The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has forged new partnership with the state of Maryland to establish the Capital Quantum Benchmarking Hub. The planned facility will be used to test and evaluate quantum computing systems for commercial and national security applications, DARPA said Monday.

Quantum Advancement

The Capital Quantum Benchmarking Hub will be located within the University of Maryland’s Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security, or ARLIS. Both DARPA and the government of Maryland committed to providing matching contributions of up to $100 million each over four years to support the hub and the larger Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, or QBI.

“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,” commented Joe Altepeter, program manager for QBI at DARPA. “The Capital Quantum Benchmarking Hub will provide an additional research and testing facility for our experts to evaluate the plans and systems of the quantum computing companies that progress through the QBI program.”

Launched in 2024, QBI aims to identify and validate quantum computing approaches that can lead to the development of an industrially useful quantum computer by 2033.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore added that the new facility will strengthen national security, create local jobs and position the state as a global capital for quantum technology.

“Together, we will continue to drive innovation through durable partnerships that leave no one behind,” Moore stated.

State Collaborations to Develop Emerging Capabilities

In 2024, DARPA made a similar deal with the state of Illinois to establish the Quantum Proving Ground. Located at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park in Chicago, the research and development facility will also test and evaluate quantum technologies.