<http://istresults.cordis.lu/popup.cfm?section=news&tpl=article&ID=70263&AutoPrint=True> IST Results Chance plays a key role in start-up company's success Using randomly generated numbers to ensure the security of encryption applications seems counter-intuitive but is a fundamental part of quantum cryptography. Pioneering the approach is an award-winning Swiss start-up company, id Quantique, that launched the world's first commercial quantum random number generator and quantum cryptography system. In fact, numerous applications require random numbers. Besides potential quantum cryptographic applications, such as bank transfers and e-voting, further examples include scientific calculations and games involving chance such as national lotteries. Initially though, id Quantique's products mainly target demand from customers of high security encryption systems such as financial, government and military institutions. id Quantique was founded in October 2001 as a spin-off from the University of Geneva by four researchers from the University's Applied Physics Department - Grigoire Ribordy, Olivier Guinnard, Nicolas Gisin and Hugo Zbinden. December 2003 marked a milestone in the company's evolution: the entrepreneurs successfully raised 1 million euros from the Luxemburg-based i2i venture capital fund in a first round of funding and they concluded a worldwide exclusivity agreement with the University of Geneva regarding two important quantum cryptography patents. Over a short period of time, the fledgling company and its founders have won several prestigious prizes. The company was a recipient of the European Innovation Awards from the Wall Street Journal Europe in 2001; Olivier Guinnard and Grigoire Ribordy were winners of the de Vigier's prize for Swiss entrepreneurs in 2002; and this year the company was a winner of the annual Swiss Technology Award. id Quantique supplies three products. Firstly, a physical random number generator, Quantis, which relies on an elementary quantum optical process - namely the perfectly random reflection or transmission of a photon, or light particle, on a semi-transparent mirror - in order to produce binary random numbers. Next, a quantum key distribution (QKD) system that enables cryptographic keys, which are required for encrypting and decrypting information, to be securely transmitted over standard optical fibres between two parties. Finally, a Single Photon Detection Module (SPDM), id 200, which is a photon counter used in quantum cryptography and other quantum optical applications. In March 2004, id Quantique and the University of Geneva launched the first ever website offering perfectly random numbers created by the Quantis generator. Grigoire Ribordy, id Quantique's CEO, remarks, "We launched the www.randomnumbers.info website to promote our new quantum random number generator and to provide a service to the scientific community. In the long term, we would like it to become the reference point for random numbers." Despite the demand for perfectly random numbers, their generation remains a difficult task. Conventional computers use a rule to produce pseudo-random numbers, which can sometimes introduce unwanted bias. "Quantum physics is the only physical theory predicting that the outcome of certain phenomena is random," emphasises Nicolas Gisin, Professor at the University of Geneva. "It is thus a natural choice to use it to generate true random numbers." id Quantique is a partner in the IST project SECOQC which began in April 2004 under the Sixth Framework Programme. The project is focused on evaluating quantum cryptography technology as well as developing standard specifications for secure global digital communication systems. Recently, the project consortium performed the world's first ever bank transfer using quantum cryptography by sending $3000 over a 1.45 km link between Vienna City Hall and the headquarters of Bank-Austria Creditanstalt. "The SECOQC project makes it possible for id Quantique's engineers to interact with some of the best groups worldwide in the field of quantum cryptography," observes Ribordy. "And because of the multidisciplinary nature of this project, it is an extremely enriching platform to exchange ideas and find new ways to solve problems." More recently, id Quantique has teamed up with the Deckpoint, a Swiss Internet Service Provider, to develop and implement the world's first data archiving network secured using quantum cryptography. The official opening of the new archiving network took place on 29 September 2004 in the presence of Carlo Lamprecht, the Minister of Economy, Labour and Foreign Affairs of the Republic and Canton of Geneva. Data stored on a farm of 30 servers at Deckpoint Housing Centre, in the middle of Geneva, was backed up to servers located at the Cern Internet Exchange Point, in the city suburbs some 10 kms away. "This world premiere is an excellent illustration of the of the potential of this technology " says Ribordy. "We are convinced that security has become critical, in particular with the implementation of the Basel II standards in the banking industry as of 2006," adds Dominique Perisset, Director of Deckpoint. "The economic world cannot afford anymore not to have a complete information security strategy." Contact: Grigoire Ribordy Chief Executive Officer id Quantique SA Chemin de la Marbrerie, 3 CH-1227 Carouge / Geneva Switzerland Tel: + 41-22-3018371/2 Fax: + 41-22-3018379 Email: gregoire.ribordy@idquantique.com Sources: Based on information from id Quantique Information : DATE : 11 Oct 2004 TECHNOLOGY AREA: Trust/security MARKET APPLICATION: Electronics/IT manuf USEFUL LINKS: id Quantique website SECOQC project SECOQC factsheet on CORDIS www.randomnumbers.info website -- ----------------- R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah@ibuc.com> The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/> 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA "... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity, [predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'