A quantum-safe Europe: why it matters and how Qorsa is helping build it
Canadian quantum-safe cybersecurity company Qorsa could have chosen any European city for its first base. It chose The Hague. This autumn, the scaleup opened its Dutch office with one aim: helping organisations prepare for the quantum era before it becomes an emergency. Here’s why Qorsa chose South Holland, and how the company is building its European presence from The Hague.
Preparing for a new cybersecurity challenge
From online payments and medical records to government communications, much of what we rely on every day is protected by encryption. It keeps sensitive information out of the wrong hands.
But that protection faces a new challenge. Powerful quantum computers are still being developed, but in the future they could break some of the encryption methods we use today. And the risk is already emerging; attackers are already collecting encrypted information now, planning to unlock it as soon as quantum computers can.
For organisations, preparing for this change is easier said than done. Encryption is often deeply embedded in existing IT systems. Replacing it can be expensive, time-consuming and disruptive, especially when essential services need to keep running.
That’s where Qorsa comes in. The Canadian company develops technology that allows organisations to replace and update their encryption without having to rebuild their systems or interrupt their services. This makes it easier to respond when security standards or threats change. Qorsa pairs this with explainable AI, Many AI tools give an answer without showing how they got there, like a “black box”. Qorsa’s explainable AI shows why a threat was flagged, so security teams can check it and know what they’re acting on.
The technology has already been validated in 2025 at NATO SHINE, an event where companies put new technologies to the test in realistic defense scenarios, and the company returned for a successful round in 2026. The company is now focused on bringing its technology into wider use.
“Encryption quietly protects almost everything we trust, and the quantum era will test every bit of it.”
Why The Hague?
When Qorsa decided to establish a European presence, The Hague stood out for its concentration of cybersecurity expertise, international organisations and potential partners. The city is home to a strong security community, including Security Delta (HSD). Nearby, TU Delft and the Quantum Delta NL ecosystem offer opportunities to connect with research and innovation in quantum technology. Brussels and its European institutions are also within easy reach.
For a company working to protect critical digital infrastructure, these connections matter. Qorsa is looking to work with governments, financial institutions, critical-infrastructure operators and technology partners across Europe.
“We came to The Hague to help Europe get ahead of the quantum shift rather than scramble to catch up with it, and there's no better place to do that than a city built around security and international cooperation.”
There was also a cultural fit. According to the Qorsa team, the Dutch approach to business is direct and pragmatic, with a focus on getting things done. Liam Watson, now President of Qorsa Europe, experienced that first-hand at the ONE Conference a year earlier. Attending for the first time, and being the youngest presenter in the room, he took the stage to pitch Qorsa’s approach to quantum-safe security and won Pitch 2 the Dutch. What stayed with him was how little age seemed to matter: the room judged the idea on its merits, and from there things moved quickly.
Finding your feet in a new market
Entering a new market takes more than opening an office. Even with proven technology, international companies need to find the right customers, build relationships and earn trust. For any company taking its business across the ocean, that means starting almost from scratch.
Qorsa had already made some connections in the Netherlands early on, with a network built up over time through its team. It was through the Canadian Embassy in The Hague that it came to InnovationQuarter’s attention that Qorsa was traveling to the Netherlands with a trade mission. InnovationQuarter invited the team to the Pitch 2 the Dutch competition at the ONE Conference in The Hague. Qorsa won, and the company gained momentum from there.
Afterwards, we worked with The Hague Security Delta to find the team an office space and introduce them to the right people in the regional security and innovation scene, including through Cybersecurity Week and contacts at ENISA. These introductions helped Qorsa navigate an unfamiliar market and connect with people who could support its next steps.
“It's the kind of welcome that makes a new market feel navigable from day one.”
The support also came from the Canadian side. The Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) approached Qorsa in Canada and visited its Waterloo offices to get to know the business first-hand. It then guided the company through setting up its Dutch entity, and still supports the team as it expands in the Netherlands.
Since landing, Qorsa has also become the first Canadian company to endorse DIGITALEUROPE’s AI & Tech Declaration, and spent the autumn meeting the European field, from ESA’s Industry Space Days in Noordwijk to the ONE Conference.
What’s next?
Qorsa is ambitious. Within two years, the company aims to become a leading player in Europe’s transition to quantum-safe security. It wants to help critical-infrastructure operators and government organisations move from being aware of the quantum threat to being protected against it, while contributing to the standards that will guide this transition.
The company currently has 75 employees worldwide and is now building its European team from The Hague. For South Holland, that means more international expertise in the regional cyber and quantum ecosystem, as well as opportunities for new jobs in engineering and sales.
The coming year will focus on partnerships, pilots and hiring. Qorsa is looking to work with critical-infrastructure operators, financial institutions, government and defence organisations, and technology partners to help bring quantum-safe security into practice.
“We’re just getting started in The Hague. If you’re working on Europe’s quantum-safe future, we’d like to meet you.”
Ready to land your cybersecurity company in South Holland?
