A cluster of European quantum computing companies, led by French startups such as Alice & Bob, Pasqal, Quandela, Quobly, and C12, is positioning the region as a serious contender in what could become a winner-takes-all technology race. Alice & Bob, a 200-person Paris-based firm, is building machines using so-called "cat qubits" — a design that corrects errors automatically and could dramatically reduce the cost and complexity of quantum systems compared to rivals relying on massive redundancy. European industry figures argue the continent has a genuine chance to lead, citing world-class physics education, recent Nobel Prize wins, and the fact that quantum computing presents a rare level playing field unconstrained by legacy technology advantages held by established US or Asian tech giants.