French Quantum Startup and CEA Partner on Supercomputer Software

French quantum computing startup Alice & Bob and the country's Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) have announced a strategic partnership to develop software that integrates quantum processors with high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure. The collaboration, announced on September 17, 2026, aims to create a European alternative to Nvidia's CUDA-Q platform and prevent a software bottleneck in the emerging quantum computing industry. The partnership will focus on enhancing the Qaptiva quantum application platform, developed by the state-owned supercomputer maker Bull. Alice & Bob will integrate its cat qubit software stack into Qaptiva, enabling developers to write code once and execute it across different quantum hardware backends. This hardware-agnostic approach is designed to facilitate hybrid workflows where classical supercomputers handle parts of a problem while quantum processors tackle specific tasks where they may offer an advantage. Executives from both organizations stated that the initiative seeks to avoid the kind of software dependence that has cemented Nvidia's dominance in artificial intelligence.