credit: IBM
IBM today announced plans to open its first Europe-based quantum data center next year in Ehningen, Germany, providing access to quantum computing for companies, research institutions and government agencies. The data center is expected to offer multiple IBM quantum systems, each with utility scale quantum processors, i.e., those of more than 100 qubits, according to the company.
The data center will be located at an IBM facility in Ehningen and will serve as IBM Quantum’s European cloud region. IBM also has quantum data center in Poughkeepsie, New York.
The IBM Quantum Network currently has more than 60 European organizations accessing quantum hardware and software via the cloud, including Bosch; Bundeswehr University; Crédit Mutuel Alliance Fédérale, including its technology subsidiary Euro-Information, and Targobank; Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY); the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN); Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft; Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center (PSNC); and, T-Systems.
“Users in Europe and elsewhere in the world will be able to provision services at the data center for their cloud-based quantum computing research and exploratory activity,” IBM said. “The data center is being designed to help clients continue to manage their European data regulation requirements, including processing all job data within EU borders.”
“Europe has some of the world’s most advanced users of quantum computers, and interest is only accelerating with the era of utility scale quantum processors,” said Jay Gambetta, IBM fellow and vice president of IBM Quantum. “The planned quantum data center and associated cloud region will give European users a new option as they seek to tap the power of quantum computing in an effort to solve some of the world’s most challenging problems.”
“We are happy and proud to support the IBM Quantum team’s decision to set up their European quantum data center in Ehningen, Germany,” said Dr. Raoul Klingner, Director Research, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. “The choice of location in the state of Baden-Wurttemberg will further strengthen the ecosystem that Fraunhofer has built with customers and partners from industry and research. We are pleased to further continue our strategic partnership with IBM.”
“At T-Systems, we are collaborating with IBM to combine quantum and classical computing in a seamless and scalable experience for our customers to explore applications of quantum computing,” said Adel Al-Saleh, Deutsche Telekom board member and Chief Executive of T-Systems. “Having access to a quantum data center dedicated to Europe will help lower the access barrier for our customers as they decide on how to take their first, decisive steps in exploring and using quantum.”
The European cloud region is a component in IBM’s efforts to collaborate with European industry, academia and government to advance quantum and build a quantum workforce in Europe. IBM Quantum and the open source Qiskit software is used in over 100 university classes in Europe. IBM said 1 million learners in Europe have studied quantum through hackathons, workshops and digital learning sponsored by the company.
