It is a true pleasure to be here tonight and to be surrounded by so many brilliant minds shaping the quantum future.
Quantum technology fascinates me because it is revolutionary but also because it reminds us that science and politics are deeply connected. Not in a scary way.
Quantum is about uncertainty and about possibility. And that is not a bad metaphor for the world we live in.
The founding father of quantum, Niels Bohr, also believed that science and politics were deeply connected.
He believed that openness, dialogue and international collaboration were the keys to progress. To a better world. And he believed that no human and no nation is too small or too insignificant to make a difference.
He once said – and I quote:
“Every valuable human being must be a radical and a rebel, for what he must aim at is to make things better than they are”.
That spirit still matters.
The world is changing faster than ever. Technology reshapes how we live, work, and even think. And in that transformation, small nations like Denmark – and even a relatively small continent like Europe – can still have a big voice.
If we dare to question, to explore and to cooperate across borders we can help make the world better than it is.
Quantum technology sounds abstract. Almost mysterious. But its potential is extraordinary and very real.
Quantum research could transform industries, from creating new materials and sensors to securing our digital infrastructure. It could change the way we build, communicate and protect our societies.
And tonight, allow me to be not humble. Denmark is a quantum nation.
We have cutting-edge universities, world-leading researchers and innovative startups. We have collaborations between companies and scientists that are admired outside our borders.
The partnership between Riber and the NQCP is a great example.
An idea for a microchip that started in a lab here at the Niels Bohr Institute is now going into production. Combining Danish quantum knowledge with European scale and ambition. That is exactly the kind of cooperation that will shape the technologies of the future.
About a month ago I was part of launching a Danish Quantum Foundation called 55 North. As far as I know it is the biggest of its kind in the world.
One could call it “a big beautiful foundation”.
I believe that the fact that we can attract a fund of this calibre is a testimony to Danish research and innovation. And a clear indication that Denmark is at the forefront of the field, alongside the very best in the world.
But even with all the momentum, we must remember something fundamental:
Innovation begins with freedom. The freedom to think, to question, to fail and to try again.
Academic freedom and curiosity-driven research are not exotic luxuries.
They are the engine of discovery.
Of course, we need strategic direction. A sense of where Europe can lead and how our science can meet societal needs. But that strategy will crumble without a strong foundation of academic freedom and basic research.
Europe must remain a safe haven for free inquiry. Especially in times when not every part of the world protects these values.
Because when we give scientists the freedom to explore, we give society the freedom to progress.
Europe is a unique platform for quantum innovation. A place where discoveries don’t just stay in the lab, but move into the world.
That is why events like the European Quantum Technologies Conference are so valuable.
I know I have spent a lot of this speech celebrating Denmark. But even I know that the quantum future won’t be built by one company, one university or one country alone.
It will be built by international communities. By communities. By people who share data, knowledge and a sense of purpose.
So, when we raise our glasses tonight, let’s raise them to the spirit of Niels Bohr.
To radical ideas, to rebellious experiments, to international collaboration.
And to making the world just a little bit better.
Thank you.