Quantum Optics Jena — vendor dossier

Quantum Optics Jena

Sources & detectorsQKD
Q

Jena-based spin-off of Fraunhofer IOF, founded in 2020 by Kevin Füchsel and Oliver de Vries to commercialise entangled-photon-pair sources and entanglement-based QKD systems for fibre networks, critical infrastructure, and future satellite payloads. The product line covers the full chain: EPS 1550 photon-pair source, polarisation-analysis modules, and the ELVIS multi-user QKD system. ELVIS distributes keys to three or more parties simultaneously from a single entangled source, removing the trusted-node requirement within the covered network segment. The company participates in EuroQCI and the Horizon Europe Qu-Test certification programme.

HQ
Jena, Germany
Founded
2020
Status
private
Last verified
Wed Jun 17 2026 08:00:00 GMT+0800 (Singapore Standard Time)

Timeline

2020202120222023202420252026202720282029today
2020
Company founded as Fraunhofer IOF spin-off by Kevin Füchsel and Oliver de Vries to commercialise entangled-photon-source and QKD technology developed at the institute
2021-02
Seed funding completed: seven-figure euro investment from ELAS Technologies, Fraunhofer Technologie-Transfer Fonds, and bm|t
2023-06-05
Field trial with ADVA Network Security — ELVIS + ConnectGuard Layer 1 encryption over 60 km Thuringian state-network fibre; >20 billion entangled photons/day, 11.84 Mbit secure key, 46,000+ 256-bit keys/day
2024-05-14
ELVIS integrated into IDQ Clarion KX quantum-safe ecosystem alongside LuxQuanta, HEQA Security, and ThinkQuantum, enabling hybrid CV/DV/entanglement-based multi-vendor interoperability
2024-09-11
Series A: €8.5 million raised, led by Join Capital with ELAS Technologies, Fraunhofer Technologie-Transfer Fonds, bm|t, and angel Malte Pollmann
2025-05-22
DPG Technology Transfer Prize awarded jointly to Fraunhofer IOF, Digital Innovation Hub Photonics, and Quantum Optics Jena for transfer of quantum-optics research into high-security commercial applications
2025-09-25
Entangled-photon-pair source independently certified by Italy's INRIM under the Horizon Europe Qu-Test project; evaluation confirmed source meets network-integration requirements for QKD
2027
Contribution to EuroQCI operational deployment across Europe
shipped milestone public roadmap

Current flagship

ELVIS — entanglement-based multi-party QKD system (fibre; 60 km field-trialled)

Milestones

  1. 2025-09-25
    Entangled-photon-pair source independently certified by Italy's INRIM under the Horizon Europe Qu-Test project; evaluation confirmed source meets network-integration requirements for QKD
    QKD press source ↗
  2. 2025-05-22
    DPG Technology Transfer Prize awarded jointly to Fraunhofer IOF, Digital Innovation Hub Photonics, and Quantum Optics Jena for transfer of quantum-optics research into high-security commercial applications
    Sources & detectors press source ↗
  3. 2024-09-11
    Series A: €8.5 million raised, led by Join Capital with ELAS Technologies, Fraunhofer Technologie-Transfer Fonds, bm|t, and angel Malte Pollmann
    QKD press source ↗
  4. 2024-05-14
    ELVIS integrated into IDQ Clarion KX quantum-safe ecosystem alongside LuxQuanta, HEQA Security, and ThinkQuantum, enabling hybrid CV/DV/entanglement-based multi-vendor interoperability
    QKD press source ↗
  5. 2023-06-05
    Field trial with ADVA Network Security — ELVIS + ConnectGuard Layer 1 encryption over 60 km Thuringian state-network fibre; >20 billion entangled photons/day, 11.84 Mbit secure key, 46,000+ 256-bit keys/day
    QKD press source ↗
  6. 2021-02
    Seed funding completed: seven-figure euro investment from ELAS Technologies, Fraunhofer Technologie-Transfer Fonds, and bm|t
    QKD press source ↗
  7. 2020
    Company founded as Fraunhofer IOF spin-off by Kevin Füchsel and Oliver de Vries to commercialise entangled-photon-source and QKD technology developed at the institute
    QKD press source ↗

Roadmap

  • 2027 Contribution to EuroQCI operational deployment across Europe source ↗
  • Payloads and subsystems for satellite QKD constellations source ↗

Capability details

QKD

Protocols
entanglement-based, BBM92
Rate vs distance
11.84 Mbit secure key / day over 60 km SMF (June 2023 field trial with ADVA)
7 unverified fields
  • modalities.source-detect.detection_efficiency
  • modalities.source-detect.dark_count_hz
  • modalities.source-detect.jitter_ps
  • modalities.qkd.rate_distance — 60 km field-trial metrics sourced from ADVA/QOJ joint press release (Jun 2023); peer-reviewed citation pending
  • modalities.qkd.protocol — Protocol described as entanglement-based in vendor and press materials; BBM92 inferred from architecture but not explicitly named in available public sources
  • shareholders — Private company; no cap table disclosed; stake percentages not published for any round
  • roadmap.1.target — Satellite payload timeline not publicly disclosed; described as forward roadmap item on vendor exhibitor profile

People

  • Kevin Füchsel — CEO & Co-founder (since 2020) ↗
  • Oliver de Vries — CTO & Co-founder (since 2020) ↗

References