The Qilimanjaro-GMV joint venture has completed the first phase of constructing a quantum computer at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC). The computer, the first of its kind in Spain, is located at Qilimanjaro’s Quantum Computing Technology laboratory in Barcelona. The project, part of the Quantum Spain initiative, has provided BSC with remote access to a 5-qubit quantum chip, enabling the first executions of quantum circuits under Spanish control. The chip, manufactured by QuantWare, is the first in a series of seven that will be provided to BSC, culminating in a 30-qubit quantum computer by 2025.
Quantum Computer Construction Milestone Achieved in Spain
The milestone involves remote access to a 5-qubit quantum chip operational at Qilimanjaro’s Quantum Computing Technology laboratory at the Institut de Fisica d’Altes Energies (IFAE) in Barcelona. This quantum computer, the first in Spain, has been fully built and launched using European technology in all its components.
The Spanish “Quantum Spain” community, coordinated by BSC, will have access to this chip, enabling them to carry out the first executions of quantum circuits under complete Spanish control. This achievement marks a significant step forward in the field of quantum computing in Spain and Europe.
Quantum-as-a-Service (QaaS) and Qibo Software
The first delivery of the quantum computer project involved granting BSC access to a 5-qubit superconducting chip through Quantum-as-a-Service (QaaS). This means remote connection to Qilimanjaro’s Quantum Computing Technology laboratory at the IFAE in Barcelona, via the cloud using the Qibo software developed by Qilimanjaro.
This Gen0 chip, manufactured by QuantWare, will enable the Spanish academic and business community to carry out the first executions of quantum circuits under complete Spanish control. It is the first of a series of 7 Quantum Processing Units (QPUs) that will be provided to BSC throughout the contract, with the last one being the Gen6 chip with 30 qubits.
Utility Libraries and User Support
Along with access to the chip, a full set of utility libraries has been provided to allow access to Qilimanjaro’s servers and to send executions to the quantum chip. Qilimanjaro’s QaaS servers will be available 24/7 through a service to handle execution requests, with GMV providing user support.
The teams at Qilimanjaro responsible for hardware, control software, and quantum applications have been working in a fully integrated manner. Their success demonstrates the value of a differential “full stack” approach, which is uncommon in the industry.
“This first delivery marks a significant milestone as Qilimanjaro becomes a pioneer in granting access to Spain’s first quantum computer through an HPC center. We are immensely proud not only to achieve this feat together with GMV but also to partner with an exceptional group of European providers”
Marta Estarellas, CEO of Qilimanjaro
Spain’s First Public Quantum Computer
Once the installation at the BSC headquarters is completed, Spain will have the first purely European quantum computer for public use in southern Europe. This quantum computer will be integrated with the MareNostrum 5 supercomputer, the most powerful in Spain and among the most advanced in Europe and worldwide.
“It is an honor for us to participate, together with Qilimanjaro and the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, in making the first quantum computer in Spain a reality, a milestone that is a clear example of the continuous innovation that guides GMV,”
Julio Vivero, Business Partner at GMV
The first quantum computer has been temporarily installed in Qilimanjaro’s laboratory while the space in the BSC chapel is appropriately prepared to host the Quantum Spain quantum computer permanently.
This delivery, despite being only the first in a series that will culminate with a 30-qubit quantum computer by the end of 2025, has been a fundamental milestone for the joint venture. It has compelled an unprecedented cross-functional effort among Qilimanjaro’s divisions and in coordination with GMV, demonstrating the extremely high technical and professional quality of all teams involved.
“We are very pleased with this first milestone and look forward to moving to a second phase very soon, where we will provide access to all users and begin working with this quantum computer that will mark a before and after in the development of these technologies in Spain and Europe,”
Alba Cervera, researcher at BSC and coordinator of Quantum Spain.
Sergi Girona, Director of Operations at BSC, states: “We celebrate the delivery of the first quantum computer, an essential step for developing this innovative technology in our country. This processor has been temporarily installed in Qilimanjaro’s laboratory while the space in the BSC chapel is appropriately prepared to host the Quantum Spain quantum computer permanently.”
“This delivery, despite being only the first in a series that will culminate with a 30-qubit quantum computer by the end of 2025, has been a fundamental milestone for the joint venture. It has compelled us to an unprecedented cross-functional effort among Qilimanjaro’s divisions, as well as in coordination with GMV, which has demonstrated the extremely high technical and professional quality of all our teams and allows us to face the future of this project with renewed confidence”,
Manel Martínez, project leader in the joint venture formed by Qilimanjaro and GMV.
Executive Summary
Spanish companies Qilimanjaro and GMV have completed the first phase of constructing Spain’s first quantum computer at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, providing remote access to a 5-qubit quantum chip. This milestone marks the beginning of the Quantum Spain project, which aims to culminate in a 30-qubit quantum computer by the end of 2025, enabling the Spanish academic and business community to execute quantum circuits under complete Spanish control.”
- The Qilimanjaro-GMV joint venture has completed the first phase of constructing a quantum computer at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), marking the first quantum computer in Spain.
- The quantum computer, built using European technology, is operational at Qilimanjaro’s Quantum Computing Technology laboratory at the Institut de Fisica d’Altes Energies (IFAE) in Barcelona.
- The first delivery to BSC was a 5-qubit superconducting chip, accessible remotely via Quantum-as-a-Service (QaaS), using Qibo software developed by Qilimanjaro.
- The chip, manufactured by QuantWare, is the first of seven Quantum Processing Units (QPUs) to be provided to BSC, with the final one being a 30-qubit Gen6 chip.
- The quantum computer will be integrated with the MareNostrum 5 supercomputer, one of the most advanced in Europe and worldwide.
- The project is part of the Quantum Spain initiative, coordinated by BSC, and aims to develop the first purely European quantum computer for public use in southern Europe.
- Key individuals involved include Marta Estarellas, CEO of Qilimanjaro; Julio Vivero, Business Partner at GMV; Alba Cervera, a researcher at BSC and coordinator of Quantum Spain; and Sergi Girona, Director of Operations at BSC.
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