It’s official. The Basque Country will house a new IBM Quantum Computing Center. After the speculations of the last few days, today the agreement between IBM and the Basque Government for the development of one of the technological projects more ambitious of those that have been launched in the region in recent decades.
A few hours ago, IBM’s Thomas J. Watson Research Center hosted the meeting between the president and CEO of IBM, Arvind Krishnaand the Minister of Education and president of Ikerbasque, Jokin Bildarratz. As a result of this signing, the Basque Country will host a new IBM Quantum Computing Center and will house a 127-qbit IBM Quantum System One), the sixth in the world after those that have already been launched in the United States, Germany, Japan, Canada and South Korea.
In the meeting, they have also participated, Dario GilSVP and director of IBM Research, the president of IBM Spain, Portugal, Greece and Israel, Horace Morellas well as the Deputy Minister for Universities and Research of the Basque Government, Adolfo Morais, The Ikerbasque Foundation, through financing from the Basque Government, will make an investment of €50.8 million, amount that the Provincial Councils will complement with different contributions destined to the development of the project in their territories. This amount represents the largest investment made to date in scientific infrastructure by institutions in the region.
International recognition
IBM’s commitment to the Basque Country represents a new recognition of the Basque Science, Technology and Innovation System. The Basque Country has a solid scientific base in quantum technologies, supercomputing and artificial intelligence, supported by its network of centers of excellence, both basic and applied.
Considered a Region of High Innovation by the European Union and a Pole of Excellence, the high qualification of its scientists has consolidated the Basque Country as a solid partner with high innovative value. After the meeting, the director Bildarratz visited the facilities of IBM’s Thomas J. Watson research center, accompanied by Darío Gil, SVP and director of IBM Research, and his team. At the meeting, the Basque delegation was able to analyze the different areas of research that are currently being developed, as well as the actions and projects that can be carried out in Donostia with the start-up of “System One”.
Finally, it is worth noting that the Ikerbasque Foundation, the Basque Government and the Provincial Councils will present the project on March 24 in Donostia.
