INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY

QUANTUM COMPUTERS

The IQM Spark system will be installed at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid before the end of 2026. Designed for research, education and early-stage development, the computer will allow universities, hospitals, research centres and start-ups to develop and test quantum algorithms using equipment rather than relying exclusively on remote systems.

The installation will be the third quantum computer supplied in Spain through the Telefónica and IQM partnership, following two systems delivered to the Galician Supercomputing Centre( CESGA). The Madrid deployment extends access to quantum infrastructure beyond specialist computing facilities and into a university environment where academic and commercial teams can work directly with the technology.

The initiative is intended to help create a regional quantum ecosystem connecting researchers, technology developers and companies exploring practical applications. It also supports efforts to attract talent and strengthen European technological sovereignty by developing expertise and infrastructure within the region.

Potential areas of investigation include materials science, financial modelling and complex optimisation problems. However, quantum computing remains an emerging technology and access to hardware does not automatically translate into commercially useful results. Researchers will need to establish which problems can benefit from quantum approaches and how those approaches compare with conventional computing.

Jan Goetz, CEO and Co-founder, IQM Quantum Computers, said: " By investing in its own quantum computer, the Community of Madrid is creating an infrastructure that will enable its researchers, students and industries to grow their capabilities over the long term. Quantum computing becomes truly valuable when it moves beyond remote laboratory environments and is placed directly in the hands of those working closest to the real-world challenges it can help address. This deal represents an important step forward for Madrid and for Europe in its ambition to lead the development of quantum computing."

The deployment also provides an opportunity to train students and technical specialists on real quantum systems, building familiarity with the challenges of programming, operating and evaluating the technology. Such experience could help businesses assess where quantum computing might eventually complement existing highperformance computing resources.

For Telefónica, the project builds on its wider work in quantum technologies, including communications security and post-quantum cryptography. The company has also highlighted applications involving healthcare, critical data protection and industrial processes as areas of interest.

IQM already supplies full-stack quantum computers across Europe, Asia and North America, including systems for supercomputing centres. Its approach gives organisations direct ownership of infrastructure for experimentation and application development.

Unlike cloud-only access models, an onsite installation can make the hardware part of teaching and research, although its performance and suitability will still depend on the algorithms being tested. The partners have not disclosed the financial terms of the deployment.

The Madrid system will provide a test of whether locally installed quantum hardware can accelerate research collaboration, skills development and the translation of experimental algorithms into practical tools for industry. •

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