ANNAPOLIS, MD — Governor Wes Moore today signed a memorandum of agreement between the State of Maryland and the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to establish the “Capital of Quantum Benchmarking Hub”—a formalization of state and federal government partnership to develop quantum information science in the state.
“Today, we write the next chapter in our work to make Maryland the global capital of quantum,”
said Gov. Moore. “This new collaboration with DARPA is about leveraging Maryland’s world-class assets to grow our economy, create jobs, and enhance our national security. Together, we will continue to drive innovation through durable partnerships that leave no one behind.”
The governor was joined at the University of Maryland Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security (ARLIS) by University of Maryland President Darryl Pines; DARPA Program Manager for the Microsystems Technology Office Joe Altepeter; and ARLIS Executive Director John Beieler for the announcement.
In January, Gov. Moore launched the
Capital of Quantum Initiative—a public-private partnership with the University of Maryland, College Park and IonQ—to catalyze more than $1 billion in investments in Maryland’s quantum industry. Today’s agreement will establish the Quantum Benchmarking Initiative’s presence in the University of Maryland’s Discovery District, and unlock up to $100 million in federal funds to match the state’s quantum computing investments over the next four years. The agreement announced today strengthens Maryland’s position as a global powerhouse for quantum science and research, and further expands opportunities for significant private investment into Maryland’s quantum sector.
“The University of Maryland is proud to serve as the home of the Capital Quantum Benchmarking Hub and to play a pivotal role in advancing the nation’s quantum future,”
said University of Maryland President Darryll J. Pines. “This partnership with DARPA and the State of Maryland underscores our long-standing commitment to cutting-edge research and national security. Together, we are building the infrastructure and expertise needed to evaluate, refine and ultimately realize the promise of quantum computing.”
“As part of QBI, we are building the world’s largest and most qualified independent quantum computing test and evaluation team, so that we can rigorously test commercial approaches to determine what’s viable and what’s hype,”
said DARPA Quantum Benchmarking Initiative program manager Joe Altepeter. “The Capital Quantum Benchmarking Hub will provide an additional research and testing facility for our experts to evaluate plans and systems of the quantum computing companies that progress through the QBI program.”
“Hosting the Capital Quantum Benchmarking Hub reflects our commitment to partnering across government, academia, and industry to drive innovation and deliver trusted solutions for the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community,”
said ARLIS Executive Director Dr. John Beieler. “We are honored to collaborate with the State of Maryland and DARPA to help advance the promise of quantum computing and strengthen our nation’s technological leadership.”