The new facility will be located at Eurecat's headquarters in Cerdanyola del Vallès and will be implemented gradually, with completion expected by early 2027. The project represents an investment of more than 7 million euros, of which 1.4 million come from the Institutional Singulars program of the Department of Research and Universities of the Government of Catalonia and 2.1 million are co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Program of Catalonia 2021-2027, through the Quant-IA project.
Within the framework of the QuantIA Lab, Eurecat will be able to support business innovation in quantum computing solutions thanks to a 34-qubit quantum gate emulator and a digital annealer, complemented by a high-performance computing cluster. With this new equipment, Eurecat “is taking a leap forward in the research and transfer of quantum technologies to companies, supporting them in the development of real-world pilot projects and the achievement of tangible competitive advantages,” emphasizes Myriam García-Berro, Director of Research and Technology at Eurecat. According to Adan Garriga, Principal Investigator of Eurecat’s Quantum Computing Research Line, the QuantIA Lab “will complement the services of the center’s multidisciplinary team, which already combines expertise in quantum physics, artificial intelligence, and software development.”
The goal is to offer businesses “a safe and stable environment to experiment with and validate quantum algorithms, and to prepare for the moment when quantum computers are fully operational and have achieved a quantum advantage due to a drastic reduction in computing time or a decrease in associated costs.” Unlike real quantum systems, which require cryogenic temperatures and present stability challenges, “the two emulation assets at the QuantIA Lab will be implemented with semiconductor processors. This will allow the equipment to operate under conventional environmental conditions, without coherence errors and with comparatively much lower operating costs,” adds Joan Mas, Scientific Director of the Digital Area at Eurecat. Furthermore, the infrastructure is planned to be powered by renewable energy, thanks to photovoltaic panels and energy storage systems to increase energy efficiency.
State-of-the-art equipment for quantum simulation
The QuantIA Lab's 34-qubit quantum gate emulator will allow the simulation of quantum circuit behavior using classical electronics and under standard operating conditions—a challenge not yet met by current quantum computers, which use physical qubits. This asset “will facilitate the design, validation, and optimization of quantum and quantum machine learning algorithms before deploying them on a real quantum computer, thus reducing costs, risks, and development time,” emphasizes Adan Garriga. This simulation capability will be combined with the power of a digital annealer, capable of solving combinatorial optimization problems with up to 100,000 variables. This technology, unique in Catalonia, will make it possible to tackle challenges insurmountable for conventional classical computing, such as industrial planning, complex logistics optimization, investment management, molecular simulation, and the design of new materials, among others. All this infrastructure will be complemented by a high-performance computing cluster, which will act as a support engine for advanced artificial intelligence and massive data processing projects, as well as for projects that require hybrid solutions based on quantum simulation and high-performance computing.
Accelerating multi-sector innovation
The technologies developed by Eurecat's QuantIA Lab will have a multi-sectoral impact, particularly in health and biotechnology, where they will drive fields such as molecular simulation, drug discovery, and complex genomic analysis. They will also influence chemistry and advanced materials, for the optimization of synthesis processes and customized materials; robotics and manufacturing, for industrial planning, plant logistics, and the automation of complex processes; energy, with intelligent grid management, resource optimization, and sustainable routes; and water and the environment, for the optimization of distribution networks, plant management, and climate prediction models, among other applications.
Quantum strategic alliance
The deployment of the QuantIA Lab coincides with the launch of ARQADE, a Cervera network of excellence that aims to apply quantum computing and AI to solve critical security and defense challenges, with solutions that can also be transferred to strategic civilian sectors. Eurecat, which is part of the network, contributes its expertise in quantum algorithms, AI, and cybersecurity to develop practical applications in complex operational scenarios, such as autonomous navigation without GPS or the protection of essential infrastructure.
