Ostrava, 14 July 2026 – Quantum computing is no longer just a vision of the distant future. Researchers and companies from the Czech Republic and across Europe can now gain access to VLQ – the first quantum computer installed in the Czech Republic. The system is operated by the IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Center at VSB – Technical University of Ostrava, which is expanding its portfolio of computing systems with this entirely new technology. VLQ was acquired and is operated by the LUMI-Q consortium, with 50% of its funding provided by the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU).
Today’s classical supercomputers help solve some of the most complex scientific and industrial challenges. Quantum computers represent the next step in the evolution of computing methods and could, in the future, unlock new possibilities in areas such as quantum machine learning, the design of new materials, transport optimisation, the financial sector, renewable energy forecasting, and security and defence.
“By opening access to VLQ, we are enabling users in the Czech Republic and across Europe to work with real quantum hardware. Hands-on experience is essential for developing the knowledge, applications and expertise that will drive the future use of quantum technologies,” says Branislav Jansík, Director of Supercomputing Services at IT4Innovations.
“Installing the quantum computer involved overcoming a number of technical challenges – from the cooling technology to the quantum processor itself. All testing and validation were completed successfully, and we can now confirm that the system is ready for users. Thanks to VLQ, the Czech Republic is among Europe's pioneers in quantum technologies, and experts from across the continent are showing strong interest in our experience,” Jansík adds.
VLQ has already attracted its first users from Czech research organisations through the IT4Innovations Open Access Grant Competition. A total of 16 projects have been awarded access, primarily in materials research and computer science, involving researchers from the Czech Academy of Sciences, VSB – Technical University of Ostrava, Charles University, and Brno University of Technology.
How to Access the VLQ Quantum Computer
VLQ's computing capacity is allocated through calls organised by the member countries of the LUMI-Q consortium and through Europe-wide calls launched by the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU), which co-funded the system.
Research organisations in the Czech Republic can apply for access through IT4Innovations' Open Access Grant Competitions. Users from the LUMI-Q consortium partner countries can apply through the respective national calls organised by their partners, while applicants from other European countries can gain access through the newly launched EuroHPC JU calls.
VLQ will enable researchers, companies and other users to test quantum algorithms on real quantum hardware, develop and optimise hybrid quantum-classical workflows, and build the applications and expertise needed for the future adoption of quantum technologies.
VLQ will also play an important role in the international interdisciplinary CLARA Centre of Excellence, where it will support the development of a testbed for research into neurodegenerative diseases, with a particular focus on Alzheimer's disease. “Research into Alzheimer's disease and the longevity of the human brain is an exceptionally complex challenge, involving a vast number of variables. It encompasses countless interacting factors and requires extensive computational modelling,” explains Jansík. Addressing problems of this complexity is one of the greatest promises of quantum computing. With classical computers, it is often necessary to simplify highly complex problems and rely on approximate results. Quantum computers, by contrast, have the potential to deliver more accurate solutions.
The VLQ quantum computer is based on 24 superconducting qubits arranged in a star-shaped topology, which enables more efficient execution of certain quantum algorithms. It is also connected to the Karolina and LUMI supercomputers, with future plans to integrate it with other supercomputers within the LUMI-Q consortium and beyond. The LUMI-Q consortium brings together 13 partners from eight European countries: the Czech Republic, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden.
Access to VLQ is provided through the LEXIS Platform. Once their project has been approved, users receive the necessary access credentials and can run their quantum circuits via a Python API from HPC systems (supercomputers) or their own computers.