Feb. 6, 2025 — The Barcelona Supercomputing Center – Centro Nacional de Supercomputación (BSC-CNS) – has presented what it said is the first quantum computer developed with 100 percent European technology.

“This milestone consolidates BSC at the forefront of supercomputing in Europe and lays the foundations for a new era of hybrid computing, combining traditional and quantum computing,” the center said in its announcement.

The new system is part of Quantum Spain, an initiative coordinated by BSC and promoted by the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Administration, through the State Secretariat for Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence (SEDIA). Funded by the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, the initiative is part of the Digital Spain 2026 programme and the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (ENIA).

Quantum Spain is a collaborative effort involving 27 leading research and supercomputing institutions in Spain, including the 14 nodes of the Spanish Supercomputing Network (RES) and other institutions such as CSIC, ICFO and universities such as the University of Barcelona, the Autonomous University of Madrid and the Polytechnic University of Valencia, among many others.

The new quantum computer was presented today, at an event held in the Torre Girona chapel, where the BSC installed the first four versions of the MareNostrum and now houses the new quantum infrastructure that will be integrated into MareNostrum 5, the most powerful supercomputer in Spain and one of the most advanced in the world.

The event was attended by the President of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Salvador Illa, the Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Morant, the Minister for Digital Transformation and the Civil Service, Óscar López, the Catalan Minister of Research and Universities, Núria Montserrat, the Government Delegate in Catalonia, Carlos Prieto, the Secretary of State for Science, Juan Cruz Cigudosa, and the Secretary of State for Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence, María González Veracruz.

The integration of this new digital quantum computer into the MareNostrum 5 supercomputer represents a significant advance in the country’s computational capacity. This new system will be joined by one of the first European analogue quantum computers, awarded to BSC by the European Commission’s High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU). Both systems offer complementary technologies and make up the BSC’s quantum infrastructure, reinforcing its role as a key player in the European advanced computing landscape and consolidating Spain as a leader in quantum research and supercomputing.

The combination of quantum and classical technologies will boost research and innovation, fostering industrial and technological progress in Spain and contributing to the creation of highly qualified jobs. The new system will be available to the scientific community, companies and public organisations through the access mechanisms of the Spanish Supercomputing Network (RES).

Quantum computing has the potential to transform diverse fields by enabling the study of phenomena at the atomic level. Its applications range from chemistry, where it could accelerate the development of new materials and medicines, to the resolution of complex problems in sectors such as logistics and finance.

Moreover, its ability to optimise processes makes it a key tool for these areas, especially when combined with artificial intelligence to develop more efficient machine learning algorithms. In the field of security, this technology could transform cryptography, presenting new challenges, but also offering more robust solutions.

The construction of Quantum Spain’s new quantum computer has been led by the joint venture formed by the Spanish companies Qilimanjaro and GMV, which contributed their experience in cutting-edge technologies to develop a system based on superconducting cubits, the fundamental units of quantum computing. These cubits, unlike traditional bits, can represent multiple states simultaneously, allowing them to perform much more complex calculations.

This system, built with 100% European technology, represents a decisive step in Spain’s strategy in quantum computing and reinforces European technological autonomy, aligning with the European Commission’s strategy to reduce dependence on key infrastructures from third countries.