French quantum computing firm Pasqal has deepened its North American presence by selling a 100-qubit quantum processor and opening a significant manufacturing facility in Sherbrooke, Quebec.

The processor was sold to Distriq, a quantum innovation hub in Sherbrooke, which aims to strengthen Quebec's growing quantum technology ecosystem.

The deal was backed by a CA$9.6 million (US$7.1m) loan from the Quebec Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Energy and Investissement Quebec, alongside CA$2.4 million (US$1.8m) from the National Bank of Canada and CA$1.2 million (US$883,000) from Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions.

Pasqal confirmed that the system would be manufactured and installed in Sherbrooke and made available to Canadian researchers and industries.

The firm also inaugurated its first North American manufacturing site-its second globally-in Sherbrooke's 50,000 sq ft Espace Quantique 1 building. The facility will focus on producing Pasqal's next-generation quantum processors.

The factory was supported by a CA$15 million (US$11m) loan from Investissement Quebec, positioning Pasqal among Canada's most significant quantum players.

'These achievements signal that quantum computing is no longer a future promise-it has become a reality today,' said Wasiq Bokhari, Pasqal's executive chairman.

Distriq VP Mehdi Bozzo-Rey called the acquisition a 'major milestone' in supplying Quebec with industrial quantum capabilities.

Founded in 2019, Pasqal counts Nobel Laureate Alain Aspect among its co-founders. The company has installed systems in Saudi Arabia and Germany, and in early June 2025, it acquired Canadian photonics company Aeponyx to bolster its hardware capabilities.