Quantum leap in Ostrava: Czechia’s first public quantum computer VLQ officially starts working
Czechia has officially launched its first quantum computer, nicknamed VLK, at the IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Center in Ostrava. Built with EU support, the machine will serve universities, research institutions, and projects such as atmospheric monitoring with the European Space Agency.
The hum of powerful cooling systems fills the room. It is the sound of VLK, the Czech Republic’s first quantum computer, operating at a temperature close to minus 273 degrees Celsius — colder than outer space. The machine has just been officially launched at the IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Center of the Technical University of Ostrava, placing Czechia among the small but growing group of European countries with access to this revolutionary technology.
“Quantum machines are not ordinary calculators,” explains Marek Lampart, head of the Quantum Computing Laboratory at IT4Innovations. “They allow us to make a leap in computational speed, for example in optimizing energy networks or developing new materials. Compared to classical computers, their performance potential is exponential.”
Quantum computers differ fundamentally from the devices most people use every day. Classical machines process information in bits — zeros and ones. Quantum computers rely on quantum bits, or qubits, which can exist as a mixture of zero and one at the same time. This property, combined with a phenomenon known as entanglement, gives them extraordinary capabilities.
Lampart uses a simple metaphor: “Imagine a library. A classical computer goes through one book after another. A quantum computer can ‘read’ all of them at once, across all variants and probabilities. In the classical world, you perform one operation at a time. In the quantum world, we perform them all simultaneously, depending on how many qubits are available.”
That simultaneous processing power makes quantum computers well-suited to problems that are practically impossible for conventional machines. Potential applications range from cryptography, where new forms of encryption are being tested, to medicine, where quantum mechanics can model the behavior of complex molecules, speeding up the discovery of new drugs. Materials research and energy optimization are also expected to benefit.
The analogy between classical and quantum performance, one researcher notes, is like comparing “a ride on a steam train with a trip by rocket.” Both move forward, but one does so at an entirely different scale and speed.
Still, Lampart is careful not to overpromise. “The potential of quantum computers is enormous. But today we are still at the very beginning. To expect extensive, real-world applications right now would be unrealistic,” he says. “This is an ambitious plan, and an important one, but we must remain grounded.”
European cooperation and funding
VLK is only the second publicly available quantum computer in Europe, following Poland. Its installation in Czechia was made possible through the EuroHPC initiative, a joint European project designed to spread advanced computing capabilities across the continent.
Two years ago, EU member states agreed that Ostrava would host the Czech system. The construction, costing about 125 million Czech crowns, was funded jointly by the European Union and local partners.
For Czechia, which has already invested heavily in supercomputing infrastructure, this marks a significant step forward. VLK will be connected to Karolina, one of Europe’s most powerful supercomputers, also based at IT4Innovations. This integration means universities, research institutions, and even public bodies will be able to combine classical and quantum computing power to tackle some of the most complex problems in science and society.
Early applications
The first tasks assigned to VLK are already under way. One of the most notable projects involves cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA). Using satellite imagery, researchers are developing methods to detect anomalies in the atmosphere, including potentially dangerous gas leaks from ground pipelines.
“We have launched a series of pilot tasks,” Lampart says. “The initial ones are linked to the ESA project, where we will analyze satellite images to detect anomalies in the atmosphere. Our primary focus is on identifying gas leaks from terrestrial pipelines.”
Such real-world applications highlight the immediate usefulness of quantum computing in environmental monitoring, energy safety, and climate research — even at this early stage of development.
A national and European achievement
The launch of VLK is not just a local milestone but a national achievement for Czechia, as well as a contribution to Europe’s wider technological strategy. By joining the small circle of countries with operational quantum computers, the Czech Republic strengthens its position in the international research community.
“It is a great honor and, above all, the result of teamwork,” Lampart emphasizes. “Getting to this point was not easy — it took a lot of effort and perseverance. But I firmly believe it was worth it.”
With the machine now online, researchers in Ostrava are preparing to explore the limits of quantum technology. While the immediate future will likely involve pilot projects and academic research, the long-term vision is clear: to harness quantum computing for breakthroughs in science, industry, and everyday life.
As the sound of the cooling system hums in Ostrava, Czechia takes its place at the frontier of a technological revolution.