University College Dublin Spin-out Launches First Quantum Computing Server
Equal1, an Irish quantum computing company, and University College Dublin (UCD) spin-out company, has unveiled Bell-1, the first quantum system purpose-built for the HPC (high performance computing) era.
Named after Belfast-born physicist John Stewart Bell, Bell-1 was unveiled earlier this week at the American Physical Society’s Global Physics Summit 2025 in Anaheim, California.
Unlike first-generation quantum computers that demand dedicated rooms, infrastructure, and complex cooling systems, Bell-1 is designed for direct deployment in HPC-class environments. As a rack-mountable quantum node, it integrates directly alongside classical computer, as compact as a GPU server, yet exponentially more powerful for the world’s hardest problems. Bell-1 is engineered to eliminate the traditional barriers of cost, infrastructure, and complexity, setting a new benchmark for scalable quantum computing integration.
Jason Lynch, CEO, Equal1, said, “Bell-1 represents a paradigm shift in how quantum computing is deployed and utilized. We’ve taken quantum technology out of the lab and into real-world environments where it can drive innovation. This is the dawn of Quantum Computing 2.0, where accessibility, scalability, and practicality take centre stage.”
“By eliminating the barriers of cost, infrastructure, and complexity, Equal1 is empowering businesses to harness the exponential power of quantum computing today—not in some distant future. Bell-1 is not just an advancement, it’s a revolution in computing.”
Jason Lynch, CEO, Equal1
Bell-1 rewrites the rulebook. While today's quantum computers demand specialized infrastructure, Bell-1 is a silicon-powered quantum computer that integrates seamlessly into existing HPC environments. Simply rack it, plug it in, and unlock quantum capabilities wherever your classical computers already operate.
No new cooling systems. No extraordinary power demands. Just quantum computing that works in the real world, as easy to deploy as a high-end GPU server. It plugs into a standard power socket, operates at just 1600W, and delivers on-demand quantum computing for computationally intensive workloads.
Bell-1 marks the beginning of Quantum Computing 2.0, the shift from experimental machines to practical quantum solutions. Until now, quantum computing has been confined to research institutions. Equal1 is changing that paradigm, introducing the first commercially viable quantum system built to run inside existing AI and HPC datacentre environments.
With Bell-1, businesses can now harness quantum acceleration without modifying their infrastructure, making it possible to harness quantum computing for AI, financial modelling, pharmaceutical research, and materials science.
Bell-1 is built using Equal1’s silicon-based quantum technology, featuring a 6-qubit quantum processing system with control electronics all housed within a single rack.
Bell-1 cools its silicon quantum processor to 0.3 Kelvin, one of the coldest temperatures in the known universe, all while running in the heat, noise, and chaos of a high-performance computing (HPC) data centre packed with tens of thousands of power-hungry CPUs and GPUs. And it does this without exotic infrastructure, drawing power from a standard plug to support its own self-contained cooling system.
Future generations of the Bell Quantum Server family will expand qubit capacity, improve cooling efficiency, and push the boundaries of scalable silicon-based quantum computing. Built with a future-proof hardware architecture, Equal1's silicon based UnityQ family of Quantum System on Chip (QSOC) processors allows for field upgrades, ensuring long-term return on investment to take advantage of future qubit capacity and computational capabilities.
Equal1 investors include, Atlantic Bridge, Enterprise Ireland, European Innovation Council, Matterwave Ventures and 808 Ventures.
Equal1, with offices at NexusUCD in Dublin, and in US, Canada, Romania, and the Netherlands, currently employs about 45 people.
ENDS
18 March 2025
For further information contact Micéal Whelan, Communications and Media Relations Manager, UCD Research and Innovation, e: miceal.whelan@ucd.ie.
Editors Notes
Bell-1 Technical Highlights:
- System Type: Rack-mounted, plug-and-play quantum server
- Quantum Processor: UnityQ 6-Qubit Quantum Processing System
- Operating Temperature: 0.3 Kelvin (-272.85°C) with self-contained cryo-cooling (no dilution fridge required)
- Power Consumption: 1600 W—comparable to an enterprise server
- Infrastructure: Standard data centre compatibility (no specialized facilities required)
- Weight & Footprint: Standard 600 mm x 1000 mm x 1600 mm data centre rack, ~200 kg
- Upgrade Path: Future-oriented technology capable of QSoC integration.