Intel has agreed to buy Classiq, an Israeli startup that develops software for programming quantum computers. The chipmaker announced the agreement on Monday without revealing a price. Bloomberg reported that the deal is worth about $2.3 billion, but Intel declined to comment on that figure.
Quantum computers use units called qubits and can handle certain problems, such as simulating molecules, much faster than ordinary chips. However, programming them is difficult and usually requires specialists. Classiq’s platform allows developers to describe what a program should do, then designs the quantum circuit needed to carry it out. Classiq’s software works with various kinds of quantum hardware, and BMW and HSBC are among its customers. Since 2015, Intel has pursued quantum computing by making qubits on silicon with equipment it also uses for standard chips.
Buying Classiq would give Intel both quantum processors and software for using them. This combination is known in the industry as a “full stack.”
Intel says Classiq’s software will continue to support other companies’ quantum hardware. Classiq will also become Intel’s global center for quantum computing development. The companies expect the purchase to close in the first half of 2027, provided regulators approve it.
