IBM and Israeli quantum software startup Qedma have announced a collaboration aimed at advancing quantum error mitigation, a technical challenge that currently stands as one of the primary obstacles between today’s noisy quantum hardware and practical, large-scale computation. The partnership, Globes report details, centers on integrating Qedma’s error suppression software with IBM’s quantum systems to meaningfully improve the reliability of quantum circuit execution. For defense and intelligence communities investing in quantum’s long-term potential, the development signals that the gap between laboratory demonstration and operationally useful quantum computing may be narrowing faster than previously expected. As great-power competition increasingly extends into emerging technologies, advances in technology supply chains and computing infrastructure carry direct national security implications.

Qedma, a Tel Aviv-based company, specializes in what the industry terms quantum error mitigation and suppression — techniques that reduce the impact of noise and decoherence in quantum processors without requiring the full overhead of fault-tolerant quantum error correction, which remains years away for most hardware platforms. The company’s approach focuses on characterizing noise at the hardware level and applying corrections that allow quantum circuits to produce more accurate results on today’s devices.

What the Collaboration Involves

According to the Globes report, the IBM-Qedma partnership involves running Qedma’s error mitigation protocols directly on IBM quantum hardware, with the goal of demonstrating performance improvements on real-world computational workloads. The collaboration positions Qedma within IBM’s broader quantum ecosystem, which includes the IBM Quantum Network — a global community of research institutions, enterprises, and government partners working to develop quantum applications across industries.

Qedma’s software is designed to work alongside existing quantum hardware rather than requiring modifications to the physical systems themselves, which makes it particularly relevant for organizations that want to extract better performance from near-term quantum devices without waiting for the next generation of hardware. The company has argued that error mitigation represents a viable near-term path to quantum advantage — the point at which quantum systems outperform classical computers on meaningful problems — on hardware that already exists today.

Strategic Context for Defense and Intelligence

The national security dimensions of quantum computing are well established. Quantum systems capable of running complex optimization, simulation, or cryptographic workloads at scale could reshape everything from logistics and materials discovery to signals intelligence and encryption. The United States, China, and several European nations have committed substantial public funding to quantum research programs, and the defense-industrial base has taken notice. Israel, which has cultivated a dense cluster of quantum startups and research institutions, increasingly figures into allied quantum strategies.

Qedma’s partnership with IBM, one of the world’s leading quantum hardware providers, gives the Israeli startup access to some of the most advanced superconducting quantum processors available outside classified government programs. For IBM, the collaboration expands the software toolkit available to its hardware users and supports its broader commercial and research strategy of growing the quantum application ecosystem. Neither company has disclosed financial terms of the arrangement, and officials have not confirmed whether any defense or government agencies are direct participants in the initial phase of the collaboration.

The deal also reflects a broader trend of U.S. technology companies deepening ties with Israeli technology firms across advanced computing and defense-adjacent sectors. Israel’s defense establishment has faced significant budgetary pressures in recent periods — a dynamic explored in GDD’s coverage of Rafael’s defense budget strains — even as its commercial technology sector continues to attract international partnerships. Whether quantum computing matures into a near-term operational tool or remains a longer-horizon capability, collaborations like the one between IBM and Qedma are shaping which nations and companies will be positioned to lead when that transition arrives.