With IQM Spark, Heilbronn University is focusing on energy-efficient operation and supporting the resource-saving use of high-performance computing technologies. The quantum computer is installed in a laboratory room directly on the TechCampus and gives students, lecturers and project partners direct access to real quantum hardware. The aim is to integrate quantum computing into studies, further education and research projects in a practical way at an early stage and thus build up skills in a future field that is becoming increasingly important for industry, IT and data-driven applications – also in conjunction with artificial intelligence.
Quantum Technology Competence Center
With IQM, Heilbronn University is building on its partnership with a European provider of quantum computers based on superconducting qubit technology. Users will have comprehensive access to a quantum system on site, which is particularly suitable for teaching, qualification measures and the rapid implementation of proof-of-concepts. Open software frameworks enable uncomplicated use and connection to existing IT, cloud and AI environments. Bechtle was IQM’s first sales partner in 2024 and has a competence center for quantum technology at the Bechtle IT system house in Bonn, which also manages the necessary certifications for installation, operation and support for the highly complex technology of the future. This includes the preliminary technical inspection of the premises, the professional installation of the hardware and the integration into the university’s existing IT architecture. The installation will be carried out in 2026 by specialized teams from Bechtle in Neckarsulm and Bonn with the participation of the manufacturer IQM. In addition to installation, the scope of services also includes commissioning and calibration of the system.
A central component of the project is the sustainable integration of the quantum computer into university operations. Bechtle and IQM are jointly carrying out training and onboarding measures for the university staff. These include the basics of quantum computing, the operation and maintenance of the system and its possible uses in teaching, research and further education.
Contribution to Europe’s digital and technological sovereignty
The project is making an important contribution to strengthening digital and technological sovereignty in Europe. Through the use of European quantum hardware, local operation and close cooperation between the university, system integrator and manufacturer, data, expertise and value creation remain in Europe. At the same time, regional expertise and supply chains in a strategically relevant field of technology will be expanded.
The project fits in with the goals of the Quantum Computing Heilbronn initiative and supports the development of a regional innovation ecosystem for quantum computing, artificial intelligence and data-driven applications. Close integration with existing and emerging structures – including the IPAI Heilbronn as a European AI ecosystem – creates the basis for the subsequent transfer of research results into industrial and commercial applications.
“As a system integrator, Bechtle combines technological expertise with many years of experience in setting up and securely operating complex IT infrastructures,” says Michael Guschlbauer, COO, Bechtle AG. “With the first quantum computer at Heilbronn University, we are creating a platform that brings together education, research and innovation. At the same time, we are strengthening Europe’s digital sovereignty and creating the conditions for the interaction of quantum computing and classical IT.”
“We are convinced that by providing the IQM Spark quantum computer through our valued partner Bechtle, Heilbronn University will be able to accelerate its research and achieve new scientific insights. At the same time, students will gain the skills of the quantum industry professionals that are urgently needed now and in the future,” adds Jan Goetz, CEO and co-founder of IQM Quantum Computers.
“We are very much looking forward to this opportunity to make quantum computing more tangible at HHN. The quantum computer is a crucial building block to educate our students from the hardware to the application level along the entire technology chain. In this way, we are promoting important future skills for our students and strengthening the innovative capacity of industry,” says Prof. Dr. Alexander Windberger, Professor of Artificial Intelligence, Algorithms and Practical Computer Science at Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences.
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Further links
👉 www.bechtle.com
Photo: IQM
