🇮🇪 Ireland Bets Big on Quantum — and Equal1 Is Leading the Charge

In the global race for quantum computing leadership, Ireland is now clearly positioning itself among the emerging European contenders — and at the centre of this national momentum stands Equal1, a University College Dublin (UCD) spin-out that is redefining how quantum systems can become practical, compact, and commercially viable.

🧠 From University Lab to Quantum Industry Pioneer

Founded as a deep-tech spin-out from UCD’s School of Computer Science and the Centre for Quantum Engineering, Science & Technology (C-QuEST), Equal1 has spent the past few years developing an integrated approach to quantum computing, bringing quantum and classical processors together on the same silicon chip — an architecture designed for seamless deployment within existing HPC environments.

Their flagship system, the Bell-1, embodies this vision — a Quantum-System-on-Chip (QSoC) designed to fit directly into High-Performance Computing (HPC) data centres, using standard silicon processes and built-in cryogenic control.
In a world where most quantum computers require room-sized dilution refrigerators and exotic materials, Equal1’s silicon-based architecture stands out for its scalability and compatibility with the semiconductor industry.

Around Equal1, Ireland’s academic ecosystem is gaining momentum too — with Tyndall National Institute (Cork) advancing quantum electronics and photonics, the Walton Institute at SETU leading Ireland’s Quantum Communications Infrastructure (IrelandQCI), and Trinity College Dublin exploring quantum materials and photonics through the CRANN and Quantum Science groups. Together with UCD, these centres form the scientific backbone of the country’s emerging quantum community.

🇮🇪 Building Ireland’s AI–HPC–Quantum Continuum

Over the past year, Ireland has taken decisive steps to strengthen its national capacity across artificial intelligence, high-performance computing (HPC) and quantum technologies, fully aligning with the European roadmap led by the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking.

At the centre of this effort is the newly announced AI Factory Antenna Ireland (AIF IRL-Antenna) — an initiative led by ICHEC in partnership with CeADAR, Ireland’s national centre for applied AI.
Selected under the AI Factory Europe programme of EuroHPC JU, this Antenna will provide AI-optimised computing resources, data sandboxes, and experimentation facilities for startups, SMEs, and research organisations.
Its mission is to make trusted and energy-efficient AI development accessible through sovereign European infrastructure.

Crucially, the Irish AI Factory Antenna will be interconnected with the French AI Factory, operated by GENCI, CEA, CNRS, with Eviden as a key technological partner — enabling interoperable access, shared research environments, and cross-border collaboration for researchers and innovators across Europe.

In parallel, Ireland has secured hosting rights for CASPIr, the Computation, Analysis & Simulation Platform for Ireland — the country’s next-generation EuroHPC supercomputer, operated by ICHEC under a dedicated hosting agreement with EuroHPC JU.
CASPIr will expand Ireland’s HPC capacity, supporting advanced simulation, modelling, and AI training workloads for academic and industrial users.

Complementing these two initiatives, Ireland also participates in the European Quantum Excellence Centre (QEX) and the EuroQHPC-Integration programmes — both coordinated under EuroHPC JU — reinforcing its growing role in Europe’s HPC-AI-Quantum ecosystem.

Finally, the creation of Quantum Ireland in April 2025 established a national coordination umbrella for research, education, and industry engagement, aligned with the government’s Quantum 2030 strategy.

Together, these initiatives make Ireland a key European node for advanced computing and quantum research — combining national capability with deep integration into the continental network.

🧭 Equal1’s Quantum Leap: From Ireland to Space

Within this momentum, Equal1 has emerged as one of Ireland’s most promising deep-tech players — translating academic excellence into industrial innovation.

In October 2025, the company and its partners secured €13.7 million in funding under Ireland’s Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF – Call 7) for the QUBIC project (Quantum Algorithms, Hardware & Software for Ireland’s Key Challenges).

This ambitious consortium — involving Biosimulytics, Dell Technologies, Nexalus, Algorithmiq Computing, and UCD researchers — aims to:

• develop hardware, algorithms and software addressing key Irish and European challenges (energy, climate, materials, pharma);
• bridge the gap between academic research and commercial applications;
• and train the next generation of quantum engineers and applied scientists.

💡 Biosimulytics, another UCD spin-out, brings its expertise in in-silico drug discovery — showing how quantum computing could soon accelerate pharmaceutical research and molecular simulation.

As Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke underlined, “These projects will drive cutting-edge innovation and strengthen Ireland’s position in key technological fields.”
With QUBIC, Equal1 consolidates its role as a cornerstone of the Irish quantum ecosystem — a position now reaching orbit.

🧭 Equal1’s Bell-1 Heads to Space with the European Space Agency

In November 2025, Equal1 announced that the European Space Agency (ESA) had selected its Bell-1 system for deployment at the Φ-Lab (Phi-Lab) in ESRIN, Italy, under the Quantum Computing for Earth Observation (QC4EO) programme.

The project will use hybrid quantum-classical computing to process Earth observation data, enhance climate modelling, and optimise satellite constellations — showcasing how quantum innovation can serve sustainability and space research alike.

This marks the first integration of an Irish-designed quantum system within ESA infrastructure — a tangible symbol of Ireland’s growing contribution to Europe’s quantum and space technology landscape.

🔍 Why It Matters

Beyond the buzzwords, these developments highlight several strategic shifts:

• Technological sovereignty — developing indigenous capacity across quantum, AI and HPC.
• Ecosystem alignment — Quantum Ireland, AIF IRL-Antenna, CASPIr and QEX form a coherent, complementary framework.
• Cross-sector impact — with applications spanning pharma (Biosimulytics), Earth Observation (ESA), energy and materials.
• Franco-Irish synergy — linking Ireland’s infrastructures (AI Factory Antenna, CASPIr, QEX) with France’s AI Factory (GENCI–CEA–CNRS–Eviden) under the EuroHPC umbrella.
• Research and talent retention — reinforcing Ireland’s attractiveness for quantum and advanced-computing experts.

✳️ In Short

Ireland is now emerging as a strategic European hub for applied quantum and high-performance computing innovation, with Equal1 as one of its flagship players.
Through the DTIF QUBIC project, the ESA partnership, the creation of Quantum Ireland, and the integration within the AI Factory / CASPIr / EuroQHPC ecosystem, Ireland is aligning research, industry and policy to strengthen its contribution to Europe’s digital and scientific sovereignty.

📎 Sources

• Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment — DTIF Call 7 Press Release (24 Oct 2025)
• UCD Innovation — Equal1-led project secures €13.7 M DTIF funding (28 Oct 2025)
• ESA Φ-Lab — Equal1 Bell-1 Quantum System selected for QC4EO (Nov 2025)
• ICT Skillnet — How Quantum Ireland is poised to drive the growth of a dynamic local ecosystem (Apr 2025)
• UCD News — Ireland to gain AI Factory Antenna to boost national capabilities (Oct 2025)
• EuroHPC JU — AI Factory Antennas and Advanced Computing Platforms (CASPIr) (Oct 2025)
• Gov.ie — Quantum 2030 – National Quantum Technologies Strategy (2024)