IBM Quantum
Superconducting-transmon quantum computing programme inside IBM Research, with a published 2029 fault-tolerance target — Quantum Starling at 200 logical qubits and 100 million gate operations — and a parallel modular-quantum-networking effort announced with Cisco and Fermilab/SQMS in November 2025. Flagship Nighthawk (120 qubits, square lattice, 218 tunable couplers, 350 us median T1) and the qLDPC-prototype Loon chip were unveiled at the November 2025 Developer Conference. The Bravyi 2024 Nature qLDPC result (Bivariate Bicycle codes) underpins the path through Kookaburra and Cockatoo to Starling and a post-2033 Blue Jay system.
Timeline
Current flagship
IBM Quantum Nighthawk — 120-qubit transmon (square lattice, 218 tunable couplers)
Milestones
- 2025-11-20IBM and Cisco announce plan to build networked fault-tolerant quantum computers; Quantum Networking Units (QNUs) co-developed with Fermilab/SQMS
- 2025-11-12Nighthawk (120 qubits, square lattice, 218 tunable couplers, median T1 350 µs) and Loon (qLDPC-prototype chip with c-couplers) unveiled at IBM Quantum Developer Conference
- 2025-10IBM Research leadership transition
- 2025-06-10IBM publishes roadmap to Quantum Starling (200 logical qubits, 100 M gate operations by 2029) at new Poughkeepsie quantum data centre; intermediate processors Loon, Kookaburra, Cockatoo named
- 2024-03Bravyi et al. demonstrate high-threshold, low-overhead fault-tolerant quantum memory using Bivariate Bicycle qLDPC codes (Nature cover)
- 2023-12IBM Quantum Heron (133 qubits, tunable couplers) and IBM Quantum System Two launched at Yorktown Heights
- 2022-11Osprey (433 qubits) unveiled at IBM Summit
- 2021-11Eagle (127 qubits) — first IBM processor beyond brute-force classical simulability
- 2019-09IBM Quantum System One unveiled — described by IBM as the first integrated commercial superconducting quantum system
Roadmap
- 2026 Nighthawk-class processors delivering ~7,500 two-qubit gates, demonstrating practical quantum advantage source ↗
- 2026 Kookaburra — first modular processor combining quantum memory and logic operations source ↗
- 2027 Cockatoo — two Kookaburra modules entangled via L-couplers (chip-to-chip) source ↗
- 2028 Nighthawk-based systems supporting ~15,000 two-qubit gates over 1,000+ connected qubits via long-range couplers source ↗
- 2029 Quantum Starling — 200 logical qubits, 100 million quantum gate operations; large-scale fault-tolerant system at Poughkeepsie quantum data centre source ↗
- 2030 Initial proof-of-concept demonstration of multiple networked quantum computers (with Cisco, Fermilab/SQMS) source ↗
- early-2030s Networked large-scale fault-tolerant quantum computers via Quantum Networking Units (QNUs) with microwave-optical transducers source ↗
- late-2030s Quantum computing internet — distributed quantum computers, sensors and communications source ↗
- post-2033 Blue Jay — 2,000 logical qubits, 1 billion gate operations source ↗
Capability details
Quantum computing
- Qubit type
- transmon
- Physical qubits
- 120
- Logical qubits
- 0
- 1Q gate fidelity
- —
- 2Q gate fidelity
- —
- T₁
- 0.35 ms
- T₂
- —
- EC code
- qLDPC
- Connectivity
- heavy-hex / square-lattice (Nighthawk)
Networking
- Role
- modular interconnect / transducer R&D
- Products
- IBM Quantum System Two — modular cryogenic interconnect for co-located QPUs, Quantum Networking Unit (QNU) — microwave-optical transducer + entanglement-distribution stack (with Cisco, Fermilab/SQMS)
9 unverified fields
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modalities.qc.one_q_fidelity -
modalities.qc.two_q_fidelity -
modalities.qc.coherence_t2_ms -
modalities.qc.gate_set -
modalities.qc.ec_code— qLDPC (Bivariate Bicycle codes) is the announced FT target per Bravyi 2024 Nature paper; only memory protocol demonstrated, not yet full computation -
shareholders.1.stake_percent— BlackRock confirmed top-3 by aggregator but exact stake% awaits 2026 DEF 14A -
shareholders— institutional stakes sourced from 13F aggregators (mid-2025); cross-check against next IBM DEF 14A proxy -
key_personnel.2.since -
key_personnel.3.since
People
References
- paper https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07107-7 Bravyi et al., "High-threshold and low-overhead fault-tolerant quantum memory" (Nature 627, 778-782, 2024) — the Bivariate Bicycle qLDPC result underpinning the Starling roadmap
- press https://newsroom.ibm.com/2025-11-20-ibm-and-cisco-announce-plans-to-build-a-network-of-large-scale,-fault-tolerant-quantum-computers IBM × Cisco × Fermilab/SQMS quantum networking partnership announcement
- press https://newsroom.ibm.com/2025-11-12-ibm-delivers-new-quantum-processors,-software,-and-algorithm-breakthroughs-on-path-to-advantage-and-fault-tolerance Nighthawk and Loon unveiling
- press https://newsroom.ibm.com/2025-06-10-IBM-Sets-the-Course-to-Build-Worlds-First-Large-Scale,-Fault-Tolerant-Quantum-Computer-at-New-IBM-Quantum-Data-Center Starling 2029 roadmap and Poughkeepsie quantum data centre
- blog https://www.ibm.com/quantum/blog/qdc-2025 IBM Quantum Developer Conference 2025 — annual roadmap update
- blog https://www.ibm.com/quantum/blog/nature-qldpc-error-correction IBM Research blog walk-through of the 2024 qLDPC Nature paper