U.S. and Italy Cooperate in Deploying Advanced Quantum Technologies From IonQ to Support Risk Analysis and Civil Protection

Niscemi, Italy – February 23, 2026- As authorities continue to respond to the devastating landslide affecting the Sicilian territory of Niscemi, advanced monitoring tools are being deployed to better understand the impacts and to support risk prevention and civil protection activities.

IonQ, a global leader in quantum sensing, quantum networking, quantum security, and quantum computing technologies, is supporting scientific analysis and monitoring activities conducted by Italian authorities, helping experts track ongoing ground movement and assess the evolution of the landslide over time and its continuing impacts on the Niscemi community and its residents.

Quantum Technology and Why It Matters

IonQ’s quantum technologies collect data regardless of weather conditions and detect infinitesimal ground movements in three dimensions. These capabilities are highly effective for monitoring landslides, subsidence, and other forms of ground instability.  In Niscemi, these datasets enable experts to identify changes, trends, and potential acceleration in ground movement with ahigh degree of precision.

IonQ established its R&D subsidiary in Italy, IonQ Italia, to collaborate with government, industrial, and academic institutions to advance quantum technologies on Italian soil, working closely with Italian researchers and developers. As these relationships move forward, IonQ Italia takes pride in ensuring Italy’s place as an R&D center of the European quantum renaissance.

U.S.–Italy Cooperation

This close cooperation among the Niscemi local administration, the U.S. Mission to Italy, Naval Air Station Sigonella, U.S.-based IonQ and its Italian subsidiary IonQ Italia, underscores the strength of U.S.-Italy collaboration in science and technology. Strong institutional relationships between these entities enabled a coordinated effort that facilitated the rapid delivery of data from IonQ, enhancing the ability of Italian authorities to monitor the landslide and assess its evolution with greater precision.

Statement by Senator Alessio Butti, Undersecretary for Technological Innovation

‍“I would like to thank IonQ for the contribution it has provided in support of the Civil Protection in Niscemi, generously contributing advanced data for humanitarian purposes. It is a concrete example of how quantum technologies can generate public value and strengthen international cooperation. The work initiated over the past months with IonQ has also contributed to the creation of initiatives such as Q-Alliance, aimed at building a strong and coordinated national ecosystem in the quantum sector. The Department for Digital Transformation strongly supports projects that integrate innovation, security, and institutional collaboration, helping to position Italy as a leading player in the development and responsible application of emerging technologies.”

Statement by Massimiliano Conti, Mayor of Niscemi

“At a particularly challenging time for our region, every form of cooperation is important for our community. The contribution of our U.S. partners complements the work carried out by local institutions, providing additional tools to help manage the emergency. I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the support shown, which represents a meaningful sign of attention and closeness to Niscemi. I truly hope that concrete partnership projects can soon be launched for the benefit of our community.”

Statemen tby Niccolò de Masi, Chairman and CEO of IonQ

“The collaboration between the U. S. and Italy in response to the Niscemi landslide demonstrates how an advanced quantum technology partnership can serve both scientific progress and humanitarian needs. Combining cutting-edge IonQ quantum sensing capabilities with strong institutional cooperation helps Italian authorities better understand and monitor ground movement in real time. IonQ is proud to support this effort through its growing presence in Italy, reinforcing the importance of transatlantic collaboration in advancing quantum sensing technologies that contribute not only to innovation, but also to public safety and resilience.”

Statement by Marco Pistoia, Ph.D., CEO of IonQ Italia

“IonQ Italia was established to foster collaboration between American technological leadership and Italian scientific excellence. Supporting the authorities in Niscemi during this challenging moment reflects exactly the kind of partnership we envisioned. Working alongside Italian researchers, Civil Protection authorities, and government institutions, we aim to strengthen innovation, community protection and humanitarian preparedness.”

About IonQ

IonQ, Inc. [NYSE: IONQ] is the world’s leading quantum platform and merchant supplier -delivering integrated quantum solutions across computing, networking, sensing and security. IonQ’s newest generation of quantum computers, the forthcoming IonQ Tempo, will be the latest in a line of cutting-edge systems that have been helping customers and partners including Amazon Web Services, AstraZeneca, and NVIDIA achieve 20x performance results and accelerate innovation in drug discovery, materials science, financial modeling, logistics, cybersecurity, and defense. In 2025, the company achieved 99.99% two-qubit gate fidelity, setting a world record in quantum computing performance.

Headquartered in College Park, Maryland, IonQ has operations in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Washington, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Toronto, and the United Kingdom. Our quantum computing services are available through all major cloud providers, while we also meet the needs of networking and sensing customers across land, sea, air, and space. IonQ is making quantum platforms more accessible and impactful than ever before. Learn more at IonQ.com.

IonQ Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Some of the forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words. Statements that are not historical in nature, including the words accelerate, accelerating, intends, roadmap, will, and other similar terms are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements include those related to the IonQ’s quantum capabilities and plans; the necessity, effectiveness, and future impacts of IonQ’s offering; IonQ’s technology delivering scalable, fault tolerant quantum computing in the future; and the scalability, accessibility, effectiveness, criticality, performance, impact, practicality, and commercial-readiness of IonQ’s offerings. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections, and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not limited to: changes in the competitive industries in which IonQ operates, including development of competing technologies; IonQ’s ability to implement its business plans, forecasts, roadmaps and other expectations, to identify and realize partnerships and opportunities, and to engage new and existing customers; IonQ’s ability to deliver, and customers’ ability to generate, value from IonQ’s offerings; IonQ’s ability to deliver next-generation electronics and materials, reduce hardware complexity, scale system capacity, and enhance system performance, information transfer, and network accuracy, or reduce noise and errors; IonQ’s ability to sell effectively to government entities and large enterprises; IonQ’s ability to deliver services and products within currently anticipated timelines; IonQ’s customers deciding or declining to extend contracts into new phases; changes in U.S. government spending or policy that may affect IonQ’s customers; changes in laws and regulations affecting IonQ’s business; and risks associated with U.S. government sales, including availability of funding and provisions that allow the government to unilaterally terminate or modify contracts for convenience. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company’s filings, including but not limited to those described in the “Risk Factors” section of IonQ's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and reports on Form 10-Q. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance onforward-looking statements, and IonQ assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. IonQ does not give any assurance that it will achieve its expectations. IonQ may or may not choose to practice or otherwise use the inventions described in the issued patents in the future.

Contacts

IonQ Media contacts:

Cheryl Krauss 

cheryl.krauss@ionq.co

Tor Constantino

tor.constantino@ionq.co

IonQ Investor Contact:

investors@ionq.co