FORTRESS Kicks-Off with first meeting in Heidelberg, Germany

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On the 7-8 October 2025, EU funded project FORTRESS held its Kick-Off Meeting in Heidelberg, Germany.

The project partners convened to launch FORTRESS, aligning on the research roadmap, division of tasks, and coordination structure.

FORTRESS aims to build a scalable, hybrid secure-boot architecture — a flexible Root of Trust (RoT) that combines classical and post-quantum cryptographic algorithms. To realise this ambition, the consortium brings together complementary expertise from both academia and industry:

Eurescom (coordinator)
PQShield
CyberHive
Codasip
eShard
Universität der Bundeswehr München

The project aims to advance the state of the art by combining post-quantum cryptography with hardware-enforced security to deliver trusted systems that remain secure in the quantum era. It lay emphasis on a coordinated, multidisciplinary effort across hardware–software co-design, cryptographic algorithm development, and secure-boot mechanisms. The project will engage with industry stakeholders to align with regulatory and standardisation efforts, ensuring practical deployment and maximum impact. By developing a critical building block for a wide range of applications, FORTRESS will safeguard Europe’s digital infrastructure, fostering resilience and leadership in the post-quantum era.

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