Insider Brief
- Quandela has delivered Lucy, a 12-qubit photonic quantum computer, to the CEA’s Très Grand Centre de calcul (TGCC) under the EuroQCS-France consortium led by GENCI and procured by the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking.
- Lucy, assembled entirely within the EU with 80% European-sourced components, will be coupled to the Joliot-Curie supercomputer to enable hybrid high-performance and quantum computing for applications in optimization, chemistry, and machine learning.
- The system will enter full operation in early 2026, with early remote access and training programs already available to prepare European researchers and companies for its use.
- Image: @CEA Cadam @Quandela
PRESS RELEASE — Quandela, GENCI and CEA today announced the delivery of Lucy, a 12-qubit universal digital photonic quantum computer, to the Très Grand Centre de calcul (TGCC) of CEA. The system, delivered by the French-German consortium Quandela-attocube systems AG, was procured by the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking in the context of the consortium EuroQCS-France.
A new European quantum capability
Lucy, the most powerful photonic quantum computer ever deployed in a European computing centre, has just been delivered to the TGCC. Equipped with 12 photonic qubits, the system offers researchers and industrial users an unprecedented platform to experiment with quantum algorithms, explore hybrid HPC–quantum workflows and develop early-stage applications in fields such as optimization, chemistry, and machine learning.
Lucy is strongly focused on end-user engagement. Hosted and operated at CEA’s TGCC, where it will be coupled to the Joliot-Curie supercomputer, Lucy will be made accessible to a wide community of European users. Initial application areas include energy grid optimization and renewable integration, financial portfolio optimization and risk modelling, logistics and supply chain management, as well as aerospace design, materials, and trajectory optimization.
By enabling these use cases, Lucy strengthens Europe’s position at the forefront of quantum research while preparing industry for future breakthroughs.
A quantum computer made in EU
Lucy was acquired by EuroHPC in the context of the consortium EuroQCS-France, led by GENCI with CEA, the University of Bucharest (UPC), ICHEC and Forschungszentrum Juelich (FZJ). Building on the successful deployments at OVHcloud in 2023 and Exaion’s datacentres in Canada in 2024, it marks a new milestone in Europe’s quantum journey. Assembled in just twelve months at Quandela’s facilities, the system showcases the strength of European collaboration: cryogenic modules engineered by attocube systems AG near Munich, quantum devices manufactured in Quandela’s semiconductor pilot line in Palaiseau, and final integration at Quandela’s factory in Massy. With 80% of its components sourced in Europe – including all of its critical parts – Lucy exemplifies Europe’s capacity to design and deliver sovereign quantum technologies.
Early remote access to drive adoption
The system has entered an acceptance phase before its opening to European researchers at the beginning of 2026. To accelerate adoption and enable the European research community to prepare for this new capability ahead of Lucy’s full deployment, EuroHPC and GENCI have already provided remote access to other Quandela photonic quantum processors hosted in Massy, with computing resources granted by the GENCI eDARI web portal (www.edari.fr). Users can program and run algorithms directly using Quandela’s Perceval and MerLin (tailored to address Quantum Machine Learning problems) environments, ensuring a smooth transition to on-premises access when Lucy becomes fully operational.
In parallel, GENCI, CEA and Quandela are already delivering webinars and dedicated training sessions to prepare user communities. These initiatives cover practical access to the cloud QPU (Quantum Processing Unit), quantum machine learning use cases, and hands-on training on Lucy at TGCC. By combining early access with training, the objective is to foster a broad adoption of quantum computing across academia and industry.
Lucy will be the second QPU integrated in the TGCC supercomputing environment, emphasising CEA’s expertise in mastering the complexity of large computing infrastructures. This is a major step in enabling hybrid quantum computing for high-performance applications.
QUOTES
Quandela
“The delivery of Lucy is not just a new milestone – it is a key building block for Europe’s hybrid computing future. In collaboration with attocube systems, we built a photonic quantum processor that will interface with the Joliot-Curie supercomputer, enabling real hybrid HPC-quantum workflows. By providing this capability to a broad community of European researchers and industrial users, we are empowering them to explore new frontiers in simulation, optimization, and machine learning. This achievement strengthens Europe’s technological sovereignty and demonstrates the power of cross-border collaboration to shape the next generation of computing.”
— Niccolo Somaschi, Co-founder & CEO, Quandela
GENCI
“In the global race to develop quantum computers, the delivery to the CEA of Lucy, Europe’s most powerful photonic quantum computer, manufactured by the French company Quandela, represents a major step forward in French and European quantum ambitions. GENCI and the HQI program are particularly proud to have contributed to EuroHPC’s acquisition of this sovereign technology, which will then be connected to the Joliot-Curie supercomputer and, in 2026, to Alice Recoque, the Franco-European exascale supercomputer, in order to multiply the synergies between HPC environments and quantum computing, all in the service of world-class research for academic and industrial researchers.”
— Philippe Lavocat, CEO and President, GENCI
CEA
“As a key player in quantum computing, from the most fundamental research to system implementation, CEA is pleased to welcome a second Quantum Processing Unit to its computing centre. This milestone is a new step on the road to Fault Tolerant Quantum Hybrid Computing. It marks the progress of the HQI platform, entrusted to the CEA as part of France’s national quantum strategy. The Lucy machine integrates into the shared HPC and quantum computing environment of the TGCC, bringing a rapidly advancing photonic-qubit technology with strong future potential. The CEA is eager to make Lucy available to researchers and industry, and proud to continue supporting leading French start-ups in their development.”
— Jean-Philippe Verger, Director of the CEA DAM Ile de France center
