IonQ, widely recognized as the world’s leading quantum computing company, has significantly strengthened its European presence by expanding its long-term partnership with QuantumBasel, the flagship quantum initiative of Switzerland’s uptownBasel innovation campus. Through this newly extended agreement, QuantumBasel will take full ownership of its existing IonQ Forte Enterprise system while also securing ownership of IonQ’s next-generation Tempo quantum system.
With this expansion, the total value of the IonQ–QuantumBasel collaboration now exceeds $60 million. Moreover, the agreement extends IonQ’s on-site operations in Switzerland by an additional four years, ensuring a continued presence through 2029. As IonQ’s official European Innovation Center, QuantumBasel plays a pivotal role in enabling enterprises, academic institutions, and research organizations across Europe to explore real-world quantum computing applications using enterprise-grade systems.
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Highlighting the strategic importance of the collaboration, Niccolo de Masi, Chairman and CEO of IonQ, stated, “Our extended partnership with QuantumBasel represents a cornerstone of IonQ’s global strategy. QuantumBasel continues to be a critical innovation node for our company as we expand quantum adoption. We’re growing a quantum-ready ecosystem in Europe that is capable of driving progress in material science, defense, AI, life sciences, logistics, and beyond.”
In addition to infrastructure expansion, IonQ and QuantumBasel are broadening their collaborative research agenda. Specifically, new research streams will focus on optimizing large language models (LLMs) and advancing hybrid quantum-classical computing techniques. These initiatives aim to generate near-term commercial value by improving AI performance and experimenting with innovative algorithmic approaches that bridge classical and quantum systems.
From QuantumBasel’s perspective, the partnership continues to energize the region’s quantum ecosystem. Thomas Landolt, CEO of QuantumBasel, emphasized the collaborative vision, saying, “We are excited about our partnership with IonQ to jointly explore the possibilities Quantum Computing offers today and in the future. The on-site system also serves as a catalyst for a vibrant community at uptownBasel,“ he said.
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As part of the agreement, IonQ will further expand its physical footprint and grow its technical and research teams in Switzerland. This expansion will support both system development and joint research initiatives, while also reinforcing QuantumBasel’s position as a leading destination for next-generation technologies. Notably, enterprises, startups, universities, and research institutes throughout Europe will continue to gain direct access to IonQ’s advanced quantum systems.
Looking ahead, QuantumBasel will transition from the IonQ Forte Enterprise system to IonQ Tempo, a key milestone in IonQ’s roadmap toward fault-tolerant, high-performance quantum computing. Tempo is expected to enable deeper quantum circuits and deliver higher-fidelity operations, accelerating quantum adoption across sectors such as finance, materials science, pharmaceutical research, and supply chain optimization. Overall, the partnership is designed to span four generations of IonQ’s quantum systems.
Finally, this announcement builds on IonQ’s broader commitment to expanding quantum innovation across the European Union. Following the completion of its first European Innovation Center at uptownBasel in December 2024, IonQ has continued to scale its footprint through strategic partnerships and acquisitions, including collaborations with Einride in Sweden, the acquisition of Oxford Ionics in the UK and ID Quantique in Switzerland, the launch of IonQ Italia led by Marco Pistoia, and a recent agreement with CCRM Nordic.
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