IBM Acquires HRL Laboratories to Accelerate Quantum Technology Development

IBM has completed its acquisition of HRL Laboratories (HRL), a leading research and development institution. The combination brings together complementary expertise in quantum computing, sensing, materials science, and advanced technologies to accelerate future innovation.

HRL's expertise in silicon-spin qubits complements IBM's leadership in superconducting quantum computing. HRL also brings capabilities in quantum sensing, quantum materials, cryogenics, control electronics, packaging, and interconnect technologies that are expected to strengthen IBM's quantum hardware roadmap.

IBM is advancing its superconducting-qubit architectures through breakthroughs in hardware, error correction, software, and algorithms designed to enable increasingly capable quantum systems. The company's roadmap includes its fault-tolerant quantum computer IBM Quantum Starling, expected by 2029 to perform 100 million quantum operations and deliver significantly greater computational capability than today's quantum computers.

The acquisition also complements IBM's broader innovation and investment in quantum manufacturing and infrastructure. HRL's expertise in silicon-based quantum technologies creates opportunities for future collaboration with Anderon, IBM's pure-play quantum wafer foundry, supporting scalable manufacturing approaches and accelerating learning cycles across multiple quantum computing modalities.