IQM will install a 54-qubit IQM Radiance, apparently designed for integration into high-performance computing centres, together with a 5-qubit IQM Spark system made for education purposes. This will boost CESGA’s advanced computing capabilities and “strengthen its role as a key national and European research infrastructure,” we’re told.
The new systems are for the scientific community to make use of and will be made accessible to companies across various industrial and research sectors, the idea being they can play around with hybrid workflows that combine quantum computing, AI, and high-performance computing.
It is the first installation of IQM quantum computers in Spain, “positioning CESGA alongside leading European centres such as the Leibniz Supercomputing Centre (LRZ) and Jülich in Germany, CSC in Finland, and CINECA in Italy, which are integrating quantum systems into national HPC environments,” states the release.
The systems will be bolstered by a new supercomputer called the Finisterrae IV, which will provide additional computing grunt to meet AI needs, among other things, and a data storage system that will apparently make it possible to permanently house large amounts of data and provide more advanced data services.
“Delivering production-grade quantum infrastructure into real HPC environments is central to IQM’s mission,” said Sylwia Barthel de Weydenthal, Chief Commercial Officer of IQM Quantum Computers. “By deploying our systems at CESGA, we are supporting the development of a practical quantum ecosystem in Spain and enabling researchers and industry users to begin meaningful experimentation with hybrid quantum-classical computing.”
Sergio Sánchez, CTIO Telefónica España added: “Quantum computing will become an important pillar of future digital infrastructure.Through this collaboration with IQM and CESGA, Telefónica is helping bring advanced computing capabilities closer to researchers and enterprises, while supporting Spain’s position in next-generation technologies.”
The systems are scheduled for delivery by June 2026. It’s not clear from the release precisely what Telefonica’s role is in the deployment, but it has been involved in a couple of quantum projects this year.
In January it signed a deal with IBM to develop security tech to combat threats posed by future ‘cryptographically relevant’ quantum computers. The deal saw the companies combine IBM's quantum-safe technology with Telefónica Tech's managed and professional cybersecurity services, with the aim to create quantum security solutions for companies and public administrations.
Telefónica also set up a secure comms link between two hospitals in Madrid, encrypting it using a quantum key distribution (QKD) system. Working with hospital group Vithas and technology providers LuxQuanta and QoolNet, the Spanish operator connected the two hospitals together with a quantum fibre optic link, which it said demonstrated the viability of “Quantum-Safe securitisation” of communications, and that it will be possible in the future to guarantee the immunity of sensitive healthcare data from possible attacks from quantum computers.
