Adopting Quantum-Safe Technologies to Address the Urgency of Securing our Digital Future

Thursday, May 8, 2025 from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm

• Hybrid event
• 4010 , Nicol , Carleton University
• 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6
• Meeting link to follow
• Cost: $25

• Contact
• Stoyan Tanev, stoyan.tanev@carleton.ca

The unprecedented advances of Quantum Computing (QC) come with a promise to transform industries and bring in revolutionary applications spanning across drug development, new materials, supply chain optimization, finance, and cybersecurity. QC promises performance advantages that are impossible to achieve with classical computing. However, these performance advantages come with a serious warning. According to the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCSC, Feb. 2025) “Your organization’s cyber security is at risk as quantum computing advances. Although quantum computers cannot break cryptography now, a sufficiently powerful device could be available as early as the 2030s.”

The problem is clear. The deadline is fast approaching. Solutions exists and are commercially available. More importantly, Ottawa happens to be at forefront of the development of such solutions.

The question is: What are the factors that can accelerate the adoption of quantum-safe solutions to enable our digital future?

The event will focus on discussing the factors that could accelerate the adoption of quantum-safe technologies such as Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC). It will bring together domain experts from both the supply and demand side to discuss how PQC and other quantum-safe technologies can be used to secure businesses and society.

Key messages of the renowned team of Keynote Speakers

• Quantum-safe technologies are a fundamental part of a broader vision for a radically advanced digital world enabled through quantum capabilities
• Advancing quantum technology for the betterment of society cannot be achieved without assuring the quantum-readiness of our digital business and social environments
• The urgency to act unites the QC, cybersecurity, business and innovation communities in accelerating the adoption of quantum safe technologies

The urgency to act requires the engagement of a variety of key stakeholders such as regulatory and standard bodies, vendors and users, the broader business and innovation communities, in making adoption happen.

Schedule

Martin Charbonneau is part of Nokia’s Network Infrastructure Business Group. Martin’s current focus is Quantum-Safe networking, recognizing the urgency of securing communication infrastructures against quantum threats. Martin was raised and educated in Canada, including a bachelor’s degree from the Canadian Royal Military College (RMC, St-Jean, Canada).
 
Bruno Couillard, CEO & Co-Founder, www.crypto4a.com. Bruno is co-founder of Crypto4A Technologies Inc., developing crypto-agile and post-quantum cybersecurity products. These products are designed for deploying, managing, and protecting digital keys, workloads, and information across diverse environments.
 
Rajat Ghosh, Manager, National Quantum Strategy Secretariat at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED). Dr. Rajat Ghosh received his Ph.D. in experimental quantum physics from Princeton University in 2009 where he helped pioneer advances in quantum sensors including for use in navigation, remote munitions detection, tests of fundamental physics and brain imaging, resulting in two successful spin-off companies. From 2010 to 2015, Dr. Ghosh worked at the University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Radiology where he developed pre-clinical quantum technologies to support the imaging and treatment of cancer and various pulmonary conditions. From 2010 to 2017, Dr. Ghosh led private sector-academic partnerships to advance medical imaging, gave invited talks at universities including Harvard and Berkeley and provided advice to several Fortune 500 companies and US government agencies related to emerging technologies. In 2018, Dr. Ghosh joined Innovation, Science and Development Canada as a Senior Policy Advisor where he has helped develop, coordinate and implement Canada’s National Quantum Strategy.
 
Title: Canada’s Quantum communications and post-quantum cryptography roadmap. The talk will summarize stakeholder consultations that describe the opportunities, challenges, and supports needed to grow a vibrant quantum communications and PQC sector in Canada. The talk will also highlight potential actions to support the sector from the federal and provincial governments, along with academia and industry.
 
David Hudson, Adjunct Professor, TIM Program, Sprott School of Business, and ICT Advisor at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. David is a capable technology executive with over 30 years total experience in industry. He has a PhD in Management and substantial experience in the management new and emerging technologies.
The tile of David’s talk is Value Propositions for Post Quantum Cryptography. PQC appears to be an initial wave that is part of a larger quantum technology sea change. The technology management field provides useful theories and frameworks for understanding disruptive technology change and why certain groups will buy in before others. This presentation will discuss research into possible value propositions for PQC.

Koray Karabina leads the Cryptography and Quantum Computing Team at NRC, Canada. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Waterloo. Koray Karabina’s research focuses on the design and implementation of cryptographic algorithms and protocols. His key interests are in post-quantum cryptography, secure biometrics, and the interplay between machine learning and cryptography.

Martin Laforest holds a PhD in quantum computing from the University of Waterloo’s Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC). For 9 years, he led the quantum outreach efforts at IQC, interacting with key stakeholders, including government, industry, the media, and the public, on the potential impacts of quantum technologies. He then joined ISARA Corporation, a quantum-safe cybersecurity startup, where he assumed business development and product management responsibilities before launching Quantacet.

Philip Lafrance, CISSP, Standards Manager at ISARA Corporation, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. Philip is Information Security professional with holding a master’s degree in mathematics and a CISSP certification. He is the Interim Lead for the Quantum Industry Canada’s Standards Working Group. Philip specializes in quantum-safe migration strategies, cryptographic discovery & risk management, and zero trust architectures.
 
The title of Philip’s talk is The Great PQC Transition: Lights, Cameras, Then Action. He will discuss the paramount importance of cryptography for the daily operations of every modern organization. Unfortunately, organizations tend to take an “out of sight, out of mind” approach to their cryptographic solutions. With the coming arrival of Cryptographically Relevant Quantum Computers, this approach has become unsustainable and dangerous. It is important for organizations to assess their cryptographic posture, of quantifying their cryptographic risk, and the criticality of the urgency of transitioning to PQC.
 
Tony Rosati, VP of Products at evolutionQ and distinguished fellow at the Center for Applied Cryptographic Research (CACR), from the University of Waterloo he brings deep expertise in telecommunications and quantum safe security, with a track record of driving innovation through successful technology startups.
Tony Rosati will provide an overview of the state of the post quantum transition, including Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and Symmetric Key Infrastructure (SKI), standards, industry initiatives, addressing both current progress and hurdles to overcome.

Nicholas Scott, Canadian Center for Cyber Security (CCCS), Communications Security Establishment Canada.
 
Stoyan Tanev, Associate Professor, Technology Innovation Management Program, Sprott School of Business, Carleton University. Dr. Tanev’s research and teaching interests focus on digital innovation and entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence and value creation, design thinking, digital transformation and new venture creation.