Intel agrees to buy Classiq to build a commercial quantum business
Intel targeted the first half of 2027 for closing; an October 28 report points to the second half, with regulatory approvals still required.
Loading… Բեռնվում է…
Intel targeted the first half of 2027 for closing; an October 28 report points to the second half, with regulatory approvals still required.
Intel has agreed to buy Classiq to move its quantum computing work from research into a commercial business, chief technology officer Pushkar Ranade said. The acquisition would bring more than four dozen enterprise customers into Intel if it closes, The Next Platform said on October 28.
Intel announced the definitive acquisition agreement on October 26, 2026. Classiq is an Israeli quantum-software company led by co-founder and chief executive Nir Minerbi. Its software is designed to help developers build quantum applications without deep expertise in designing quantum circuits.
| Statement | Expected closing |
|---|---|
| Intel’s October 26 announcement | First half of 2027 |
| The Next Platform’s October 28 report | Second half of 2027 |
The Next Platform put the acquisition price at $2.3 billion. An October 27 article in The Edge Malaysia also gave a price of about $2.3 billion, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter. Intel did not disclose a price in its acquisition announcement.
The satellite operator expects access to more than twice OneWeb’s current bandwidth in return for spending in 2027–2034, with initial IRIS² services expected from 2030.
3 min
Intel says it has invested in quantum computing since 2015. Its portfolio includes Horse Ridge control chips, developed in 2019, and the Tunnel Falls 12-qubit silicon quantum processor, which uses spin qubits. Minerbi co-founded Classiq in 2020 to address the software side of quantum computing.
Classiq’s software automates the creation of quantum programs and works across different kinds of quantum hardware, Intel says. The proposed combination would connect that software with Intel’s processors, manufacturing capabilities and existing developer tools, allowing Intel to offer both hardware and software.
Ranade said Intel’s quantum group had spent the preceding decade on research and development rather than commercial activity. He said progress in the market made this the right time to begin commercialising the technology, but cautioned that quantum computing was a long-term investment and the business would not generate high margins from its first day.
Minerbi said combining Classiq’s software with Intel’s hardware, manufacturing and developer tools could help serve enterprises, governments and universities. The combination could also connect those users with cloud-based quantum services, high-performance computing systems, data centres and other hardware providers.
Classiq’s customers include communications companies Comcast and AT&T, carmaker BMW and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Intel says it intends to maintain Classiq’s existing connections to multiple hardware platforms after closing, preserving support for customers using quantum hardware from other suppliers.
Intel warns that the acquisition could be delayed or fail to close, and that its expected benefits might not materialise. It identifies risks including regulatory approval, retaining Classiq employees and customers, and uncertainty about the commercial viability and adoption of quantum computing.
The transaction still requires regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. Until closing, Intel and Classiq will continue to operate as separate, independent companies.
Microsoft reported $33.17 billion in Azure revenue and a 22% year-over-year decline in Windows OEM and devices revenue. Its reporting overhaul brings quarterly disclosure of Azure’s dollar contribution.
2 min
The US wireless carrier’s third-quarter service revenue rose 6% to $19.4 billion as it raised its expectations for the full year.
1 min