From diplomacy to quantum tech: Jesper Kamp joins Atom Computing to expand European reach

Atom Computing has named former Danish diplomat Jesper Kamp as its new Regional Director for Europe, marking a strategic move that aligns the American quantum computing pioneer more closely with European innovation ecosystems. The announcement was made on August 5, 2025, and comes as Atom Computing intensifies its presence in Denmark following a landmark partnership on Europe’s most powerful quantum system.

The California-headquartered firm, which specializes in scalable quantum platforms based on neutral atoms, will now have Kamp leading its operations from Denmark. Kamp’s appointment is seen as a significant step toward cementing Atom Computing’s role in European quantum leadership, particularly as Denmark positions itself at the core of the continent’s quantum hardware and talent development landscape.

How does Atom Computing’s latest leadership move reflect its European ambitions in quantum computing?

Jesper Kamp brings over 20 years of high-level diplomatic and innovation policy experience, most recently serving as Denmark’s Ambassador, Consul General, and CEO of Innovation Centre Denmark in Silicon Valley. His background straddles the worlds of geopolitics, science diplomacy, and emerging technologies—a profile well-suited to Atom Computing’s ambitions of embedding quantum capabilities across industry and government institutions in Europe.

Dr. Ben Bloom, Founder and CEO of Atom Computing, said the appointment reflects the company’s strategic intent to build “meaningful partnerships” with European institutions and governments. He emphasized that Europe is no longer a peripheral player in the quantum race, and Atom Computing plans to be “deeply embedded” in its innovation fabric.

From a talent and funding perspective, Europe—especially countries like Denmark, Germany, and France—is investing heavily in next-gen quantum systems. Atom Computing’s move to strengthen its European leadership comes amid growing calls within the European Union for technology sovereignty, particularly in strategic areas like quantum and AI infrastructure.

What does Jesper Kamp’s background bring to Atom Computing’s European engagement strategy?

Kamp’s experience at the intersection of foreign policy and innovation ecosystems is viewed as a rare asset. During his tenure at Innovation Centre Denmark in Silicon Valley, he helped foster public-private collaborations between Danish and American tech entities, including startups, research universities, and global investors.

In his remarks, Kamp said he sees quantum technology as “a strategic imperative for Europe’s technological sovereignty, security infrastructure, and economic resilience.” He added that the mission at Atom Computing aligns with this broader continental agenda, and expressed readiness to build out the company’s partnerships in government, research, and industrial sectors.

This diplomatic-to-deeptech transition signals that Atom Computing is not merely expanding operations, but seeking to shape policy and funding alignment in Europe. Industry observers say this kind of cross-sector fluency will be crucial as quantum becomes a national competitiveness issue rather than a pure research frontier.

Why is Denmark emerging as a key hub in Europe’s quantum hardware development ecosystem?

The Kamp announcement follows a significant regional development: the Novo Nordisk Foundation and EIFO (Export and Investment Fund of Denmark) recently announced a $93 million initiative to establish QuNorth, a new quantum technology infrastructure platform. As part of that initiative, QuNorth acquired “Magne”—which is billed as the world’s most powerful quantum computer.

Magne is powered by Atom Computing’s neutral atom quantum technology and will be deployed in Copenhagen. The system’s adoption by a Danish-led initiative illustrates both the trust in Atom’s architecture and the country’s ambition to lead in quantum capabilities.

This investment effectively makes Denmark a lighthouse for neutral atom-based quantum computing in Europe. Institutional investors and regional tech leaders see this as part of a broader pivot from exploratory research to commercially viable, fault-tolerant systems that can eventually serve healthcare, defense, energy, and climate modeling applications.

How is Atom Computing positioning itself globally in the neutral atom quantum race?

Atom Computing’s architecture uses arrays of optically trapped neutral atoms, allowing it to scale to over 1,000 qubits while maintaining long coherence times and high-fidelity operations. Its focus on scalability and fault-tolerance sets it apart in a crowded field where superconducting and trapped-ion platforms have historically dominated.

With neutral atom systems now gaining attention for their balance of coherence and scalability, Atom Computing is leveraging its on-premises platform to work directly with enterprise and government customers. These systems are being deployed to tackle domain-specific challenges in drug discovery, material simulation, logistics optimization, and cryptography.

Analysts expect Atom Computing’s presence in Denmark to become more than just a regional node—it could evolve into a collaborative base for European clients and researchers, similar to how IBM Quantum has anchored efforts in Germany.

What does this leadership expansion mean for the future of Europe’s quantum ecosystem?

Institutional sentiment appears positive, particularly as Kamp’s appointment coincides with growing European investments in quantum tech. Industry watchers say that a deeper Atom Computing presence in the EU—anchored by a high-profile Danish diplomat—adds credibility to the firm’s long-term commitment and opens doors to new public funding streams.

As EU-led initiatives like Quantum Flagship and Horizon Europe continue to prioritize quantum infrastructure, having a regional leadership team with diplomatic and funding access could be a game-changer. Furthermore, Atom Computing’s early presence in Denmark could allow it to influence standards-setting, procurement pipelines, and pilot deployments before competitors.

Atom Computing’s global mission is centered on enabling “practical quantum advantage” for real-world problems. The European push—with Magne as a flagship system and Kamp at the helm—suggests the firm is aligning its expansion not just with scientific breakthroughs but also with geopolitical momentum and cross-sector coalitions.

How might Atom Computing’s partnership network evolve under this new regional leadership?

With Kamp in charge of European operations, the company is expected to deepen its relationships with academic institutions like the Niels Bohr Institute, government-backed innovation agencies, and enterprise clients interested in long-term quantum experimentation. The ability to navigate both public diplomacy and commercial agreements will be critical in this next phase.

Given the regulatory complexity and nascent maturity of the sector, trust-based engagements are often key to securing national or EU-level support. Kamp’s previous role leading Denmark’s tech diplomacy in Silicon Valley puts him in a unique position to bridge international collaboration, cross-border IP alignment, and multi-stakeholder investment.

Atom Computing’s latest appointment signals that neutral atom quantum systems are not only technically viable but politically and strategically aligned with Europe’s broader vision of digital and technological independence.