The Swedish quantum technology industry is growing stronger. One example is Svenska Laserfabriken, a spin-out from KTH Royal Institute of Technology, who now develops quantum communications for a wider audience – after winning a competition.
Svenska Laserfabriken was a winner in QSIP's 2025 innovation competition. For the prize money, the company is developing a quantum communication detector in a way that fits better into existing data centres.
– We already have customers who are interested, says founder and CEO Max Widarsson.
Only one in the EU
Today, five people work at the company in its own premises at KTH in Stockholm. The business idea is to optimise and commercialise crystals that change the colour of lasers, and which are used in quantum technology to make entangled photons.
– There are some players on the market, but we are the only ones in the EU. The total market for the components is not huge, maybe SEK 100-300 million, but it is growing significantly. We sell to researchers at institutes and universities, as well as to industry, says Max Widarsson.
Similar to Klondyke
Quantum technology is a very hot business area worldwide. Max Widarsson describes it as similar to the 19th century gold rush in California.
– There were a lot of people who didn't make money then! The ones who always made money were those who sold shovels and buckets. Our philosophy is similar although in the quantum world, we don't want to sell big quantum systems, but components used by people working in quantum optics.
Can't be hacked
The company has a full-year turnover of SEK 9 million. The product portfolio in the optical quantum market will be broadened, with detectors and other peripheral solutions for their crystals. One exciting area is communication that cannot be hacked.
– Today, encrypted messages use very advanced mathematical models that can be cracked, especially if you have a quantum computer. With quantum communication, you choose to encrypt messages with fundamental properties, such as light, which then becomes impossible to crack. This is an area of application for our crystals, says Max Widarsson.
Text and photo: Jonas Löfvendahl
• Facts Svenska Laserfabriken
Started as a spin-out company from KTH. The company is committed to being the leading center for nonlinear optics and lasers. They produce periodically poled KTP crystal (PPKTP) and devices based on PPKTP. Read more!