On the 21st of May 2025, TNO presented a new tool designed to match potential users of Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) with vendors and products that best suit their needs. The tool also enables QKD vendors to identify which use cases align with their product offerings. This innovative solution was demonstrated at the FIQCS workshop, which also explored the societal impact of QKD.
The workshop started with Rafael Ochsendorf, who introduced the FIQCS project and discussed the challenges and opportunities of QKD. Nick Aquina followed with a presentation analyzing various QKD use cases. He highlighted both promising applications, but also scenarios where QKD added limited value. He concluded that while QKD is effective for ensuring confidentiality, it is not useful for authentication nor to detect hackers.
Quantum Key Distribution is useful for confidentiality, not for authentication nor to detect hackers.
Gustavo Amaral presented the KiQQer Roadmap: a roadmap to bridge gaps in the development of quantum networks. The roadmap bridges the gap between QKD with trusted nodes and QKD with untrusted nodes, guaranteeing the continued development of quantum networks.
Dr. Paul Wiegmann presented an overview of some key activities in standardisation for QKD, showing that standards are currently being developed in a wide range of standard-setting organisations (including, e.g., CEN-CENELEC, ITU, and IEEE-SA) and on a wide range of aspects of the technology, such as metrology and security evaluation. Paul also shared relevant insights from research and theory about standardisation, such as work that shows how different types of standards relate to each stage of a technology development trajectory. This raised a question for discussion on how it can be ensured that standards for QKD are ready in time to support development and implementation, but are not developed too early so that they do not impede development.
TNO introduced the AsQK’D tool, designed to bridge the gap between QKD vendors and potential users who are unfamiliar with quantum key distribution (QKD). This matchmaking tool helps users identify the system specifications required for their use case by asking a series of targeted questions. The collected information is then transferred to the vendor side of the tool, where vendors input their system specifications and assess which use cases their systems can accommodate. The workshop presentations and discussions highlighted the tool’s potential to connect users unfamiliar with QKD to suitable vendors, thereby addressing a significant societal gap.
Carles Esteve Boncompte and Wieneke Sijtsma engaged with the audience to get insights into the development, standardization and adoption of QKD. Their questions sparked lively conversations about the readiness and deployment level of QKD.
The workshop concluded with refreshments and an opportunity for attendees to try out the AsQK’D matchmaking tool.
Would you like to learn more about the AsQK’D matchmaking tool? Feel free to contact Gustavo Amaral at gustavo.castrodoamaral@tno.nl.
