Amazon taps Finland’s IQM for its first EU quantum computing service

IQM Garnet, a 20-qubit quantum processing unit (QPU) is now available via Amazon Web Services (AWS) — the first quantum computer accessible via AWS’ cloud in the European Union.

Finnish quantum hardware startup IQM is based outside of Helsinki, Finland. AWS previously has collaborations in place with IonQ, Oxford Quantum Circuits, QuEra, and Rigetti for its quantum cloud service known as Braket, but this will be the first AWS quantum processor hosted within the EU. 

This also means that it is the first time Amazon’s quantum services will be accessible to end users in its AWS Europe (Stockholm) Region. It is also the first time IQM’s quantum computers will be available in an on-demand structure via the cloud, and with AWS’ pay-as-you-go pricing. 

“We are very honoured to be part of the Amazon network and work together with a global tech company,” Jan Goetz, co-CEO and co-founder at IQM told TNW. “For IQM, this is a great opportunity to scale our offering globally and collaborate with leading end-users around the world.”

Goetz further added that the joint offering was a “great step forward for cloud quantum computing,” and would enable cloud users to test novel types of algorithms and use-cases to develop their business. 

Affordability for quantum algorithm startups

As most of our readers will probably know, today’s “noisy” and error-prone quantum computers cannot really do all that much — yet. However, the technology is currently advancing incredibly fast. Learning to work with it will not happen overnight. 

As such a whole business model has sprung up around getting organisations and corporations “quantum-ready,” so that they won’t be caught off guard when quantum utility arrives. Today’s smaller qubit systems are also training grounds for software developers, many of whom are working on solving the issue of error correction. 

“In the context of cloud, IQM Garnet is mostly used by quantum algorithm engineers to develop IP around quantum compilers, algorithms, and error correction schemes,” Max Haeberlein, Head of Cloud at IQM told TNW. “IQM Garnet offers a highly homogenous layout and has cutting-edge fidelities, allowing users to effectively expand algorithms to the full size of the chip.”

At the same time, Haeberlein said, the company offers IQM Garnet at affordable rates, which is especially important for the growing quantum algorithm startup scene.

IQM, founded in 2018, is Europe’s leading quantum hardware developer in superconducting qubits. In the beginning of next year the company plans to add a high-fidelity IQM Radiance 54-qubit quantum computer to its portfolio. 

This, according to Haeberlein, will enable users to extend quantum algorithms beyond the point where they can still be classically emulated by supercomputers.

“In 2026, we release IQM Radiance with 150 qubits, where we will see the first commercial algorithm applications of scale in the domain of finance, automotive, life sciences, and chemicals,” he adds.