2 min Reading Time

IBM is widely regarded as a leader in quantum computing development and has now inaugurated its first Quantum Data Center outside the U.S. in Ehningen, near Stuttgart, with high-profile political figures in attendance. The facility will soon deploy the company’s most powerful Heron chips.

TL;DR

• IBM’s Eagle processors, starting at 100 qubits, deliver high computational power through superposition and entanglement.
• Eagle chips can reach states like 2¹⁰⁰, approximately 1.27 × 10³⁰ possible combinations.
• On October 1, 2024, IBM opened its first European quantum computing data center in Ehingen near Böblingen, Germany.
• The new Heron processor, with 156 qubits, offers up to 16 times the performance of Eagle models.
• Heron systems will form the foundation of IBM’s future hardware roadmap and are slated for deployment in Europe starting in 2024.

At first glance, the number of quantum bits – or qubits – might suggest only incremental progress in quantum computing. Yet IBM’s Eagle quantum processors, with over 100 qubits, unlock far greater computational power than expected through superposition and entanglement. While they still operate using the binary states of 1 and 0, like conventional chips, their ability to exist in superposition allows them to represent more than 2¹⁰⁰ – or 1.2676506002 quintillion (1 × 10³⁰) – distinct states.

On October 1, 2024, IBM – often referred to as “Big Blue” – inaugurated its first quantum computing data center in Europe, located in the small town of Ehingen near Böblingen in the southwestern German state of Baden-Württemberg. The event drew high-profile attendees, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, alongside business and political leaders from across Germany and Europe. The new IBM Quantum Data Center houses two Eagle quantum processors, each with over 100 qubits, capable of performing calculations on a scale equivalent to a classical computer with trillions of bits. But that’s just the beginning.

Heron reaches new performance heights

In late 2023, IBM unveiled Quantum Heron, its latest generation of quantum processors, which – with 156 qubits – promises three to five times the performance of its Eagle predecessors.

The name Heron nods both to the English word for the long-legged bird and to Hero of Alexandria, the Greek mathematician who, in the first century AD, pioneered an iterative method for calculating square roots (still known as Heron’s method) and built some of the earliest programmable devices, including the famous “Heron’s fountain.”

“With Heron, we have created a qubit and gate technology that we believe will underpin our entire future hardware roadmap,” IBM stated at the launch. One of the first Heron-based systems is slated to arrive soon at IBM’s facility in Ehningen, Germany.

“Once the Heron-based system is operational in IBM’s European Quantum Data Center, it will become the third Heron installation in IBM’s global quantum fleet – accessible to the company’s quantum network of over 250 enterprises, universities, research institutes, and organizations,” Industry of Things quoted from the original press release.

The release continues: “IBM Heron delivers up to 16 times the performance and 25 times the speed of earlier IBM quantum computers, according to benchmarks recorded two years ago.”

IBM’s quantum network already includes more than a dozen quantum computers, supporting around 80 European organizations – including Germany’s Fraunhofer Institutes – in tackling highly complex calculations and developing quantum algorithms.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many qubits do IBM’s Eagle quantum processors have?

IBM’s Eagle quantum processors feature over 100 qubits, though exact numbers are not disclosed.

What enables the Eagle processors’ high computational power?

Through quantum superposition and entanglement, they can process up to 1.27 × 10³⁰ states simultaneously.

Where is IBM’s first quantum data center in Europe located?

IBM’s first European quantum data center is located in Ehingen near Böblingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

How much more powerful is the Heron quantum processor compared to Eagle?

The Heron processor delivers up to 16 times the performance and is 25 times faster than earlier IBM models.

Which organizations use the IBM Quantum Network?

More than 250 companies, universities, research institutions, and organizations – including Germany’s Fraunhofer Institutes – are part of the network.

Editor’s Picks

• API-First: Why Modern Cloud Architectures Succeed or Fail at the API Design Stage
• Pretext: Can a JavaScript Library Solve the Browser’s 30-Year Problem – or Is It Just Hype?
• AWS vs. Azure vs. Google Cloud 2026: A No-Nonsense Comparison for DACH Enterprises

More from the MBF Media Network

SecurityToday | MyBusinessFuture | Digital Chiefs

Header Image Source: German Federal Government/Steffen Kugler