Barcelona-based Qilimanjaro has launched EduQit, a kit containing all parts needed to assemble a small quantum computer. Priced at around €1 million with five qubits, it targets research institutions and students lacking resources. Assembly requires engineering skills and up to 10 months of work with provided training.
Qilimanjaro, a quantum computing company in Barcelona, has introduced EduQit, a complete DIY kit for building a quantum computer. The kit adopts a flatpack approach, supplying components such as a chip with tiny superconducting circuits, a special refrigerator for installation and wiring, electronic devices using radio waves and microwaves for control and readout, plus racks, power cables, and other accessories. Instructions are included, along with training from researchers and ongoing support during assembly. Marta Estarellas at Qilimanjaro states the training takes up to three months, with the full system operational after at least 10 months of effort. Assembly is not trivial and demands engineering skills. At €1 million for five qubits, EduQit is far cheaper than systems from tech giants. Google, for instance, targets reducing its component costs by a factor of 10 to bring a single machine below $1 billion. Smaller commercial options exist, like Rigetti's superconducting quantum computer starting at $900,000 for the main chip and minimal components, requiring buyers to source the rest independently. Qilimanjaro aims EduQit at resource-limited research institutions to provide hands-on experience for the next generation of researchers. Currently, students rely on cloud access or simulations for quantum computing. Estarellas suggests it could parallel the Raspberry Pi, evolving from an education tool to one used by tinkerers and scientists. A quantum computer like EduQit would have rivaled top lab devices a decade ago, highlighting rapid progress. Katia Moskovitch at Quantum Machines notes that broader access will help address open questions in the field.
