Sep 22, 2026

Microsoft Gives DARPA On-Site Access to Majorana 2 Quantum System in Maryland

Microsoft announced on Tuesday that it will provide the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency with direct, on-site access to its newest quantum computing hardware, according to Reuters. The arrangement is tied to a new research center the company opened in Maryland together with the University of Maryland and other industry partners.

The facility, situated in the university's Discovery District near Washington, D.C., will host a quantum system built around Microsoft's Majorana 2 chip, allowing DARPA to conduct independent testing and evaluation.

Quantum computers are seen as capable of addressing problems that would take conventional machines thousands of years to solve. National security specialists are particularly focused on the ability to protect and to break encrypted communications.

Microsoft is among several quantum companies being assessed by DARPA, which is trying to determine whether any quantum computing approach can produce economically feasible systems by 2033.

Previously, DARPA evaluated Microsoft's technology from a distance, reaching machines located in Redmond, Washington, and in Europe. The delivery in Maryland represents a move to physical access within a dedicated DARPA space, where its experts can load hardware and run it through their own boot sequences.