IBM Opens Europe’s First Quantum Data Center in Germany

IBM expanded its utility-scale fleet of quantum computers in Ehningen, Germany, on Tuesday (October 1) with a ribbon cutting ceremony featuring German Chancellor Olaf Sholz and senior European government officials.

The quantum data center is IBM's first outside the US and will soon feature a new Heron-based system, offering a significant increase in performance over 2022 IBM Quantum systems.

"The road from punch cards to quantum computing has been a long one," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told an audience in Ehningen, Germany Tuesday, referencing the early data processing system technology that is a distant precursor to the powerful systems that will be deployed in Europe’s first IBM Quantum data center.

'Pushing the Boundaries of What's Possible'

The Eagle-based system will be joined by the new Heron-based system, which was first introduced by IBM late last year, and is the company’s most performant chip yet, offering up to a 16-fold increase in performance and 25-fold increase in speed over previous IBM quantum computers from just two years ago. The Heron processor was also recently deployed in IBM’s Quantum Data Center in Poughkeepsie, New York.

IBM's Heron chip offers up to a 16-fold increase in performance and 25-fold increase in speed over previous IBM quantum computers. Source: IBM

Asked about the anticipated benefits of the new IBM Quantum Data Center in Europe, Dr Juan Bernabe-Moreno, director of IBM Research (Europe), told Data Center Knowledge that industries such as banking, engineering, energy, and the automotive sector are among those that will see a boon.

"Ultimately, the center should facilitate access to quantum computing and help organizations solve some of the most complex challenges they face today," he said. "It houses two utility-scale quantum systems – with a third one soon – that should enable enterprises to push the boundaries of what’s possible with quantum even further."

Joined on stage by Dr Darío Gil, IBM’s senior vice president and director of research, Scholz hailed the data center as a triumph of global partnership to advance cutting-edge technology. “We are bringing the highest performing quantum processor that we have built,” Gil said.

Holding the modestly-sized Heron chip, the Chancellor declared, “The biggest progress doesn’t look impressive, but it is.”

A Celebration of the 'Pan-European Quantum Ecosystem'

Joining IBM leaders and Sholz for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Ehningen quantum data center were senior government officials and leaders of European-based global enterprises, including Crédit Mutuel, Bosch, E.ON, Volkswagen Group, and others, as well as research institutions such as the University of the Basque Country in Spain and Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft.

The representatives present were only some of the 80 European-based organizations that have joined the IBM Quantum Network.

Source: IBM

The newly unveiled quantum data center demonstrates IBM’s commitment to Europe, according to Ana Paula Assis, general manager and chairman of IBM Europe, Middle East and Africa.

“This state-of-the-art facility will foster innovation around quantum computing… ensuring Europe remains at the forefront of global technological advancements.

Germany Vies to be Europe’s 'Hub for Innovation'

Emphasizing the importance of international scientific and economic cooperation, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told the audience in Ehningen that while IBM could have built their quantum data center anywhere in Europe, they chose Germany in no small part because of its cosmopolitan identity, openness to immigration, and a two-billion-dollar investment in quantum technology.

Disparaging “anyone who would fight against each other with tariffs,” he said Germany had established a good foundation for international cooperation, pointing to recent skilled immigration reforms as an example of how the country was making it easier to attract STEM talent.

Coming at a time of worldwide challenges to immigration and a resurgence of isolationist politics in the US and Europe, Sholz advocated for the importance of international partnership. “Deglobalization and isolation,” he warned, “would be a big mistake.”

In a recent Data Center Knowledge opinion piece discussing the growth of Germany’s data center market, Oliver Menzel, CEO of Maincubes, expanded on Germany’s importance in the technology infrastructure landscape, saying: “Germany’s central geographic location provides excellent connectivity to all other European markets, facilitating data exchange and collaboration. DE-CIX (the world’s largest internet exchange) provides premium interconnection services and operates several carrier- and data center-neutral internet exchanges in Europe, the Middle East, North America, Asia, and Africa.”

He added: “Germany is the largest economy in the European Union. This provides a safe environment for data center investments. Also, the country's political stability contributes to a secure and predictable business climate, which is important for long-term AI projects. Its thriving tech and innovation ecosystem fosters collaboration and partnerships for data centers. Enterprises and scale-ups alike can benefit.”