Q.ANT GmbH, photonic deep-tech scale-up from Stuttgart, has been recognised with the Stuttgart Innovation Award 2025 for its groundbreaking contribution to next-generation computing. The award honours Q.ANT’s innovation “Photonic AI Turbo: Light-Chip for Sustainable High-Performance Computing”. This is a pioneering technology that uses light instead of electricity to process data, setting new standards for energy efficiency and computational power.

A Milestone for Photonic Innovation 

On 14 October 2025, the City of Stuttgart announced the winners of the 3rd Stuttgart Innovation Award in a ceremony held at the historic Rathaus. Out of a record 144 submissions, Q.ANT was named the winner in the Digitalisation category.

The awards were presented by Mayor Dr. Frank Nopper, Nobel Laureate Prof. Klaus-Olaf von Klitzing, astronaut Dr. Ulf Merbold, and Vector Foundation board member Edith Wolf, recognising outstanding innovations that strengthen Stuttgart’s role as a hub for technology and science.

Revolutionising Computing with Light 

Q.ANT received the award for its innovation “Photonic AI Turbo: Light-Chip for Sustainable High-Performance Computing.” By using light (photons) instead of electricity (electrons), Q.ANT overcomes the physical limits of conventional semiconductor chips. Furthermore, it enables data-intensive applications such as AI training, physical simulations, and machine learning to run significantly faster and with far lower energy consumption.

The first commercially available photonic processor already delivers up to 30 times higher energy efficiency than traditional chips. With this technology, Q.ANT addresses some of the most pressing challenges faced by AI data centers. This innovation directly addresses the massive power demands and escalating operational costs of modern AI data centers.

Advancing the Future of Computing 

Q.ANT’s Light Empowered Native Arithmetics (LENA) architecture marks a breakthrough in photonic computing. By performing analog co-processing natively with light, the company enables powerful, real-time, and sustainable computing performance. This innovation has the potential to transform data centers, research facilities, and AI systems. This is paving the way for a more efficient and environmentally responsible digital infrastructure.

Congratulations to Q.ANT 

We extend our warmest congratulations to Dr. Michael Förtsch and the entire Q.ANT team on this outstanding achievement. Their vision and commitment continue to position Q.ANT as a European leader in deep-tech innovation and sustainable computing.

At the European Super Angels Club, we are grateful and proud to have accompanied Q.ANT since its Series A round and to witness how this groundbreaking technology continues to redefine the future of high-performance computing.

Photo Copyright: City of Stuttgart/Ludmilla Parsyak