IQM Plans First South American Quantum Computer in Brazil

IQM Quantum Computers has signed a purchase agreement with Brazil’s Eldorado Research Institute to install an IQM Spark system at Eldorado’s Campinas headquarters in the first quarter of 2027. This marks IQM’s first machine in South America.

Details of the IQM Agreement

The agreement, according to a press release, is a purchase of hardware for installation in Q1 2027 at Eldorado’s Campinas site, located approximately 100km northwest of São Paulo.

The deal also includes remote access to IQM’s 54-qubit cloud system in Europe, which enables Brazilian teams to tackle larger computational tasks when required.

Unclear Aspects and Limitations

IQM’s Spark line has typically been a smaller system, and their 54-qubit machine is the European cloud unit. The exact model and qubit count for the Campinas installation remain unconfirmed. Furthermore, financial terms, including price, funding sources, and operational responsibilities post-installation, are unclear.

Having a quantum machine in the region would provide Brazilian universities and industry partners with direct hardware access for algorithmic development and hybrid HPC-quantum-AI research. This represents a change in accessibility but does not inherently demonstrate quantum advantage. It also does not imply fault tolerance or indicate the presence of a cryptographically relevant quantum computer, as such a machine does not currently exist anywhere.

IQM’s own figures provide context for this deal. The company reported an order backlog of EUR 102 million, with 26 full-stack systems sold and 17 delivered, including its first US machine.