Q.ANT Appoints 20-Year Intel Vet as VP Commercials

Q.ANT, a developer of photonic processors for energy-efficient computing and artificial intelligence, has appointed Michael Krueger as Vice President of Commercials, effective April 1, 2026. Krueger brings more than 20 years of experience from Intel Corporation, where he most recently served as Director of Data Center and Artificial Intelligence Sales Germany, and additional expertise gained from roles at Openchip & Software Technologies and co-mind.ai. He will lead sales and business development as Q.ANT accelerates the commercialization of its novel photonic processor technology. Dr. Michael Förtsch, founder and CEO of Q.ANT, emphasized the value of Krueger’s background during this critical phase, stating, “Michael Krueger combines a deep technical understanding of data center technologies with proven sales expertise in the enterprise segment.” This appointment, following the addition of Utz Bacher as Vice President of Software, signals Q.ANT’s continued transition toward becoming a market-ready product provider. Michael Krueger Appointed VP Commercials: Intel & AI Sales Expertise This background extends beyond established corporations, as he also served as Director of HPC & AI Market Development EMEA at Openchip & Software Technologies in Barcelona and Chief Revenue Officer at the AI startup co-mind.ai. Q.ANT believes this combination uniquely qualifies him for this position. Q.ANT founder and CEO Dr. Michael Förtsch expressed enthusiasm for the potential of photonic computing, noting that “Photonics computing has the potential to fundamentally change the way AI workloads are processed.” Q.ANT’s Native Processing Units (NPUs) utilize photonic integrated circuits based on lithium niobate, offering a scalable alternative to traditional transistor-based systems and performing mathematical operations using optical signals for enhanced energy efficiency; the company’s pilot line, operated in collaboration with IMS CHIPS, is now positioned to benefit from Krueger’s expertise as it transitions from technology developer to a fully-fledged product provider. Q.ANT’s Native Processing Units: Photonic AI Accelerator Technology The pursuit of more efficient artificial intelligence processing is increasingly focused on alternatives to traditional transistor-based systems, and Q.ANT is positioning itself as a key player with its development of Native Processing Units. These NPUs utilize photonic integrated circuits constructed from lithium niobate, a material allowing for direct manipulation of optical signals to perform calculations within the chip itself, promising substantial energy savings for computationally intensive tasks. Q.ANT’s technology is not merely theoretical; the company recently deployed its second-generation photonic processors at the Leibniz Supercomputing Centre (LRZ) for rigorous production evaluation, signaling a move beyond laboratory testing. This push toward commercial viability is underscored by recent leadership appointments designed to bolster Q.ANT’s market readiness. Krueger’s background also includes roles at Openchip & Software Technologies and the AI startup co-mind.ai, providing a blend of established corporate knowledge and agile startup experience. After more than two decades at the heart of the semiconductor and data center industries, I look forward to positioning Q.ANT’s groundbreaking technology with customers and partners worldwide. Michael Krueger Source: https://qant.com/press-releases/q-ant-appoints-michael-krueger-as-vice-president-commercials/ ADAPT-VQE