- The complete upgrade of Quantinuum’s Reimei quantum computer to its H2 system makes RIKEN’s hybrid quantum supercomputing platform the most capable of its kind in the world and enables the expansion of research in electronics, energy and life sciences.
- Quantinuum and RIKEN will build on this pioneering computing architecture to develop a “Made with Japan” fault-tolerant quantum computer to extend Japan’s long-term quantum leadership.
- To further accelerate the commercial adoption of hybrid quantum-AI supercomputing in Japan, the partners will collaborate with SoftBank Corp. to develop a solution to directly connect quantum computers to AI data centers.
/PRNewswire/ –Quantinuum (NASDAQ: QNT), a leading comprehensive quantum computing company, and RIKEN, Japan’s leading national integrated research institute, today announced an expanded partnership to develop hybrid quantum-AI supercomputing in Japan. Following a major upgrade of Quantinuum’s Reimei quantum computer at RIKEN, the partners will pursue more advanced scientific and industrial applications, work with Japanese universities and suppliers to develop a “Made with Japan” fault-tolerant quantum computer, and collaborate with SoftBank Corp. to explore the connection between quantum computer and AI data centers in Japan.
Quantinuum’s quantum computer, Reimei, installed at RIKEN, has successfully upgraded to the H2 system model. Reimei is used as part of the JCHP-quantum project, funded by NEDO. This upgrade further strengthens the capabilities of the project’s hybrid quantum-CHP computing platform and allows researchers to study more complex quantum systems that are increasingly difficult to simulate using classical computing alone, broadening the scope of scientific problems they can explore.
Quantinuum and RIKEN will use the enhanced platform to combine quantum computing, supercomputing and AI to support the development of use cases in electronics, energy and life sciences. Building on their long-standing collaboration, the partners will also leverage their experience in integrating and operating Reimei to support the development of a “Made in Japan” fault-tolerant quantum computer.
“Japan’s ambitions in quantum today require advanced capabilities and sustained commitment to develop future technologies,” said Dr. Rajeeb Hazra, CEO of Quantinuum. “The Reimei upgrade expands the scope of our explorations with RIKEN in the fields of electronics, energy and life sciences. Together, we are building on this work to develop a fault-tolerant quantum computer with Japanese universities and suppliers, while exploring with SoftBank how these capabilities can become accessible to industry through Japan’s AI data centers.”
Two research projects that began operations on Reimei ahead of the public launch of its services illustrate how Quantinuum and RIKEN are leveraging the enhanced capabilities of hybrid platforms to push the frontiers of scientific discovery:
- Quantum artificial intelligence for materials simulation: Partners use ROQUO, RIKEN’s JCHP GPU quantum supercomputer, to train an AI model on quantum data generated by Reimei for magnetism simulations. Initial results suggest that the model can make more accurate predictions than AI models trained solely on classical simulations, and more accurate predictions than the quantum computer itself. Understanding magnetism at the atomic scale could inform the development of materials for next-generation technologies such as ultra-high-field MRI and smart power grids.
- Quantum Artificial Intelligence for Biomolecular Simulation: Partners combine Reimei, RIKEN’s Fugaku supercomputer, and NVIDIA’s scalable AI agent running on ROQUO to simulate a complex photoactive biomolecule, aiming for unprecedented scale and detail. A better understanding of how biomolecules respond to light is likely to provide insights into the design of more efficient solar cells, among other industrial opportunities likely to emerge following advances in biomolecular engineering.
This research supports RIKEN’s AI for Science initiative and aligns with U.S.-Japan efforts to advance AI-driven discovery, including a planned $1 billion partnership under the U.S. Geneva Mission.
“With the upgraded Reimei quantum computer, we will be able to tackle more complex and larger-scale scientific problems that were difficult to solve with the previous H1 system, thereby further advancing hybrid quantum-CHP computing through our ongoing JCHP-quantum project,” said Dr. Mitsuhisa Sato, Director of the Hybrid Quantum-CHP Platform Division of the RIKEN Center for Computational Sciences (R-CCS). “In addition, the recently signed MoU will pave the way for the expansion of our research into the use of quantum computing for AI for science, a key initiative promoted by RIKEN.”
The partners’ joint research and development project, aimed at creating a “Made with Japan” fault-tolerant quantum computer, will involve Japanese universities and domestic component suppliers. This “Made with Japan” initiative will combine Quantinuum’s quantum technology with domestic research and manufacturing expertise, drawing on lessons learned from the integration and operation of Reimei at RIKEN.
In a separate agreement, Quantinuum, RIKEN and SoftBank will study how quantum computing can be connected directly to AI data centers in Japan. Partners will assess infrastructure readiness and examine how connected systems could support commercial hybrid quantum-AI computing services, expanding access beyond the research community.
“Japan has established a solid foundation for hybrid quantum-CHP computing through the JCHP-quantum project supported by NEDO,” said Takenori Kobayashi, vice president and head of the Research and Product Development Division at SoftBank Corp. “Our responsibility is to translate these achievements into industrial value. Together with RIKEN and Quantinuum, we want to develop a quantum AI data center that connects quantum computing with AI and HPC, making these capabilities accessible to businesses across Japan.”
Additional information on the expanded Quantinuum-RIKEN joint research is available here.
Research support
This project is supported by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), an organization under the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) under the project “Research and Development of a Hybrid Quantum Supercomputer Platform for the Exploration of Unexplored Computing Capabilities” (Project Manager: Mitsuhisa Sato) under the “Research and Development of Enhanced Infrastructure for Information and Communication Systems Project post-5G (JPNP20017)”.
About RIKEN
RIKEN, a national research and development agency, is Japan’s leading national multidisciplinary research institute renowned for its high-quality research in a wide range of scientific disciplines. Founded in 1917, initially as a private research foundation, RIKEN quickly grew in size and scope, today encompassing a network of world-class research centers and institutes across Japan. For more information, please visit https://www.riken.jp/en
About SoftBank Corp.
Guided by SoftBank Group’s corporate philosophy, “Information Revolution – Happiness for everyone,” SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) operates in the field of telecommunications and IT in Japan and internationally. Building on its strong business foundations, SoftBank Corp. harnesses the potential of AI across all of its activities and promotes its implementation, in line with its growth strategy entitled “Activate AI for Society”. As it continues to expand its telecommunications business, SoftBank is expanding its AI IT infrastructure as well as its AI and cloud services businesses, with the aim of becoming a next-generation social infrastructure provider. For more information, please visit https://www.softbank.jp/en/corp/.
About Quantinuum
Quantinuum (NASDAQ: QNT) is a leading quantum computing company that offers a comprehensive platform designed to enable the deployment of quantum computing in real-world environments. The company has commercialized several generations of trapped ion quantum systems, based on the well-established QCCD architecture, which it has implemented with new designs and capabilities to achieve the highest levels of precision in the industry based on the average fidelity of the two-qubit gate. Quantinuum maintains close relationships with market leaders in the pharmaceutical, materials science, financial services, public and industrial sectors, and academic and research institutions around the world. The company employs around 800 people worldwide, including top scientists and researchers. More than 70% of its technical team members hold a doctorate or master’s degree. Quantinuum is headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado, and the company has other facilities in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Qatar and Singapore. To learn more, visit www.quantinuum.com.
Forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are intended to benefit from the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than those of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including those relating to scope, benefits and expected results of Quantinuum’s expanded partnership with RIKEN and the Memorandum of Understanding; the expected research capabilities and applications of the enhanced Reimei quantum computer and RIKEN’s hybrid quantum supercomputing platform; to the joint research and development project to create a fault-tolerant computer “Made with Japan”, with the participation of Japanese universities and domestic suppliers; to the planned collaboration with SoftBank Corp. to connect quantum computers to AI data centers in Japan and the potential development of commercial hybrid quantum-AI computing services; the expected results of ongoing research projects at Reimei, including preliminary results; Quantinuum’s ability to help its customers prepare for and commercially benefit from quantum computing; and the potential impact of quantum computing on sectors such as electronics, energy and life sciences. Words such as “aim”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “confidence”, “could”, “expect”, “explore”, “intend”, “may”, “trajectory”, “pathway”, “forecast”, “potential”, “seek”, “suggest”, “target” and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain not these terms.
Forward-looking statements are based on Quantinuum’s current expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. These risks include, among others, the following: The memorandum of understanding with RIKEN and the agreement between RIKEN and SoftBank Corp. may not result in definitive agreements, joint development or commercial services on the terms or within the expected time frame, or at all; Quantinuum’s reliance on RIKEN, SoftBank Corp., NEDO, universities, vendors and other third parties to fulfill their intended roles; the research results described in this press release are preliminary, were obtained under experimental conditions and may not be confirmed or reproduced on a larger scale, in logic computing or in commercial use; Quantinuum may not be able to scale its systems, increase the number of qubits or integrate its hardware, error correction framework and software as planned; Quantinuum may not achieve its technology goals, including the development of a fault-tolerant quantum computer, on schedule or at all; the pace of technical progress in quantum computing; Quantinuum’s ability to maintain the availability and performance of its systems, including Reimei; competition, including advances by companies using other quantum computing modalities or architectures; the availability of funding, personnel and government support, including continued funding of the JHPC-quantum project by the Japanese government; risks related to international operations and collaborations, including compliance with export control laws and regulations; and other risks described in the “Risk Factors” section of Quantinuum’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2026 and its subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Quantinuum undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.
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