Our new NOVA LQ™ system featured in the National Press
LuxQuanta, a cutting-edge spin-off from ICFO, is launching an innovative data encryption system to the market that harnesses the power of quantum physics.
Opening the way to a new era of hyper-secure communications is the ambitious goal of LuxQuanta with the release of their first product, NOVA LQ™, a device that encrypts data using quantum physics properties. LuxQuanta, a spin-off company from the Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO), applies an advanced variant of quantum cryptography known by experts as CV-QKD (Continuous Variable Quantum Key Distribution) to this new system, which offers new security features such as detection of potential intruders, and is easily installable in already deployed optical fiber networks.
Joaquim Elcacho.
THE NOVA LQ™™ SYSTEM GUARANTEES THE DETECTION OF ANY TYPE OF INTRUSION IN COMMUNICATIONS.
"LuxQuanta was the 10th spin-off of ICFO and, as in other cases, it is the result of the basic research work of several of its experts and the belief that some of these ideas can reach the market more quickly through specialized companies," explains Vanesa Diaz, CEO of LuxQuanta.
In a didactic way, Diaz points out that at present, all communications are encrypted, meaning "before transmitting a message, it is broken into pieces like a puzzle, and this encryption or ciphering is done with a specific criterion, which is a kind of key that only the sender and receiver know and can use."
This mechanism currently offers relatively high levels of security. However, Diaz notes that the emergence of quantum computers, which have or will have much greater computing power in the future, can endanger the security of current encryption.
LuxQuanta offers a solution to this problem and "creates keys that use quantum physics to establish super-secure communication channels," says the CEO of the company. The first product in this range is the NOVA LQ™ system, which LuxQuanta is now starting to market and guarantees that any attempt by an intruder to observe the information of the quantum channel will leave a trace that can be detected by the receiver.
LuxQuanta was established on May 13th, 2021, with the aim of developing, researching, and commercializing quantum communication technology for data security in optical communications. Born as a spin-off of the Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO), it is based in Castelldefels (Baix Llobregat, Barcelona), and its business development is based on the research carried out in the Optoelectronics group of the Institute for over five years.
LuxQuanta® CONTINOUOUS VARIABLE QKD TECHNOLOGY
NOVA LQ™ is based on CV-QKD technology and is built with components from the telecommunications industry with extensive experience in the market, combined and controlled by powerful electronics and software developed by LuxQuanta's R&D team. This advance in CV-QKD allows for easier installation in already deployed optical networks compared to systems marketed to date. The NOVA LQ™ system is aimed specifically at telecommunications operators, cybersecurity companies, and government, financial, or healthcare entities, explains Vanesa Diaz.
The company LuxQuanta is focused on becoming one of the main European references in the search and manufacturing of quantum cryptography systems. The company highlights its clear direction in developing a version of its first system, NOVA LQ™, with integrated photonics, which would allow optimizing the scaling of the technology and bringing it even closer to the market.
Regarding competition, LuxQuanta positions itself as the only company in the state dedicated to the development and commercialization of the CV-QKD variant, of which there are only four manufacturers worldwide. This offers the company an important commercial and technological advantage.
