Almost two years after announcing that Spain would have a quantum computer created with 100% European technologyit is already operational and presented. This In Barcelona Supercomputing Center -National Supercomputing Center (BSC-CNS), and form part of the Quantum Spain initiative, Coordinated by BSC itself and promoted by the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Function through the Secretariat of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence (SEDIA).
Quantum Spain, framed in the Spain Digital 2026 program and in the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (ENIA), is an initiative in which 27 reference institutions in research and supercomputing in Spain participate. Among them, the 14 nodes of the Spanish Supercomputing (Res), the CSIC, the IDFO, the University of Barcelona, the Autonomous University of Madrid and the Polytechnic University of Valencia.
As for the quantum computer, it will be integrated into Marenostrum 5, the most powerful supercomputer in Spain. This new system will be joined by one of the first European quantum computers, analog, and that the European Commission’s joint initiative has awarded the BSC. The two systems offer complementary technologies, and may reinforce the role of the PSC as a key actor in the European advanced computer area, also promoting the role of Spain in quantum research and supercomputing in the continent.
The presentation of the Spanish quantum computer has been held at an event held in the chapel of Torre Girona del BSC, where the quantum infrastructure of the center that, as we have mentioned, will be integrated in Mare Nostum 5.
The president of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Salvador Illa; the Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Morant; The Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Function, Óscar López.
The quantum computer will be available for the scientific community, as well as for public companies and organizations, through the access mechanisms of the Spanish Supercomputing Network. Its implementation is an important step in Spain’s strategy in quantum computing, in addition to strengthening European technological autonomy, in line with the European Commission’s strategy to reduce the dependence of third parties to key infrastructure.
At the head of Its construction He has been a UTE composed of Spanish companies Qilimanjaro and GMV. Both contributed their technological experience for the development of a system based on superconductor qubits. These, unlike the traditional ones, can represent several states at the same time, which allows them to perform calculations with greater complexity.
