The European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) has signed a procurement contract with Qilimanjaro Quantum Tech for MareNostrum-Ona, a quantum annealer to be hosted at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC) in Spain. The system, co-funded with a total acquisition cost of €8.5 million ($8.8 million USD), will initially offer at least 10 physical qubits, with plans to increase qubit counts and coherence times in future generations. MareNostrum-Ona will complement BSC’s existing digital gate-based quantum computer, procured under the Quantum Spain initiative, and will be integrated into the EuroHPC supercomputer MareNostrum 5 (MN5).
As the first European quantum annealer, MareNostrum-Ona will provide unique capabilities for solving optimization problems, enhancing the diversity of quantum technologies available to European researchers, industry, and the public sector. The system is part of the EuroHPC JU’s broader strategy to deploy a variety of quantum computing platforms across Europe, fostering innovation in high industrial, scientific, and societal impact areas. The EuroQCS-Spain consortium, led by BSC and including partners such as IFAE and INL, will co-fund and support the project.
The installation of MareNostrum-Ona is set to begin in 2025. This initiative aligns with EuroHPC JU’s goal of positioning Europe at the forefront of quantum computing and supercomputing integration. By combining quantum annealing with classical HPC resources, MareNostrum-Ona aims to accelerate research in fields such as materials science, logistics, and artificial intelligence, while strengthening Europe’s technological sovereignty in quantum computing.
For more information, visit the EuroHPC JU’s press release here.
February 1, 2025
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