Intel agrees to buy quantum software maker Classiq

Intel entered a definitive agreement to acquire Classiq, a quantum computing software provider, in a deal aimed at creating a full-stack quantum computing platform. The company did not disclose a price. Intel plans to combine Classiq's software, which lets developers design and run quantum circuits, with its own spin-qubit chip manufacturing and existing quantum software.

Intel compares Classiq's role to that of EDA and CAD software in chip design, describing it as a hardware-agnostic platform that could let quantum computing scale beyond hand-crafted circuits. Intel says it has invested in quantum computing since 2015 and is the only company able to produce qubit chips and cryogenic control electronics at scale using conventional silicon manufacturing processes. After the deal, Intel would add quantum processing units alongside its existing CPU, GPU, and ASIC lines.

Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan said the acquisition turns Intel's Quantum Computing Group into a full-stack quantum computing business, while Classiq co-founder and CEO Nir Minerbi said the platform lets developers build scalable quantum applications without deep circuit design expertise. Intel says it intends to keep supporting Classiq's existing multi-platform integrations and its open, hardware-agnostic software ecosystem after the deal closes. The acquisition is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close in the first half of 2027, with the two companies operating independently until then.

Why it matters

Pairing chip-design-style software with Intel's silicon-based qubit manufacturing could make quantum computing more accessible to developers without specialized circuit expertise.

Source: Intel