Quantum Foundry Copenhagen is constructing a 5,300-square-meter quantum chip fabrication facility in Denmark, backed by a significant capital commitment from the Novo Nordisk Foundation. Slated to open in 2027, the commercial foundry aims to supply Europe with advanced processors and bridge the gap between academic research and industrial-scale manufacturing.
Europe has long boasted some of the world’s most formidable academic research environments in quantum physics, yet translating those scientific breakthroughs into commercial products at scale has consistently proved difficult. A new venture in the Danish capital intends to rewrite that trajectory.
Quantum Foundry Copenhagen, a specialised technology company owned by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, has broken ground on a dedicated manufacturing hub designed to supply next-generation quantum computing processors globally on commercial terms. The physical infrastructure represents a major financial deployment for the continent’s quantum sector, with the Novo Nordisk Foundation committing more than DKK 2.9 billion (€390 million) to quantum technologies.
Inside the 5,300-Square-Meter Copenhagen Cleanroom Facility
Scheduled to become operational in 2027, the facility will span 5,300 square meters in Copenhagen. Rather than building another experimental quantum computer, the infrastructure is engineered specifically to provide commercial wafer fabrication for quantum technology vendors across the globe.
The plant will integrate several complex industrial processes under one roof. According to the quantum chip fabrication facility plans, the site will combine laboratory space for the nanofabrication of quantum materials with advanced characterization, testing, chip assembly, packaging, and ultra-high vacuum manufacturing capabilities.
This bottom-up engineering approach is critical for quantum hardware. By utilizing ultra-high vacuum manufacturing capabilities to synthesize high-purity quantum materials, the foundry aims to minimize the defect densities that typically cause decoherence in physical qubits.
“Our vision is to become a world-leading quantum chip manufacturer, supplying Europe with advanced, next-generation quantum computing processors and enabling quantum companies to scale production. We aim to build state-of-the-art quantum production lines and support a sustainable deep-tech industry that can help shape the future of quantum technology.”
Peter Krogstrup, CEO of Quantum Foundry Copenhagen
Funding, Philanthropy, and the Broader European Strategy
The foundry is anchored by the financial might of the Novo Nordisk Foundation, which serves as the charitable owner of the company behind Ozempic and stands as Europe’s wealthiest foundation. The foundation has committed more than DKK 2.9 billion, roughly equivalent to €390 million, toward quantum technologies.
That pool of capital goes well beyond the foundry itself. It also bankrolls the Novo Nordisk Foundation Quantum Computing Programme at the Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, which has set a target to develop Denmark’s first fully functional fault-tolerant quantum computer before 2034. The new chip facility will work in tandem with that research initiative, creating a direct pipeline from academic discovery to commercial production lines.
The project arrives as European policymakers increasingly prioritize technological sovereignty. European Commission Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen emphasized that building regional manufacturing capacity is vital for the continent’s competitive edge.
“Europe’s quantum ambitions depend on our ability to turn scientific excellence into industrial capability. Strengthening European capacity to develop and manufacture quantum chips is essential for our competitiveness, resilient supply chains and technological sovereignty.”
Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy
The initiative aligns directly with the European Union’s broader strategic framework, including the European Chips Act, the Quantum Europe Strategy, and the forthcoming Quantum Act. Denmark’s domestic strategy similarly emphasizes turning research into resilient industrial platforms.
Overcoming the Commercialization Bottleneck for Smaller Hardware Startups
For smaller firms in the quantum sector, the lack of accessible manufacturing infrastructure has long served as a major barrier to entry. Currently, a startup experimenting with a novel qubit design must either attempt to build its own fabrication capabilities or negotiate access to a university cleanroom.
By operating on a commercial merchant-foundry model, Quantum Foundry Copenhagen aims to eliminate that bottleneck.
As the facility pushes toward its foundational ambitions, Professor Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, CEO of the Novo Nordisk Foundation, noted that the investment bridges critical divides. Quantum Foundry Copenhagen is an important part of that ambition, helping connect investments in research with the industrial capabilities needed to support Europe’s ability to transform quantum breakthroughs into technologies that can benefit society,
he said.
