The Galicia Supercomputing Center (CESGA) has signed an agreement with IQM Quantum Computers and Telefónica to incorporate two on-premises quantum computing systems that, if the announced timelines are met, will be delivered and installed before June 2026. The package includes an IQM Radiance with 54 qubits and an IQM Spark with 5 qubits, a combination designed to bridge two worlds that until now have coexisted more in presentations than in production: classical supercomputing (HPC) and quantum computing.
The operation is not just a “milestone” for the Galician ecosystem: it would be the first IQM quantum systems installation in Spain, according to the company itself. Furthermore, it arrives at a time when CESGA is preparing for its next major leap in computational capacity with Finisterrae IV, a supercomputer aimed at AI workloads and advanced computing.
Why a 54-qubit system matters (and why it’s not everything)
Talking about “54 qubits” might sound, to the general public, like “54 cores” in a CPU. But in quantum computing, the number alone doesn’t tell the whole story: factors like the technology type, stability, gate fidelity, noise levels, and available software also influence performance. Still, a system of this size operates at a practical frontier: enough for advanced experimentation, algorithm testing, and, most importantly, starting to explore hybrid workflows where the quantum part is used as an accelerator for very specific tasks (optimization, simulation, certain combinatorial problems), while the bulk of the computation continues on HPC.
Within this logic fits the second system in the agreement: the IQM Spark with 5 qubits, envisioned as a platform for training, skill development, and more direct experimentation (including low-level work), which is key if the goal is to build a technical community rather than just “own the machine”.
The real goal: hybrid computing within an HPC environment
The announcement emphasizes one idea: it’s not about placing a quantum computer “next to” a supercomputer but about integrating it into a real HPC environment. In practice, this involves orchestration, job queues, access control, metrics, observability, and a software layer capable of deciding which part of the problem is offloaded to the QPU and when it makes sense to do so.
According to the disclosed plan, the IQM Radiance would be deployed to operate alongside Finisterrae IV, which CESGA envisions as a new reference platform for AI workloads and scientific computing within their infrastructure.
This is where Telefónica comes in. The telecom operator appears as a partner to bring these capabilities closer to research and business uses, with a message aligned with its digital infrastructure strategy: quantum as a “pillar” of the future and, more importantly, as a component that must be accessible with guarantees of access, security, and reliable operation.
Galicia wants to be in the European quantum race
This move also aligns with the institutional narrative of the Galicia Quantum Technologies Hub, which aims to make Galicia a reference in quantum technologies by 2030 and advocates for a pragmatic approach: coexisting with multiple technological alternatives (without betting everything on a single approach) because the sector is evolving rapidly, and there is no definitive “winner” yet.
In other words: the agreement doesn’t just involve hardware purchase; it buys learning time. And that’s perhaps the most valuable asset in a discipline where competitive advantage is not gained simply by “having the machine,” but by knowing which problems are worth tackling with it, how to integrate it into real pipelines, and how to measure its added value compared to highly optimized classical techniques.
The real challenges start after the photo
Even with the agreement signed, the real test will take place on three fronts:
- Operational integration: ensuring the QPU is not just an “isolated lab,” but a resource with management, support, and lifecycle comparable to an HPC cluster (albeit with much more demanding physical requirements).
- Use cases with return on investment: identifying workloads where the hybrid approach makes sense and building a minimal catalog of “candidate problems”.
- Talent and ecosystem: training, tools, collaboration with universities and companies, and the capacity to sustain projects beyond the initial excitement.
The overarching message is clear: Spain — and in this case Galicia — aims to narrow the gap between discourse on “next-generation technologies” and the reality of operable infrastructure. If the deployment materializes in 2026 and integrates with Finisterrae IV as planned, CESGA will not only increase capacity but also gain a testing ground for the next phase, where computing will no longer compete as “classical or quantum,” but as hybrid systems.