyond our participation in PQ-REACT, we have been involved in supporting the project’s communication, coordination and visibility through Work Package 5 — helping ensure that the work developed by the consortium reaches the right audiences.
Seeing the project reach its final event was a moment to reflect on how far it has come. From the early stages of consortium building to open calls, partner milestones and everything in between, PQ-REACT has been a genuinely collaborative effort — and one we are proud to have been part of. In Bucharest, that sense of shared work was palpable.
Marina and Mikel had the opportunity to reconnect with partners, follow the final discussions around the project’s results and contribute to a wider reflection on how Europe can move towards a more secure digital future. Events like this are a reminder of why communication matters in European projects: innovation does not create impact on its own. It needs to be explained, connected and shared with the communities that can use it, build on it and take it further.
If there was one thing Bucharest made clear, it is that the post-quantum transition is no longer a question of if — it is a question of how, and how soon. And it left us with several important reflections:
The PQ-REACT Final Event was not only a closing moment for the project — it was also a call to action. Europe’s path to quantum-safe cybersecurity will continue beyond individual projects and technical milestones. It will require long-term collaboration, practical tools and strong European networks.
At Sploro, we are proud to have contributed to PQ-REACT and to support projects that help shape the future of European innovation. Bucharest gave us the chance to look back at the work achieved — and to look forward to what comes next.
The road to quantum-safe Europe is already underway.
