The Spark: Technologien für effizientere Chips und Fusionsenergie erhalten Digitalpreis
Effizienter als Nvidia? Q.ant entwickelt eine neuartige Chiptechnologie, die ein großes Problem lösen könnte. Damit gewinnt das Start-up den Deutschen Digitalpreis The Spark.
Munich: Nvidia's dominance in providing computing resources for artificial intelligence (AI) operations is being challenged by a Stuttgart-based startup, Q.ant. The company has developed a novel chip that promises to operate faster and more efficiently than its competitors. After years of development, the product is now available, with manufacturing beginning on a pilot line in Stuttgart.
This achievement earned the Q.ant founding team, led by Michael Förtsch, the German Startup Award "The Spark" from Der Spiegel and McKinsey's consulting firm.
Q.ant's innovative approach, known as photonics processing, uses light instead of electricity to perform calculations. This technology aims to significantly reduce energy consumption, which is particularly critical in AI data centers. McKinsey's Germany head Andreas Venus justified the jury's decision, stating that addressing one of Europe's "greatest problems" for AI would be a major benefit.
In a separate category, Munich-based Proxima Fusion secured second place. The startup aims to construct a fusion energy power plant. With a 130 million euro funding round in late 2025, the team, led by co-founder Francesco Sciortino, is working on a novel super magnet. This component is considered central to the reactor that, someday, will provide reliable, emissions-free energy.
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