IQM and Telefónica target first Madrid-region quantum computer at UPM
Telefónica and IQM plan to install an IQM Spark system at the Technical University of Madrid by the end of 2026.
Telefónica and IQM Quantum Computers say they plan to deploy the first quantum computer in Spain’s Community of Madrid, with installation scheduled at the Technical University of Madrid (UPM) before the end of 2026. According to the announcement, the system will be an IQM Spark machine aimed at research, education and early-stage development, giving local universities, hospitals, research centers and start-ups access to on-site quantum hardware.
What was announced
The project is framed as a regional infrastructure effort rather than a single-institution research purchase. Telefónica and IQM say the Madrid installation is intended to strengthen scientific and technical capabilities across the Community of Madrid and to support the development of industry use cases.
According to the announcement, the machine will be installed at UPM but is meant to serve a broader local user base. The stated goal is to let organizations test quantum algorithms directly on hardware and build internal expertise through hands-on access.
IQM CEO and co-founder Jan Goetz said the investment gives Madrid-based researchers, students and companies infrastructure to develop capabilities over the long term.
The technical details
The system named in the announcement is IQM Spark, which the companies describe as an all-in-one platform for research, teaching and early development work. The report identifies IQM as a builder of superconducting quantum computers, but it does not disclose qubit count, performance figures or other technical specifications for the Madrid system.
That absence matters: at this stage, the announcement is about deployment plans and access strategy, not benchmark results. No research paper, validation data or third-party performance assessment is cited in the report.
Madrid’s place in Telefónica and IQM’s plans
The new system would add to earlier quantum-computing deployments by Telefónica and IQM in Spain. The announcement says the Madrid machine will join two other quantum computers the companies provided to CESGA, the Galician Supercomputing Centre.
Telefónica positioned the Madrid project as part of a wider quantum effort spanning communications, encryption and critical-data protection. Borja Ochoa, non-executive chairman of Telefónica España and CEO of B2B, said the company has been working with the Community of Madrid on quantum technologies in networking and security as well as computing. He also said Telefónica is the first operator in Spain to offer data-center communications protected by new post-quantum cryptography standards.
For IQM, the Madrid project extends an international deployment strategy. The announcement says the company already has full-stack quantum computers installed across Europe, Asia and North America, including systems supplied to major supercomputing centers.
Why it matters
A university-hosted system can play a different role from cloud-only access. Direct access to local hardware can support workforce development, application testing and coordination among universities, public-sector users and start-ups in one region. That appears to be the model Telefónica and IQM are aiming for in Madrid.
The companies also cast the installation as part of a broader European policy and industrial goal. According to the announcement, the project is intended to help attract talent, support a local quantum ecosystem and contribute to European technological sovereignty.
What to watch
The key near-term milestone is whether the system is installed and operational by the end of 2026, as planned. Beyond that, the more meaningful indicators will be who gets access, what use cases emerge from Madrid-based institutions and companies, and whether the installation leads to sustained regional activity rather than a standalone demonstration.
For now, the announcement signals a push to anchor quantum-computing capability physically inside the Madrid research and innovation community, with Telefónica acting as a local industrial partner and IQM supplying the hardware.
Sources
Facts on this page come from the sources below, retrieved by DesignQuantum.
- IQM and Telefónica Plan Quantum Computer for Madrid University thequantuminsider.com