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VTT has appointed Jani Kivioja as vice president of its Quantum Technologies research area, effective Nov. 1, 2026. He is expected to connect research with development, piloting and commercial applications; VTT has not announced specific projects or targets for his tenure.
VTT has appointed Jani Kivioja as vice president of its Quantum Technologies research area, with the role beginning Nov. 1, 2026. The Finnish research and technology organisation says he will focus on linking quantum research to development, piloting, innovation and commercial applications, a priority as Finland seeks to turn its research capabilities into business activity.
Kivioja holds a doctorate in technology and has worked in both quantum research and corporate research and technology leadership. He began his career at VTT in micro- and nanoelectronics, after completing doctoral research on superconducting quantum circuits at the Low Temperature Laboratory of Helsinki University of Technology, now part of Aalto University. He later held leadership roles at Nokia and Picosun, which is part of Applied Materials.
VTT Executive Vice President Erja Turunen said the research area needs both sustained scientific work and efforts to translate discoveries into commercial products. She said Kivioja would work with VTT researchers, partners and customers to advance that work. The organisation’s quantum activities span computing, sensing, communications and manufacturing.
Kivioja said commercialisation should not come at the expense of long-term research, describing quantum technologies as a research-intensive field. He also pointed to Finland’s expertise in low-temperature technology and microelectronics, as well as its research and manufacturing infrastructure. VTT did not disclose new funding, staffing changes, project commitments or commercial targets alongside the appointment.
Turning Quantum Research Into Applications
The appointment places a leader with experience in both academic research and corporate technology roles over a research area that spans several emerging fields. VTT’s stated aim is to connect science with R&D, piloting and commercial use; whether that produces products, partnerships or new business will depend on work beyond the appointment itself.
That link matters to Finland because research expertise alone does not guarantee that its economic value is captured domestically. Kivioja said the country needs patience to turn research results into international business while retaining value in Finland. Those comments describe a goal, not a confirmed outcome of his appointment.
The subject also has a security dimension. Kivioja warned that future quantum computers could threaten some current encryption methods and argued that organisations should prepare for quantum-safe alternatives before such a capability becomes a practical threat. The appointment does not itself announce a security programme, but the issue illustrates why quantum research has implications beyond computing products.
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VTT’s Quantum Work and Finland’s Research Base
VTT describes its quantum work as covering more than quantum computers. The organisation also works in quantum sensing, communications and manufacturing, areas where quantum effects can support measurement and other technologies. Kivioja said early uses of quantum computing are difficult to forecast, though modelling molecules for materials and drug development could be among the first applications.
He also noted that quantum physics is already used in technologies such as memory chips and has applications in data encryption. In his account, Finland’s research base draws on decades of work at the former Helsinki University of Technology’s Low Temperature Laboratory, including research involving Josephson junctions and SQUID sensors. He said advances in manufacturing precision and VTT’s investment in newer manufacturing methods could create opportunities for developing sensors and other quantum technologies.
Those points are part of the case Kivioja made for Finland’s potential; they are not evidence that particular applications are ready for market. He said quantum computers have advanced and become easier for users to access without specialist knowledge of the hardware, while also acknowledging that significant technical challenges remain.
“Finland already has strong scientific expertise in quantum technologies. What is still needed is determined R&D, piloting and innovation to accelerate commercialisation.”
— Jani Kivioja, incoming vice president of VTT’s Quantum Technologies research area
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Plans Beyond the Appointment Remain Unspecified
VTT’s announcement does not specify new programmes, budgets, timelines or performance measures for the research area under Kivioja. It is also unclear which projects or commercial partnerships, if any, will be prioritised after he takes up the post.
The timing and commercial prospects of quantum applications remain uncertain. Kivioja said technical progress is likely to continue rapidly but acknowledged outstanding challenges and difficulty predicting the first major uses. His comments about materials and drug development, as well as the future risks quantum computers may pose to encryption, are expectations and warnings—not claims that these outcomes have already occurred.
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Kivioja Takes Up the Role in November
Kivioja is due to start as vice president on Nov. 1, 2026. VTT says he will work with researchers, partners and customers to advance its quantum research and the path from research to practical applications. The organisation has not given a date for a further announcement about his priorities or specific initiatives.
Developments to watch include whether VTT announces new research or piloting projects, how it works with Finnish companies and international partners, and what steps it takes on quantum-safe security. Until those details are made public, the confirmed development is the leadership appointment and VTT’s stated intention to strengthen the connection between research and commercialisation.
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Key Questions
Who is Jani Kivioja?
Kivioja is a research and technology leader with a doctorate in technology and experience in quantum and nanotechnology. He began his career at VTT and later held leadership roles at Nokia and Picosun, part of Applied Materials.
When does Kivioja begin the VTT role?
His appointment as vice president of VTT’s Quantum Technologies research area takes effect on Nov. 1, 2026.
What will he lead at VTT?
He will lead VTT’s Quantum Technologies research area, which the organisation says covers quantum computing, sensing, communications and manufacturing. VTT says his focus will include connecting research with development, piloting, innovation and commercial applications.
Did VTT announce specific new projects or funding?
No. The appointment announcement did not provide new project details, funding figures or commercial targets. Further priorities have not been specified.
What quantum-computing applications does Kivioja expect?
Kivioja said the first major applications are hard to predict, but that molecular modelling for materials and drug development could be among the early uses. This is his assessment, not a confirmed timetable or project commitment.
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