WHY2025

Koen Groenland

Koen Groenland is a theoretical physicist with a PhD in the near-term applications of quantum computers. He works as an innovation officer at QuSoft and the University of Amsterdam, where he is responsible for growing an active 'ecosystem' around quantum technology. His key interests include practical use-cases of quantum computers and the quantum impact on cybersecurity. Koen authored the book 'Introduction to Quantum Computing for Business', which can be accessed for free at www.introtoquantum.org.


Session

08-08
22:00
50min
Quantum computers: the ultimate hacking machines
Koen Groenland

This is a first introduction to quantum computers. We will discuss what makes quantum mechanics so special, and how it allows building fundamentally different algorithms. I’ll do a short live demo of how you can program a quantum computer yourself using the Python package Qiskit. Then, we will look at one of the most impactful applications: breaking widely used public-key cryptography like RSA, and how this will impact the cybersecurity sector.

The square hole
Brachium