LUMI-Q Consortium Unveils the VLQ Quantum Computer for the European and Polish Science Community

The inauguration ceremony took place at IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Center, part of VSB – Technical University of Ostrava. It was attended by many distinguished guests, including Gustav Kalbe from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology, Anders Jensen, Executive Director of EuroHPC JU, Czech government officials, rectors of Czech universities, and representatives of the LUMI-Q consortium. Poland was represented by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and ACC Cyfronet AGH.

VLQ is a quantum computer with 24 physical qubits in a star-shaped topology. This architecture provides unique connections between qubits, significantly increasing the efficiency of quantum computations and distinguishing VLQ from competing systems. The topology offers a computational advantage by minimising the number of so-called swap operations.  The system was supplied by IQM Quantum Computers at a total acquisition cost of approximately EUR 5 million. Half of the cost was funded by EuroHPC JU, with the other half covered by the LUMI-Q consortium. The consortium comprises thirteen partners from eight European countries. It is led by the Czech Republic and includes Belgium, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, and Sweden.

“The VLQ quantum computer will serve a broad spectrum of European users – from academic institutions and industrial companies to the public sector. It will primarily support research and innovation, and its capacities will be accessible to all users across Europe via EuroHPC JU,” said Branislav Jansik, Director of Supercomputing Services at IT4Innovations and coordinator of LUMI-Q consortium.

VLQ will enable researchers to explore new algorithms and applications in areas such as quantum machine learning, drug and vaccine development, new material design, transport optimisation, the financial sector, the performance forecasting of renewable energy resources, and security and defence.

The quantum computer will not function as a standalone computational system. Like other EuroHPC JU quantum computers, it will be integrated into the European high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure. In Ostrava, it is directly connected to the Karolina supercomputer, enabling combined classical and quantum computations.

“With VLQ, Europe is taking another decisive step towards deploying a world-class European quantum computing ecosystem. By combining the strengths of our supercomputers with state-of-the-art quantum technologies, we are giving European users the tools to explore solutions that were previously out of reach. Today’s inauguration is also a testament to the power of European collaboration: together, we are laying the foundation for breakthroughs that will shape the future of science, technology, and society,” said Anders Jensen, Executive Director of EuroHPC JU.

By the end of 2025, VLQ will be accessible to researchers, companies, and the public sector across Europe. In Poland the access will be possible via the national PLGrid infrastructure, which is coordinated by ACC Cyfronet AGH.

More interesting facts about the VLQ quantum computer

The VLQ quantum computer contains 24 superconducting qubits in a star-shaped topology.

To operate, its qubits must be kept at an extremely low temperature — just 0.01 Kelvin above absolute zero (i.e., about –273.14 °C), colder than outer space. This “frozen” state is provided by a special cryostat, part of which resembles a multi-tiered, gleaming gold chandelier weighing approximately 300 kg. Such cooling is essential, as even a tiny amount of heat could destroy the fragile quantum states of the qubits. The chip itself is located at the bottom of the cryostat, and achieving these ultra-low operating temperatures relies on quantum effects when mixing helium isotopes.

Despite the demanding cooling, the quantum chip consumes only a few kilowatts of energy. The supporting infrastructure and cooling systems use most of the power, which is still far less than classical supercomputers, which require megawatts.

The name VLQ refers to:

• V – VSB – Technical University of Ostrava (where it is located),
• L – LUMI-Q Consortium,
• Q – Quantum Computing,

However, when pronounced, the name sounds like the Czech word „vlk,” which means wolf, the symbol of the LUMI supercomputer from which the LUMI-Q consortium originated.

Thanks to the competitions organised by Cyfronet, 42 Polish projects have so far been qualified to be run on the LUMI supercomputer, giving the Polish researchers a unique possibility to use one of the top supercomputers in the world in their research. As soon as the VLQ quantum computer is operational, a similar competition-based approach is to be set. Again, the PLGrid portal will serve as an access point.

Media Contact
Zuzana Cervenkova, Spokesperson for IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Center
zuzana.cervenkova [at] vsb.cz

Contact for Polish researchers
PLGrid Helpdesk
helpdesk@plgrid.pl

EuroHPC JU

EuroHPC JU is a legal and financial entity established by a regulation of the Council of the European Union. It brings together the European Union, participating states, and private entities to coordinate efforts and pool resources to make Europe a world leader in supercomputing, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence. To equip Europe with cutting-edge computing and data infrastructure, EuroHPC JU has already procured 11 supercomputers located across Europe. Three EuroHPC supercomputers are now among the 10 most powerful in the world. European scientists and users from the public sector and industry can access these EuroHPC supercomputers regardless of where they are in Europe, thereby advancing science and supporting the development of a wide range of industrial, scientific, and socially beneficial applications.
EuroHPC JU is also involved in establishing 13 so-called AI Factories across Europe, which offer tailored support free of charge to small and medium-sized enterprises and startups.
EuroHPC JU plans to install 10 quantum computers in selected member states, with the VLQ being one of the first in the field of quantum technologies.
EuroHPC JU also funds research and innovation projects aimed at creating a complete European supply chain for supercomputing — from processors and software to applications running on these supercomputers and the know-how needed to develop strong European expertise in HPC.
More information at www.eurohpc-ju.europa.eu.