FrostByte: Advancing European Quantum Sovereignty through Cryogenic Electronics
FrostByte is a newly founded Dutch deep-tech venture emerging from Europe’s quantum research hotbed. Spun out of TU Delft’s QuTech institute in 2025, FrostByte develops ultra-cold cryogenic electronics to overcome one of quantum computing’s biggest hurdles: scaling up qubit systems[1]. Quantum computers require controlling and reading out thousands or millions of qubits at temperatures near absolute zero. Traditional setups run control wiring from room-temperature electronics to each qubit, a method that simply won’t scale beyond small prototypes[2]. FrostByte’s solution is to bring the control circuitry down into the fridge itself. By designing custom cryogenic CMOS chips that operate reliably at a few degrees above absolute zero, the company aims to eliminate the “wiring bottleneck” and enable the next generation of large-scale quantum processors[3].
This niche technology might seem far removed from geopolitics, yet FrostByte sits squarely at the crossroads of cutting-edge science and European strategic ambition. As the EU doubles down on technological sovereignty, quantum technologies have been declared critical for both economic security and defense readiness. FrostByte’s cryogenic control electronics – though developed for quantum computers – carry strategic significance. They could become a keystone in Europe’s ability to build its own quantum infrastructures without depending on non-allied suppliers. In an era when global powers race to harness quantum advantage, a small Delft spin-off like FrostByte illustrates how Europe’s deep-tech startups can bolster continental autonomy. It promises not only to accelerate quantum computing research, but also to ensure that Europe and its NATO allies retain control over a technology poised to redefine security, intelligence, and deterrence in the coming decades.