The Wallenberg Centre for Quantum Technology (WACQT) announced an agreement with IBM to give Swedish academia and industry access to IBM’s quantum computing systems via the cloud. According to the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, the agreement was supported by a SEK 50 million (approximately USD 4.8 million) grant from the foundation. WACQT’s own quantum computer at Chalmers University of Technology had reached 25 qubits, with a target of 100 qubits by 2029.
Under the arrangement, researchers and companies would first develop and optimize quantum algorithms on a testbed at Chalmers hosting a copy of the WACQT quantum computer, then scale up problem-solving on IBM’s larger quantum processors. WACQT partners including Saab, AstraZeneca, Ericsson, Volvo Group, and Hitachi Energy gained access to IBM’s 127-qubit Eagle and 133-qubit Heron processors.
Per Delsing, WACQT director, said the dual-access model would “make it easier and cheaper to optimise the algorithms” while allowing researchers to “learn how to use and work with larger and more powerful quantum processors.” Vahid Zohali, IBM Sweden’s country general manager, said the collaboration would help “lower the threshold for companies and researchers in Sweden.”