February 14, 2024 -- The European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) has launched a call for tender for the installation of LUMI-Q, a new EuroHPC quantum computer to be located in Czechia and integrated into the EuroHPC supercomputer KAROLINA.

LUMI-Q will be a digital quantum computer based on superconducting qubits in a star-shaped topology providing one-to-all qubit connectivity. The star-shape topology minimises the number of so-called swap operations, which enables the execution of very complex quantum algorithms. LUMI-Q will offer at least 20 physical qubits.

The system will be hosted and operated by IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Centre (IT4I) in Ostrava, Czechia and integrated into the EuroHPC supercomputer KAROLINA.

LUMI-Q will be available to a wide range of European users, from the scientific community to industry and the public sector. The upcoming quantum computing infrastructure will support the development of a wide range of applications with industrial, scientific and societal relevance for Europe, adding new capabilities to the European supercomputing infrastructure.

The acquisition and integration of quantum computers into existing HPC data centres is EuroHPC’s first initiative to procure quantum computing hardware directly, which will be owned by the EuroHPC JU.

In November 2023, the EuroHPC JU also launched a call for proposals on European Quantum Excellence Centres (QECs) to establish knowledge hubs for quantum computing and thus fostering the development of a quantum computing ecosystem. The call is open until May 14, 2024.

To complement the upcoming quantum infrastructure, additional calls targeting the development of hybrid HPC-Quantum Computing middleware technologies, as well as hybrid algorithms and applications, are planned for the near future, ensuring a holistic approach for the development of a European quantum computing ecosystem.

The total cost of the system is EUR 7.0 million and will be co-funded by the EuroHPC JU and the LUMI-Q consortium. The LUMI-Q consortium is a true pan-European collaboration effort with 9 European countries involved: Czechia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Norway, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.

The closing date for submission of an application to tender is April 2, 2024 at 16:00.