April 13th, 2026 NYC Quantum Computing In Person Meetup (w/hybrid option)

Title: A protocol stack for quantum networking.

Abstract:
The quantum networking hardware works. The cryptographic standards are written. What's missing is the software that connects them — the layer that takes entangled photons on one end and delivers compliant cryptographic material to an HSM on the other.This talk covers what that software layer actually looks like: vendor-agnostic device abstraction, hybrid QKD+PQC key derivation, QRNG entropy management, and the standards surface (ETSI QKD 014, NIST 800-90B, Cisco SKIP) that determines whether quantum networking stays in the lab or becomes infrastructure. We'll discuss what the protocol stack demands that physics alone can't provide, why open-source matters for interoperability, and where the real engineering bottlenecks live — not in the optics, but in the gap between a successful Bell test and a key that a network encryptor will actually accept.

Bios:

Drew Parker, Ph.D. is co-founder and technical lead at Dainamiq, building open-source software that makes quantum networking deployable for enterprise. A mathematician turned AI engineer, Drew spent 13 years in academia, led open-source projects serving a million students globally, and now builds the software layer between quantum hardware and the institutions that need it.

Marianna Bonanome, Ph.D. is co-founder and CEO at Dainamiq, operating at the strategic intersection of quantum technology and AI. A mathematician turned deep-tech executive, Marianna led AI strategy at SandboxAQ, drives global hardware ecosystems at Qunnect, and now translates abstract mathematical potential into scalable, real-world technologies.