VTT and IQM’s 50-qubit quantum computer now available for business and research

The VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and IQM Quantum Computers have completed and launched Europe’s first 50-qubit superconducting quantum computer, now open to researchers and companies through the VTT QX quantum computing service.

The quantum computer offers industries an opportunity to develop practical applications for quantum computing.

Finland first announced its efforts in quantum computing development back in November 2020 with a total budget of €20.7 million from the Finnish government to develop a 50-qubit quantum computer.

The project was phased into three parts so the community in Finland can take advantage of the new technology as early as possible. The 5-qubit quantum computer was completed in 2021. 

In the spring of 2022, it was connected to the Internet via CSC’s LUMI supercomputer for the use of Finnish researchers and later also more widely for business users.

The 20-qubit computer was completed in 2023, and in the third phase, it was upgraded to 50 qubits. A 50-qubit quantum computer is capable of performing such calculations which are not anymore possible with a classical computer, making this a significant milestone. 

Thanks to the new chip technology, it was possible to significantly reduce computer noise and increase the number of qubits used in calculations.

The new 50-qubit quantum computer further strengthens Finland’s position among the countries capable of developing and investing in quantum computing. 

According to Erja Turunen, Executive Vice President, VTT:

“With this quantum computer, we can develop applications and new algorithms for material modeling and simulation, optimisation problems, and artificial intelligence.

“Now is the perfect time for companies to consider how quantum computing could benefit them in their own business. Leadership in critical technologies like quantum computing is crucial for Finnish society.

We need to be capable of both building the required hardware as well as using it for practical applications. Now with the 50-qubit quantum computer completed, it is time for the applications to be developed by the entire Finnish ecosystem.”

"The delivery of this quantum computer is a significant milestone in our technology roadmap towards large-scale quantum computing with applications in quantum machine learning, optimisation, or simulations,” says Dr. Jan Goetz, Co-CEO and Co-founder of IQM Quantum Computers. 

“Our collaboration with VTT to develop the 50-qubit system serves as a baseline for our IQM Radiance 54-qubit quantum computer, a product we are shipping to our customers worldwide.

We are now at full speed to deliver on the growing demand for our quantum computers to drive scientific breakthroughs and ultimately reach quantum advantage."

Quantum computers were developed as a joint development project between VTT and IQM. 

VTT developed the superconducting TWPA amplifiers, used for readout of the qubit signals, as well as quantum processor chip-level integration and packaging solutions. 

The superconducting TWPA amplifiers developed and manufactured by VTT are currently the world’s leading components, and they are in high demand within the quantum technology industry in Europe. VTT’s spin-off company, Arctic Instruments, is commercialising VTT’s TWPA technology.

VTT also made significant leaps forward in the manufacturing of qubits and integration technologies, and VTT is now offering them as a commercial service. 

The BusinessQ community, operating as part of InstituteQ, Finland’s quantum technology R&D ecosystem, brings together different actors in the Finnish quantum value chain and has more than 25 companies as its members, from technology developers to end users. 

The new 50-qubit quantum computer is located at VTT’s premises in Micronova in Espoo, Finland.

Lead image: VTT's Mikael Kervinen and Isabel Gueissaz-Mattelmäki. Photo: uncredited.