IonQ Inc (NYSE:IONQ) shares rose about 4% in premarket trading on Thursday after the quantum computing firm announced a significant expansion of its partnership with Switzerland-based QuantumBasel, valued at more than $60 million.
Under the updated agreement, QuantumBasel will take ownership of its current IonQ Forte Enterprise system and also secure ownership of a next-generation Tempo system. The partnership has been extended through 2029, with QuantumBasel designated as IonQ’s official Innovation Center in Europe.
“Our extended partnership with QuantumBasel represents a cornerstone of IonQ’s global strategy,” said Niccolo de Masi, Chairman and CEO of IonQ. “QuantumBasel continues to be a critical innovation node for our company as we expand quantum adoption.”
As part of the expansion, the two organizations will deepen their joint research activities, with a focus on improving large language models and advancing hybrid quantum-classical approaches for high-end computing use cases. The goal of these efforts is to translate quantum capabilities into commercial benefits by boosting the performance of AI models.
IonQ also plans to grow its technical and research teams in Switzerland to support ongoing system development and collaborative research. The agreement further reinforces QuantumBasel’s role as a key European hub for next-generation technologies, offering enterprises, universities and research institutions across Europe access to IonQ’s quantum systems.
The expanded partnership adds to IonQ’s broader push across Europe, which already includes recent agreements with CCRM Nordic, collaborations with Sweden’s Einride, the acquisitions of Oxford Ionics in the UK and ID Quantique in Switzerland, and the launch of IonQ Italia.