10.8.2026
Linq Photonics GmbH has won the state final of the Start-up BW Elevator Pitch 2026. Competing against 18 other finalists from across Baden-Württemberg, the team convinced the expert jury with its approach to scalable optical control for quantum computers and secured first place.
We are particularly delighted about the close connection to our faculty: Julius Römer and (Julian) Rasmus Bankwitz, two members of the founding team, are PhD students at Heidelberg University's Department of Physics and Astronomy. Both are members of the Heidelberg Graduate School for Physics (HGSFP) and conduct their doctoral research in the group of Prof. Dr. Wolfram Pernice.
Linq Photonics addresses a key challenge on the path towards scalable quantum computing: the efficient and scalable control of light. The founding team – Jade Robinson, Julius Römer and Rasmus Bankwitz – is developing a compact photonic chip designed to enable scalable optical control of quantum computers.
The team's success at the Start-up BW Elevator Pitch is a strong example of how scientific research, technological innovation and entrepreneurial thinking can come together. Research and technologies developed in an academic environment can thus find their way into practical applications and contribute to new solutions for emerging technologies.
The state final took place on 17 July 2026 as part of the Käpsele Innovation Festival in Freiburg. The 19 winning teams from regional competitions presented their business ideas to an independent expert jury. The assessment criteria included the degree of innovation, business model, customer benefit, market potential and sustainability. As the first-place winner, Linq Photonics received prize money of €4,000.
We warmly congratulate Julius Römer, Rasmus Bankwitz, Jade Robinson and the entire Linq Photonics team on this achievement!
ALEXANDER KLARMANN FOR START-UP BW
