Intel is acquiring Classiq, an Israeli startup specializing in quantum computing software.
The deal value has not been officially disclosed, but Bloomberg estimates it at around $2.3 billion.
Founded in 2020 in Tel Aviv, Classiq has developed a software platform that enables the design, compilation, and optimization of quantum algorithms at a high level of abstraction, without needing to manually manipulate each quantum gate.
Intel frames the acquisition as a step toward an integrated quantum platform, combining Classiq’s synthesis technology with its work on silicon spin qubits, chip fabrication, and software. The stated objective is to cover the entire stack, from algorithm to hardware.
The startup will continue to operate independently until the deal closes, expected in the first half of 2027, subject to regulatory approvals.
A software layer between the algorithm and the hardware
Classiq’s platform is built on Qmod, a description language akin to Python. Developers express the logic of their algorithm and its constraints; the synthesis engine then generates an optimized quantum circuit for the target architecture.
This approach aims to automate a particularly complex task: scalable quantum circuit design. Classiq notes that gate-by-gate design methods do not scale, and that its platform handles, among other things, qubit allocation, circuit depth, and operations that should be uncomputed.
The technology is also designed to remain hardware-agnostic. A single program can be recompiled for different quantum processors or simulators, preventing development teams from being tied to a single architecture.
By acquiring Classiq, Intel aims to build a complete quantum offering where algorithms designed with the startup’s tools can be optimized and then executed on its forthcoming quantum processors.
