Bull & Alice & Bob expand quantum computing tie-up

Bull and Alice & Bob have signed a memorandum of understanding to expand their collaboration on quantum computing. The agreement covers research, product development, software and commercial activity.

The partnership centres on integrating Alice & Bob's quantum systems into high-performance computing environments rather than treating them as separate experimental machines. The work will focus on tighter links between quantum hardware and established computing infrastructure.

Bull has also been selected as software integrator for Alice & Bob's first commercial quantum system at the CEA's TGCC supercomputing centre, giving it a direct role in connecting the French quantum company's technology with a major supercomputing site.

The expanded collaboration covers four areas: research and development on quantum applications; product innovation in the assembly and containerisation of quantum systems; software development tied to Bull's Qaptiva tools; and joint commercial efforts, with an emphasis on sovereignty-led projects.

Hybrid systems

Software integration is a central part of the deal. Bull said its Qaptiva HPC and Qaptiva Access tools will be extended to support the emulation of cat qubits and enable execution on Alice & Bob's chips in a high-performance computing environment.

Alice & Bob is developing fault-tolerant quantum computing based on cat qubits, an approach it says can reduce the hardware needed for large-scale systems. Bull brings experience in supercomputing, system integration, deployment and manufacturing, including at its site in Angers.

The partnership reflects a wider push in Europe to build domestic quantum infrastructure and reduce reliance on non-European technology suppliers. Both companies framed the agreement as part of an effort to strengthen a sovereign regional ecosystem.

That focus is likely to resonate in France, the UK and Germany, identified as the initial markets for the collaboration. Each has backed national or regional quantum programmes as governments and industry groups seek to establish long-term positions in the field.

European focus

Bull said the collaboration fits its plan to act as a coordinator within the European quantum sector. It also pointed to its hardware-agnostic Qaptiva platform, which is designed to work across multiple quantum technology approaches.

Alice & Bob, founded in Paris and operating in Boston, said it has raised EUR €180 million and employs more than 250 people. The company is focused on building a universal fault-tolerant quantum computer and argues that its architecture could sharply cut hardware requirements compared with rival methods.

The agreement suggests the next phase of the quantum market may depend less on isolated demonstrations and more on whether developers can integrate quantum processors into the workflows, software stacks and operational demands of established supercomputing centres. That challenge has become more pressing as the sector tries to move from laboratory progress to practical deployment.

For Bull, the tie-up adds a named European quantum hardware partner to its broader computing portfolio. For Alice & Bob, it provides a route into the operational side of large computing environments and access to a company with deployment and support experience.

Bruno Lecointe, Head of HPC, AI and Quantum Computing at Bull, outlined the company's view of the sector's next step.

"This next phase perfectly aligns with Bull's quantum strategy, building on our quantum application development and emulation platform, enabling hybrid HPC and quantum experimentation. By expanding our collaboration with Alice & Bob, we aim to accelerate progress towards fault-tolerant quantum computing and ensure that future quantum capabilities can be integrated seamlessly into existing HPC infrastructures. It reflects a clear objective: to turn emerging quantum technologies into practical tools for industry, research and public-sector applications-while strengthening Europe's technological autonomy," Lecointe said.

Chloé Poisbeau set out Alice & Bob's position on the partnership.

"By partnering with Bull's quantum application development and emulation platform, we'll accelerate the development and adoption of quantum technologies in Europe and beyond. Together, we will strengthen the integration of error-corrected quantum computing within high-performance computing environments and help drive broader QPU adoption," Poisbeau said.