Equal1 launches first silicon quantum computer for standard data centres
Irish quantum computing firm Equal1 has launched what it calls the world's first silicon-based, rack-mountable quantum computer, bringing scalable quantum processing into standard high-performance computing (HPC) environments.
Named Bell-1, the system can be deployed like a traditional server—no cleanrooms, complex infrastructure, or cryogenic labs required.
It fits in standard 19-inch server racks, weighs roughly 200 kilograms, and draws only 1600 watts of power, comparable to an enterprise GPU server.
At the core of Bell-1 is Equal1's UnityQ 6-qubit chip, based on silicon spin qubits manufactured using conventional semiconductor processes.
The system integrates quantum, classical (Arm CPUs), and AI (NPUs) components into a single chip, eliminating latency issues typically found in hybrid quantum-classical systems.
Bell-1 also features a closed-cycle cryo-cooling unit that cools the system to 0.3 Kelvin—colder than outer space—without relying on liquid helium or bulky dilution refrigerators.
This self-contained design removes one of the major barriers to practical quantum deployment.
Equal1 calls this new phase "Quantum Computing 2.0", aiming to shift the technology from isolated research labs into everyday commercial data centres.
Industries such as finance, materials science, artificial intelligence, and pharmaceuticals are expected to benefit from real-time quantum acceleration on workloads like simulations and optimisation.
'Our vision with Bell-1 was to make quantum computing accessible, scalable, and practical,' said Equal1 CEO Jason Lynch. 'This is the first system designed for real-world use without compromising performance or ease of deployment.'
The modular design allows for future upgrades as qubit counts rise. Rather than replacing full systems, users can swap in new chips as the UnityQ platform evolves, making Bell-1 a long-term investment for early adopters.
The launch follows peer-reviewed research published by Equal1 in late 2024 that demonstrated industry-leading silicon qubit fidelity and gate speeds.
The company says Bell-1 builds directly on this research, moving from laboratory prototype to production-ready quantum computing.
With Bell-1, Equal1 eliminates the traditional trade-offs of quantum hardware: it is powerful, practical, scalable, and available now.
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