IBM opens first quantum computing center in Europe

IBM unveiled its first IBM Quantum Data Center outside the United States – and its second ever – in Ehningen, Germany. A celebratory ceremony was attended by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, high-ranking European government officials, and global companies based in Europe,

The data center includes two systems based on IBM Quantum Eagle. A third system based on the Heron QPU will soon be added. According to IBM, Heron offers up to 16 times higher performance and 25 times higher speed than previous IBM quantum computers.

The data center in Ehningen will serve as a European cloud region for IBM Quantum. Together with leading European companies, universities and authorities, the company plans to advance quantum computing and promote the development of talent in this area in Europe.

New opportunities to develop solutions

The opening was attended by several high-level representatives from global companies based in Europe, including Credit Mutuel, Bosch, E.ON, Volkswagen Group and others, as well as research institutions such as the University of the Basque Country in Spain and the Fraunhofer Society. These organizations are among the more than 80 European-based organizations in the IBM Quantum Network, many of which have the opportunity to access the systems in the IBM Quantum Data Center in Europe, potentially enabling them to explore quantum computing algorithms and applications to solve some of the most complex challenges in their industries.

“Our collaboration with IBM for the ‘scaling phase’ of quantum computing is progressing as planned,” said Frantz Rublé, president of Euro-Information and vice chairman of Crédit Mutuel’s banking division. “We are working on developing concrete applications that will improve the experience of our customers and members and create added value for all of the Group’s business areas.”

He is convinced that quantum computing will bring strategic development, especially for banks, creating new opportunities and offering solutions to complex problems, said the manager. And since it is the only industry that is not protected by patents, quantum computing is not an option but a necessity, he added. The bank of tomorrow must think more customer-centrically, improve services and achieve more efficient operations.

“We believe that enabling our scientists and engineers to tackle challenging problems in materials science, high energy physics and life sciences using quantum computing – and giving them access to state-of-the-art quantum computers to do so –will be crucial for groundbreaking advances in all these disciplines,” added Javier Aizpurua, Ikerbasque professor at the Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC) of the University of the Basque Country and director of BasQ. “Combined use of quantum computing, AI and data science, if widely adopted, will open up new opportunities not only in fundamental research but also in industrial innovation.”

As Dr. Thomas Kropf, president of corporate sector research and advance engineering at Robert Bosch GmbH, pointed out, his company has set itself the goal of driving innovations in the field of material simulation using quantum computers. In collaboration with IBM Quantum, Bosch is developing scalable algorithms that are intended to revolutionize product development, he explained.

“The European IBM Quantum Data Center enables us to perform quantum calculations in close proximity and supports Bosch’s approach to complying with European data protection regulations,” Kropf said. “This accelerates our research and development efforts and strengthens the European quantum ecosystem, paving the way for advances in mobility, healthcare and sustainable technologies.”

This story originally appeared on Computerwoche.

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