The Basque Government and IBM have today inaugurated the first operational IBM Quantum System Two in Europe, and the third in the world, installed at the IBM-Euskadi Quantum Computing Center in Donostia/San Sebastián. The installation of this system marks a milestone in the strategic collaboration between both entities, initiated in 2023 under the BasQ – Basque Quantum initiative, promoted by the Basque Government to consolidate the Basque Country as an international hub in quantum technologies.
The system, located in the new Ikerbasque building at the IBM-Euskadi Quantum Computing Center, was inaugurated this morning at an institutional event presided over by the ‘Lehendakari’ (Basque President), Imanol Pradales, and attended by Jay Gambetta, Vice President of IBM Quantum; Juan Ignacio Pérez Iglesias, Basque Government Minister of Science, Universities and Innovation; Eider Mendoza, General Deputy of Gipuzkoa; Eneko Goia, Mayor of San Sebastián; and Horacio Morell, President of IBM Spain. The ceremony was also attended by the First and Second Vice-Lehendakaris, the General Deputies of Álava and Bizkaia, as well as numerous representatives from the institutional, scientific, and business communities.
This installation of the IBM Quantum System Two is the second deployment of this system outside the United States. The 156-qubit IBM Quantum Heron is powered by one of the most advanced quantum processors developed by the company to date. Designed to scale and integrate multiple processors in the future, this system represents a technological milestone, enabling the execution of utility-scale algorithms that surpass classical simulation capabilities.
The ‘Lehendakari’ Imanol Pradales emphasized the Basque Government’s commitment to research, innovation, and progress. “Fully aware of our size, and by taking risks, we have once again chosen to act among the best. Today, we continue along the path taken more than 40 years ago — and for a clear reason: because we truly believe in science. We live longer and better thanks to science. Quantum technologies will have an impact on many areas of our daily lives — such as health, the development of new medicines, communications, energy, and cybersecurity. In Euskadi, we are well positioned: we have built an ecosystem that is the result of a bold and sustained commitment over time.”
“We are now in a position to take advantage of the quantum edge we have achieved. We must focus on areas that are strategic for our country. Our vehicle is the ‘Basque Quantum’ Strategy, which takes a giant leap forward today. The BasQ strategy will allow us to become a magnet for knowledge generation and talent attraction. It will enable us to connect with other knowledge and innovation hubs to enhance our competitiveness and development as a nation. It will also allow us to align with the European strategy for resilience and reindustrialization, leveraging investments in infrastructure and key technologies to face the transformations ahead as both a continent and a country,” Pradales highlighted.
“Two years of collaboration with the BasQ scientific team have achieved major results in the fields of materials science and high-energy physics. Our goal now is to enable our teams to consolidate an ever-growing ecosystem through the first IBM Quantum System Two in Europe, powered by our best quantum processor yet, the IBM Quantum Heron,” said Jay Gambetta, Director of IBM Research and IBM Fellow.
The team at the IBM-Euskadi Quantum Computing Center has access to the system, along with other IBM resources, to help build the quantum ecosystem of Southern Europe, foster economic development, and develop new, useful algorithms that contribute to the Basque Government’s IKUR 2030 vision for quantum technologies. Specific efforts in algorithm development directly support the IKUR 2030 goals, particularly in creating applications for strategic sectors such as energy, biomedicine, and artificial intelligence. The Center also positions the Basque Country as a leader in the field of quantum technologies and reinforces the shared commitment of IBM and the Basque Government to lead scientific and technological development in this strategic area.
An infrastructure for knowledge and the industry of the future
The commissioning of the IBM Quantum System Two in Euskadi not only symbolizes progress in the scientific community but also opens new opportunities for technology transfer into strategic sectors. The system’s capabilities will enable the tackling of complex challenges in areas such as new materials design, industrial process optimization, biomedical simulation, and artificial intelligence algorithm enhancement.
With this step, the Basque Country consolidates itself as a key node in IBM’s global quantum computing network and reinforces its ambition to be a leader in the development of this emerging technology. These initiatives promote awareness, education, and training through innovative and immersive learning experiences aimed at both students and professionals in scientific and technological fields.
The Basque Government’s commitment to Quantum
The Basque Government’s commitment to quantum computing began in 2019 with the IKUR Strategy, which identified this field as one of the Basque Country’s scientific priorities, alongside neuroscience, neutron science, and artificial intelligence. As part of this strategy, in March 2023, collaboration with IBM was announced to establish a quantum center and deploy an IBM Quantum system in Euskadi — a step toward positioning the region at the forefront of quantum science and innovation. This commitment was reinforced in March 2025 with the announcement that the first IBM Quantum System Two in Europe would be installed in Euskadi.
