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Quantum meets health & pharma

The “Quantum meets…” event series by bitcom explores the real-world applications of quantum computing across various sectors. Experts from industry, academia, and government come together to discuss the opportunities and challenges of this transformative technology.

The third edition of the series, “Quantum meets Health & Pharma,” focused on the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries.

What concrete potential does quantum computing hold for diagnostics, drug discovery, and personalized medicine? How can quantum algorithms be meaningfully combined with artificial intelligence? And most importantly: what conditions must be in place to ensure that quantum solutions can be deployed in healthcare in a secure, scalable, and interoperable way?
 

Innovation, courage & strong networks: A possible success formula for quantum technologies in industry

In their keynote, Peter Neske and Dierk Bartel demonstrated that quantum technology is already delivering measurable and impressive results today. At Pfizer’s manufacturing site, quantum annealing was applied for the first time in a real-world industrial setting. The project focused on optimizing production planning by comparing quantum annealing with classical optimization methods. The outcome confirmed expectations: while both approaches improved the initial planning scenario, the quantum-optimized method delivered the best results. The algorithm produced an optimized production schedule in a relatively short computation time, significantly reducing the overall production cycle.

Read more: Quantum Annealing in a proof of technology 

Three key takeaways

• Be bold: Driving innovation requires courage and resilience.
• Think in partnerships: A strong internal and external ecosystem is a powerful enabler.
• Learn by doing: Take the first step, gain experience, learn, and improve.

Additional insights that evening came from Jan Pilhar and Dr. Jan-Rainer Lahmann of IBM, as well as Anton Simen and Narendra Hegade from Kipu Quantum. It was a well-rounded event that offered exciting glimpses into current research and pilot projects — and plenty of space for critical questions.

How can transformation in manufacturing succeed? What roles do corporate culture, technology, and new skill sets play? And what does real innovation look like in practice? These were the key questions explored at the 2025 industry forum in Windisch on May 22, where leading voices from across the industrial sector came together to share insights and experiences. The spotlight was on real-world transformation processes, concrete use cases, and the latest developments shaping the digital and technological future of industry.

Pembe Gül Bilir, Innovation Engineer at the Pfizer Healthcare Hub Freiburg and project lead for the quantum annealing initiative, took the audience on an inspiring journey into the world of quantum technologies. She demonstrated:

• How quantum annealing can be used to optimize production planning
  Why strong networks are essential for entering the world of quantum technologies—and which other factors are critical for success
• And how companies can take meaningful first steps toward application and integration

The future starts with dialogue

The 2025 industry forum made clear: transformation is already underway and quantum technologies are becoming a key pillar of this evolution. Those who invest, connect, and experiment today are actively shaping the industry of tomorrow.

GITEX Europe is one of Europe’s leading tech trade fairs, bringing together innovators, start-ups, and established companies from the digital and healthcare sectors to shape the future of technology and society. In a panel moderated by Mikula Jung, Jutta Klauer (MSD Deutschland), Dr. Larisa Wewetzer (Ottobock), and Maria Scham (Pfizer Healthcare Hub Berlin) shared key success factors and best practices for effective collaboration between corporates and healthtech start-ups.

Three Key Takeaways

Win-win for both sides

Startup–corporate collaborations work best when both sides benefit: while start-ups bring technological expertise and disruptive ideas, corporates like Pfizer contribute regulatory know-how, access to networks, and market experience.

Improving healthcare as a shared goal

Together, we aim to develop solutions that address unmet medical needs and improve patient care and quality of life. A shared understanding of goals is essential for successful collaboration.

Successful partnerships take time

In addition to a certain level of maturity, start-ups need patience when working with corporates. Not every collaboration leads to immediate success – but every experience brings valuable insights.

Best Practice: Our Partnership with Cortrium

A great example of successful collaboration is our partnership with Danish start-up Cortrium.
Read more: Pfizer and Cortrium: This is how a successful sales partnership between a pharmaceutical company and a medtech startup works

Gitex Europe clearly demonstrated: when start-ups and corporates collaborate as equals, they create solutions that go far beyond technological innovation.

The Healthcare Hub as Pfizer's contact point for innovative start-ups

This year, the Pfizer Healthcare Hub team was once again present to find innovative solutions for patients and healthcare professionals. At our stand in the DiGA & Mobile Health area, we had exciting and inspiring conversations about digital solutions for the healthcare industry, challenges for startups, and potential collaborations with Pfizer. 

Our highlights included: 

• digital solutions for therapy support and study recruitment in oncology
• solutions for earlier diagnosis of rare diseases
• solutions for better care for patients with dermatological conditions
• promising approaches to process optimization, emission reduction, and efficiency improvement in production

We look forward to further deep dives and to strengthening the connections we have made!