The Q-FENCE project has officially started, launching a new European initiative focused on strengthening digital infrastructure through quantum-ready cybersecurity. From the outset, Martel contributes to Q-FENCE as partner for stakeholder engagement and exploitation, to maximise the project’s impact beyond its lifetime.
Funded under the Horizon Europe call HORIZON-CL3-2024-CS-01, Q-FENCE runs until October 2028 and directly supports Europe’s ambition to build secure, resilient, and future-proof digital systems.
The project addresses one of the most critical emerging challenges in cybersecurity: the impact that future quantum computers may have on today’s cryptographic systems. Q-FENCE brings together universities, research centres, companies, and non-profit organisations to develop practical approaches that help organisations prepare for a post-quantum security landscape.
Building quantum-ready cybersecurity for europe
Q-FENCE supports organisations across key sectors, including finance, healthcare, IoT, satellite communications, and digital networks, in their transition towards quantum-resistant cybersecurity solutions.
By combining advanced post-quantum cryptographic methods with established cybersecurity practices, the project will deliver:
- Practical tools supporting quantum-safe security transitions
- Technical and organisational guidelines for adoption
- Demonstrations addressing real-world digital-infrastructure scenarios
The project places strong emphasis on usability, interoperability, and long-term sustainability, ensuring that its results can be adopted beyond research environments and contribute to Europe’s digital sovereignty and technological autonomy.
A strong European consortium
Q-FENCE brings together 15 partners from across Europe and the United Kingdom, combining expertise in cybersecurity, cryptography, digital infrastructure, industrial deployment, and policy. The consortium is coordinated by South East Technological University (Ireland) and includes academic institutions, research organisations, technology providers, and civil-society actors working together to address both the technical and societal dimensions of post-quantum cybersecurity.
Martel’s role in Q-FENCE
Martel plays a central role in ensuring that Q-FENCE’s outcomes reach relevant stakeholders and generate long-term impact. Martel leads the work package on engagement, communication, networking, and exploitation, supporting the consortium in:
- Communicating project objectives, progress, and results to targeted audiences
- Building connections with industry, policymakers, and end users
- Structuring pathways for uptake, sustainability, and exploitation of project outputs
In parallel, Martel contributes to assessing the broader economic and societal value of Q-FENCE’s solutions and aligning project activities with European cybersecurity and data-protection policies. Through this work, Martel helps ensure that Q-FENCE remains grounded in real-world needs and that its innovations can be scaled and sustained beyond the project’s lifetime.
