Inauguration of PIAST-Q – A Leap for European Quantum Computing

The inauguration ceremony was hosted by the Poznańskie Centrum Superkomputerowo-Sieciowe (PCSS) in Poland. The event was attended by Dariusz Standerski – Secretary of State at Poland’s Ministry of Digital Affairs, Rafal Duczmal – Chair of the EuroHPC JU Governing Board and Anders Jensen – the Executive Director of EuroHPC Joint Undertaking.

Named after the Piast dynasty, the first historical ruling dynasty of Poland, PIAST-Q is a laser-based trapped-ion quantum computer, hosted and operated by PCSS and supplied by AQT in Innsbruck, Austria.

Anders Jensen, Executive Director of the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking:

Today’s inauguration of PIAST-Q is a major step in Europe’s leap into the quantum era. This milestone not only marks the deployment of our first EuroHPC quantum computer, but also demonstrates our commitment to building a world-class, sovereign quantum computing ecosystem in Europe. With PIAST-Q, we are not just investing in technology, we are investing in European excellence.

Dariusz Standerski, Polish Secretary of State for Digital Affairs:

I am grateful to EuroHPC JU and the European Commission for their exemplary cooperation in this project. The new PIAST-Q quantum computer, which meets the highest international standards, supports a wide range of activities, including quantum optimisation, research into quantum materials and quantum machine learning. There are many applications yet to be developed, and the potential of this computer will continue to grow.

Robert Pękal, Director of PCSS:

The launch of PIAST-Q is another milestone for PCSS, confirming its position as a leading center in the field of advanced technologies. We are proud that the first Polish EuroHPC quantum infrastructure has been created in Poznań, opening up new opportunities for European scientists and industry in the field of quantum and hybrid computing. This achievement also demonstrates our ability to swiftly and efficiently implement innovative projects and highlights the collaboration between Polish scientific institutions and European partners.

Thomas Monz, CEO and Founder at AQT:

We are honoured and proud to have been selected to install the AQT ion-trap quantum computer at PCSS – highlighting the achievements of our team and the ion-trap platform. We are looking forward to lead the European hybrid integration of quantum computers into high-performance computer centers. Together with our partners in Poland we will pursue novel use-cases to benefit the Polish and European quantum-HPC ecosystem.

Krzysztof Kurowski, PIAST-Q and EuroQCS-Poland consortium coordinator

The inauguration of the PIAST-Q quantum computer installation at PCSS marks a symbolic – yet crucial first step in the EuroQCS-Poland project. This is the beginning of our development and implementation process – the work that is carried out in collaboration with the project’s partners and EuroHPC JU. The goal of these efforts is the full integration of the quantum computer with our supercomputing systems and the PIAST-AI Factory. As a result we will provide users with access to the most advanced state-of-the-art hybrid computing infrastructure – not only at PCSS but also at the other five supercomputing centers in Europe, which are responsible for installations of quantum computers based on various technologies.