The Heterogeneous Architectures for Quantum (HARQ) program is now underway, working to address a fundamental challenge in quantum computing: how to scale beyond single-technology systems. Most current approaches rely on a single type of qubit, which forces system designs to inherit the limitations of that technology. HARQ is exploring a different model: integrating multiple qubit types within a single architecture, each selected for its strengths. Over the next 24 months, 19 teams across 15 organizations will develop the software and hardware needed to enable these systems, including cross-platform compilation tools and high-fidelity interconnects.

(April 3, 2025) DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) has identified a cohort of companies who will characterize their unique concepts for creating a useful, fault-tolerant quantum computer within a decade. QBI, which kicked off in July 2024, aims to determine whether it’s possible to build such a computer much faster than conventional predictions. Specifically, QBI is designed to rigorously verify and validate whether any quantum computing approach can achieve utility-scale operation — meaning its computational value exceeds its cost — by the year 2033.

(October 24, 2024) The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) at the U.S. Department of Energy has announced a new program that will pioneer novel approaches to studying chemistry and materials using quantum computing. The Quantum Computing for Computational Chemistry (QC³) program allocates $30 million to support the research and development of scalable, generalizable quantum computing approaches to computational chemistry and materials science which can lead to significant energy impact or reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

(September 9, 2024) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $65 million in funding for 10 projects in Accelerated Research in Quantum Computing, comprising a total of 38 separate awards. This investment targets end-to-end software toolchains to program and control quantum systems at scale, quantum algorithms delivering quantum advantage, and resilience through error detection, prevention, protection, mitigation, and correction. Advancements in these key component areas will demonstrate quantum computing’s utility for scientific research problems in DOE’s mission space by improving all levels of the software stack.

(September 6, 2024) A new rule regarding export controls for advanced technologies, including quantum technologies, has been published in the Federal Register. A brief summary of the key items of interest for quantum technologies is captured below. The controls are effective September 6, 2024, though there is a 60-day delay for some quantum related controls; see the links below for details.

(August 29, 2024) DARPA is hosting a Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) proposers day on Sept. 3, 2024, for quantum computing companies that believe they are on track to develop an industrial-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer in the near term. The goal of the hybrid in-person and virtual proposers day is to introduce the quantum computing research and development community to DARPA and the QBI vision and goals, explain the mechanics and milestones of the QBI solicitation, and solicit and reply to questions from attendees. DARPA will also offer individual, brief sidebar discussions (in person or virtually) with the QBI Program Manager. The proposers day and sidebar discussions are open to U.S. and international quantum computing companies and organizations.

(August 13, 2024) The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has finalized its principal set of encryption algorithms designed to withstand cyberattacks from a quantum computer. Researchers around the world are racing to build quantum computers that would operate in radically different ways from ordinary computers and could break the current encryption that provides security and privacy for just about everything we do online. To defend against this vulnerability, the recently announced algorithms are specified in the first completed standards from NIST’s post-quantum cryptography (PQC) standardization project and are ready for immediate use. These post-quantum encryption standards secure a wide range of electronic information, from confidential email messages to e-commerce transactions that propel the modern economy. NIST is encouraging computer system administrators to begin transitioning to the new standards as soon as possible.

(May 06, 2024) The Laboratory for Physical Sciences (LPS) Qubit Collaboratory (LQC) is hosting its 4th annual Quantum Computing Summer Short Course from July 8th to July 19th. This virtual 2 week short course provides an introduction to quantum computing to 1st-2nd year graduate students and advanced undergraduates in physics and related fields. The course will have subject matter experts teaching key topics from algorithms to hardware. The applications are now being accepted through May 17th. Click here to learn more and apply.

(April 26, 2023) The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science (SC) Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR) program is sponsoring a Basic Research Needs (BRN) Workshop in Quantum Computing and Quantum Networking.