Telefónica and IQM plan Madrid’s first quantum computer

Telefónica and the Finnish quantum‑hardware company IQM have announced that they will install the IQM Spark, a small quantum computer, at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid before the end of 2026. The installation will give the Community of Madrid its first quantum computer.

The Spark is a 5‑qubit system that IQM sells to universities and research centres for teaching and early‑stage research. It will be the third quantum computer that Telefónica and IQM have placed in Spain; the first two were delivered to the Galician super‑computing centre CESGA, where a 54‑qubit Radiance and a 5‑qubit Spark were scheduled for June 2026. The Madrid machine will give local researchers hands‑on access to real quantum hardware.

The installation fits into Telefónica’s broader effort to build quantum‑safe networks in Spain. The operator says it is the first company in the country to link data centres that use post‑quantum cryptography standards. According to Telefónica’s non‑executive chairman Borja Ochoa, the project “marks another step forward in Telefónica’s close collaboration with the Community of Madrid in the deployment of quantum technologies” and will help the region develop its own quantum ecosystem and strengthen Europe’s technological sovereignty.