From quantum entanglement to applied quantum technologies. Gdańsk has a long history with one of the most intriguing fields of physics, one that keeps scientists and experts wondering… and it seems the world is taking notice.

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Very often, experts say that the second quantum revolution is already here. The first one, which began a century ago with science legends like Einstein, Schrödinger, and Rosen, brought us transistors and lasers. It was a breakthrough that changed the way physicists approached the universe. Hence, the revolution.
Fast forward to the 21st century, and quantum concepts are no longer just theories scrawled on the blackboards of pioneering physicists. They are becoming integral parts of our everyday lives. From Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) to Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), the future safety of our online data will rely on the unpredictable nature of quantum states. Quantum computers, quantum processors, and even quantum sensors, with the rapid application of quantum technology, sci-fi is starting to become reality, putting humanity on an entirely new path. AI is already dominating our lives, making us rethink the limits of technology’s impact. Once quantum computers start becoming mainstream, their processing power will exponentially accelerate this shift through solving complex problems in drug discovery, climate modeling, and financial forecasting in seconds, rather than millennia.

So, where does the Tricity fit into this global race? Right at the center.

Long before quantum tech became a buzzword in Silicon Valley, scientists in Gdańsk and Sopot were laying the theoretical groundwork. The University of Gdańsk has been a global heavyweight in quantum research for decades. It is home to the International Centre for Theory of Quantum Technologies (ICTQT) and closely tied to the National Quantum Information Centre (KCIK) in Sopot.

In fact, the Tricity's academic ecosystem has direct links to the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics. Gdańsk's own Professor Marek Żukowski collaborated extensively with Nobel laureate Anton Zeilinger on the very foundations of quantum entanglement, the "spooky action at a distance" that powers today's quantum cryptography.

From Blackboards to Business

What makes the Metropolia Gdańsk-Gdynia-Sopot truly unique today is its transition from pure theory to applied technology. We are moving out of the lab and into the market. The region's dense network of tech parks, deep-tech startups, and IT hubs creates the perfect breeding ground for quantum commercialization.
We are seeing local talent pivot toward quantum software development, working on algorithms that will eventually run on quantum machines. Global tech giants with R&D centers in the Tricity are already exploring how post-quantum cryptography will protect their infrastructure, drawing directly from the talent pool forged at local universities.

The first quantum revolution changed how we understand the universe. The second one will change how we operate within it. And as the world looks for the hubs that will drive this new era forward, they will find that the cradle of Polish quantum tech is already wide awake on the Baltic coast.