IBM buys Howard Hughes-founded HRL to fuel quantum plans
IBM expects HRL’s technical breakthroughs will help drive its quantum programme for ‘decades to come’.
IBM is acquiring Boeing and General Motors’ jointly-owned research and development institute HRL Laboratories.
HRL’s expertise in silicon-spin qubit engineering is expected to help IBM in its long-term quantum plans. The lab was established in 1948 as Hughes Research Laboratories by the late prominent aviation expert Howard Hughes. Details of the transaction were not disclosed.
IBM has major ongoing quantum computing projects, including a roadmap to delivering Quantum Starling by 2029, expected to be fault-tolerant and 20,000-times more powerful than today’s quantum computers – capable of running 100m quantum operations.
As per IBM’s plans, Starling will be followed up with an even more powerful quantum computer called Blue Jay, projected to be capable of 1bn quantum operations.
In May, the company pledged more than $10bn to quantum research over the next five years and announced ‘Anderon’, the world’s first pure-play quantum wafer foundry in the making, with support from the US government.
The acquisition gives IBM a boost in quantum research and allows the incoming team from HRL to partner closely with Anderon to scale quantum manufacturing and enable faster learning cycles. Quantum technology has the potential for commercial impact across industries, including in life sciences, defence and navigation, according to IBM.
HRL’s support could also allow IBM to innovate and industrialise new technologies such as quantum sensing, and conduct deeper research into the sensors detecting and capturing subtle measurements.
Combined with additional technical capabilities in cryogenics, control electronics, qubit interconnects and packaging, IBM anticipates the acquisition will fuel its quantum programme for “decades to come” and help develop next-generation computing, communications and mission-critical systems.
HRL has also innovated in quantum materials that have the potential to unlock better semiconductors and more sensitive sensors.
“The HRL team will help IBM push even farther forward toward the frontiers of quantum innovation,” said Jay Gambetta, IBM’s director of research and an IBM fellow.
“This talented group of researchers brings a broad portfolio of technologies that will strengthen IBM’s long-term plans to deliver useful quantum computing to the world, bringing together advances across quantum computing, quantum sensing and quantum networking to enable the applications of the future.”
The announcement comes after a disappointing quarter for IBM, which reported a 1pc revenue growth and a marginally lower net income compared to the same quarter last year. The company lowered its 2026 forecast as a result.
“Joining IBM is the natural next chapter for what we have built at HRL, where our team has dedicated years to exploring paths to how future quantum computers could be built at scales that today seem impossible,” said Rob Vasquez, the president and CEO at HRL.
“We now look forward to leveraging IBM’s industry leadership and working alongside their world-class talent on fundamental infrastructure to take this vision forward.
“Additionally, our cutting-edge physical and information science innovations will combine with their advanced research capabilities to deliver an unmatched suite of technology solutions for our commercial and government customers.”
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