AQTION · Project

Industrial-Grade Trapped-Ion Quantum Computer Ready to Solve Chemistry and AI Problems

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Imagine a computer that works not with ones and zeros, but with atoms held in place by electric fields — each atom storing information in a way that lets it explore millions of possibilities at once. The AQTION team built a working quantum computer with 50 of these atomic processors (called qubits), connected so anyone can run calculations on it remotely, like booking a supercomputer from your laptop. They also figured out how to link multiple quantum processors together using light, which is how you'd eventually scale up to thousands of qubits. The goal is to crack problems in chemistry and machine learning that today's best computers simply cannot touch.

By the numbers

qubits in the fully connected quantum computing device

qubits in the assembled quantum computer demonstrator

9,587,250

EUR in EU funding contribution

consortium partners across 6 countries

industry partners in the consortium

junctions in the manufactured 50-ion 3D trap

The business problem

What needed solving

Companies in pharma, finance, and AI are hitting hard computational ceilings — molecular simulations that take months, optimization problems that classical supercomputers cannot solve, and machine learning models that are too complex to train efficiently. These are not just slow calculations; they are problems where classical computing fundamentally cannot explore enough possibilities to find the right answer.

The solution

What was built

The team assembled a 10-qubit quantum computer demonstrator, then scaled to an automated 50-qubit system. They manufactured a 50-ion 3D trap with 2 junctions for scalable architecture, completed a feasibility study on fibre-cavity integration into the trap design, and built a software stack for remote user access without requiring hardware-specific knowledge.

Audience

Who needs this

Pharmaceutical companies doing molecular simulation and drug discoveryChemical manufacturers optimizing catalysts and materialsFinancial institutions running complex portfolio optimizationAI and machine learning companies seeking quantum-enhanced trainingCloud computing providers looking to offer quantum-as-a-service

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Pharmaceutical & Chemical R&D

enterprise

Target: Drug discovery companies and chemical manufacturers

If you are a pharma or chemical company spending months simulating molecular interactions on classical supercomputers — this project developed a 50-qubit trapped-ion quantum computer with remote access capability that can model molecular behavior beyond what classical machines handle. The system was designed specifically for computational chemistry problems and could dramatically shorten your drug candidate screening or catalyst design cycles.

Financial Services & Risk Modeling

enterprise

Target: Banks, insurance firms, and hedge funds

If you are a financial institution struggling with portfolio optimization or risk modeling that hits the limits of classical computing — this project built an automated 50-qubit quantum processor with a software stack that lets users run complex algorithms without hardware-specific knowledge. The remote-access design means your quant team could test quantum advantage on real optimization problems without buying any hardware.

Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning

mid-size

Target: AI companies and enterprise ML teams

If you are an AI company hitting walls with training speed or model complexity on classical hardware — this project demonstrated quantum computing capabilities explicitly targeting machine learning applications, with a fully connected 50-qubit device accessible through high-level software. The 11-partner consortium across 6 countries built both the hardware and the user-friendly software stack needed for practical quantum-enhanced ML.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to access this quantum computing technology?

The project was funded with EUR 9,587,250 in EU contribution and built a system designed for remote access via a robust software stack. Pricing for commercial access is not specified in the project data, but the architecture was explicitly designed so users can run algorithms without hardware-specific knowledge — suggesting a cloud-access or quantum-computing-as-a-service model is intended.

Can this scale to industrial-level computing problems?

Yes, scalability was a core objective. The project developed long-range connectivity via ion-shuttling between sub-processors and photonic interconnects between quantum processors, techniques designed to scale beyond thousands of qubits. A 50-ion 3D trap with 2 junctions was manufactured as proof of this scaling path.

What is the IP situation — can we license this technology?

The consortium includes 3 industry partners and 1 SME alongside 6 universities and 2 research organizations across 6 countries. IP arrangements would depend on the consortium agreement. Contact the coordinator at Universität Innsbruck or the industry partners for licensing discussions.

How mature is this technology — is it lab-only or ready for real use?

The project delivered an assembled 10-qubit quantum computer demonstrator and an automated 50-qubit system. A 50-ion 3D trap with 2 junctions was manufactured and produced. This puts it beyond pure research but still in the advanced prototype stage requiring further engineering for commercial deployment.

Can our existing software team use this, or do we need quantum physicists?

The project specifically built a robust hardware and software stack enabling high-level user access and remote execution of complex algorithms without hardware-specific knowledge. This was a deliberate design goal — making quantum computing accessible to domain experts rather than only quantum physicists.

What real problems has this actually solved?

The project targeted computational problems in chemistry and machine learning that are inaccessible to classical computers. The 50-qubit fully connected device was designed to implement calculations out of the reach of classical computers. Based on available project data, specific commercial problem-solving results are not detailed in the deliverable titles.

Are there regulatory considerations for using quantum computing?

Based on available project data, no specific regulatory constraints are mentioned. However, quantum computing touches areas like cryptography and data security where regulatory frameworks are evolving. The consortium spans 6 countries including EU and non-EU (CH, UK), which may affect technology transfer rules.

Consortium

Who built it

The AQTION consortium brings together 11 partners from 6 countries (Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, France, UK), led by Universität Innsbruck — one of the world's top trapped-ion quantum computing groups. The mix is 6 universities, 2 research organizations, and 3 industry partners (including 1 SME), giving a 27% industry ratio. This is a research-heavy consortium, which is expected for frontier quantum computing, but the presence of 3 industry partners signals genuine interest in commercialization. The EUR 9,587,250 budget and pan-European spread suggest significant institutional backing and a technology that multiple countries consider strategically important.

UNIVERSITAET INNSBRUCKCoordinator · AT
SWANSEA UNIVERSITYparticipant · UK
JOHANNES GUTENBERG-UNIVERSITAT MAINZparticipant · DE
FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM JULICH GMBHparticipant · DE
UNIVERSIDAD COMPLUTENSE DE MADRIDparticipant · ES
EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICHparticipant · CH
BULL SASparticipant · FR
THE CHANCELLOR, MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORDparticipant · UK
TOPTICA PHOTONICS SEparticipant · DE

How to reach the team

Universität Innsbruck, Austria — leading trapped-ion quantum computing research group

Order a report on this consortium See UNIVERSITAET INNSBRUCK profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how quantum computing from AQTION could give your business a competitive edge? SciTransfer connects companies with the research teams behind EU-funded breakthroughs — we handle the introductions so you can focus on the opportunity.

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