Barcelona Supercomputing Center unveils Spain's first quantum computer built entirely with European technology

The Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC-CNS) unveiled Spain's first quantum computer, built entirely with European technology. This achievement cements BSC's position as a pioneer in supercomputing and marks the beginning of a new chapter in computing.

The quantum computer was unveiled at a special event held in the iconic Torre Girona chapel, where the first four versions of the MareNostrum supercomputer were housed. This new quantum system will be integrated into MareNostrum 5, Spain's most powerful supercomputer and one of the most advanced in the world. The event was attended by a number of important personalities, including Salvador Illa, President of the Government of Catalonia, Diana Morant, Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, and Óscar López, Minister of Digital Transformation and Civil Service, among others.

“We have set ourselves the challenge of being among Europe's 50 most innovative regions”

Salvador Illa, President of the Government of Catalonia

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A Quantum Leap for MareNostrum 5

The project, part of the Quantum Spain initiative, is a collaborative effort led by BSC in partnership with Spain's Ministry of Digital Transformation and Public Administration under the State Secretariat for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence (SEDIA). Funded by the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan, the initiative is part of Spain's broader Digital Spain 2026 strategy and the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (ENIA). The initiative brings together 27 of Spain's leading research and supercomputing organizations, including the Spanish Supercomputing Network (RES), CSIC, ICFO, and leading universities such as the University of Barcelona, the Autonomous University of Madrid, and the Polytechnic University of Valencia, among many others.

President Salvador Illa highlighted the broader impact of BSC's work: "The science and research conducted at BSC embody the humanistic values of technology, and it is crucial that we uphold these values. We have set ourselves the challenge of being among Europe's 50 most innovative regions."

Mateo Valero, director of the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), emphasized the significance of the technological achievement, stating, "The important thing is that the technology is purely European. Europe has embarked on a path that will lead us to have true quantum computers with European technology in just a few years."

The integration of this state-of-the-art quantum computer into MareNostrum 5 represents a giant leap forward for Spain's computing capabilities. In parallel, BSC will also host one of Europe's first analog quantum computers, provided by the European Commission's High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU). Together, these systems will form a robust quantum infrastructure, solidifying BSC's role as a key player in European supercomputing and reinforcing Catalonia's leadership in quantum research.

A New Era of Innovation and Collaboration

This fusion of quantum and classical computing is expected to boost research and innovation, driving advances in industries ranging from chemistry and pharmaceuticals to logistics and finance. By allowing researchers to explore phenomena at the atomic level, quantum computing could accelerate the discovery of new materials, optimize complex systems, and even revolutionize cryptography. Combined with artificial intelligence, it has the potential to create smarter, more efficient machine learning algorithms, opening doors to solutions we've only begun to imagine.

Source: Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC