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NEC reportedly ends its own quantum computer hardware development
Mar 2026
NEC stopped developing its own quantum computer hardware at the end of March, according to Nikkei reporting cited by The Quantum Insider. The company continues quantum software and applications work, including a later cancer-research project.
Why it matters
A company behind the first superconducting qubit steps back from building processors, illustrating the long timelines facing quantum hardware developers.
The hardware withdrawal is reported by the press rather than confirmed in an explicit NEC announcement. NEC's October research announcement documents continued work on quantum applications.
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Added Oct 19, 2026. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will review it.