On March 24, 2023, the Basque Government, through the Ikerbasque Foundation, and IBM announced a partnership to establish the IBM-Euskadi Quantum Computational Center in San Sebastián. The agreement, signed as part of the Basque Government’s BasQ (Basque Quantum) strategy under its IKUR 2030 plan, represented an investment of €50.8 million (~$55 million) channeled through the Basque Government’s Department of Education.
The center was to host a 127-qubit IBM Quantum System One providing Qiskit Runtime services, with installation anticipated by the end of 2024. IBM said the center would be the second such IBM Quantum Computational Center announced in Europe. The initiative aimed to advance quantum research, build a quantum workforce in the region, and promote economic development.
Workforce programs were included as part of the partnership, focused on building quantum talent through immersive and integrated learning programs, with the center serving researchers from Ikerbasque and its partner institutions across the Basque Country’s three provinces.