La Salle – Universitat Ramon Llull has hosted a new edition of the Corporate Event, a series of talks and round-table discussions exploring the implications of technological development for business. Organised by La Salle Professional and Executive Education in collaboration with Qilimanjaro Quantum Tech, the event, entitled Leading the Strategy: From AI to the Quantum Economy, brought together experts from academia and industry to examine the possibilities of quantum computing and discuss how businesses can prepare for the changes these technologies may bring in the coming years.
“We are here to try to understand what this technology is, how it works and what it is for. We believe our campus is a place to ask questions and challenge the perspectives emerging in this field,” explained Dr Osvaldo Jiménez, Director of La Salle-URL’s Quantum Technologies Observatory and moderator of the event.
From quantum physics to business applications
Dr Osvaldo Jiménez reviewed the evolution of quantum computing and the growing interest it is attracting in the business world. Dr Víctor Canivell, co-founder and president of Qilimanjaro Quantum Tech, explained how this technology makes it possible to approach certain complex problems differently from conventional computing, with potential applications in fields such as chemistry, materials science and process optimisation. Although it is still at a pre-commercial stage, he noted that quantum computing will complement existing systems and open up new opportunities for businesses.
The event continued with a round-table discussion featuring Dr Eduard Fernández, Director of Research, Knowledge Transfer and Innovation at La Salle-URL; Dr Alba Cervera, coordinator of Quantum Spain and researcher at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC-CNS); and Jan Nogué, engineer and PhD candidate at Qilimanjaro Quantum Tech. The discussion focused on the opportunities and limitations of this technology and the importance of bringing knowledge of quantum computing closer to the business community to facilitate its adoption.
Cybersecurity and collaboration in the face of the challenges of a quantum future
Cybersecurity was also a key topic of discussion, given the possibility that future quantum computers could break some of today’s cryptographic systems. In this regard, the experts highlighted the importance of businesses reviewing their security systems and preparing to adopt post-quantum cryptography solutions. They also stressed the need to strengthen collaboration between universities, research centres and businesses to develop the quantum ecosystem and foster knowledge transfer, with Barcelona emerging as one of the leading environments in this field.
The event concluded with reflections from Josep Maria Ribes, Director of La Salle-URL’s Artificial Intelligence Observatory, on the campus’s track record in technology and its links with the business world. “La Salle-URL has always been close to technological developments and the business world. This year, in fact, we are celebrating 60 years of our Engineering programmes, a milestone that reflects our commitment to technological development and its connection with society’s challenges. We see technology as an enabler of impact, which is why it is essential to understand how it evolves and anticipate change. Initiatives such as the Corporate Event allow us to foster dialogue between universities and businesses and bring scientific knowledge closer to the challenges facing the business world”, he noted.
