Energy launches quantum computer development competition

The Energy Department announced the launch of an initiative on Thursday that looks to turbocharge U.S. deployment of the world’s first fault-tolerant, scientifically relevant quantum computer by offering private sector firms monetary incentives for reaching key development milestones. 

The new Quantum Genesis Q Competition will offer up to $215 million in total planned funding to participating companies that submit proposals on ways “to deploy quantum computers with at least 100 logical qubits that are capable of performing hundreds of millions fault-tolerant operations and scientific demonstration programs.”

The agency also posted a request for applications on Thursday “from domestic commercial entities [that] have a technically viable plan for the Quantum Genesis program and achieving the milestones of the Q Competition.” Companies have until Oct. 19 to apply.

Energy launched the Quantum Genesis initiative in June, which looks to develop and deploy the first U.S. fault-tolerant quantum computer for scientific research by 2028. That program debuted the day after President Donald Trump issued two executive orders looking to secure U.S. technologies from future quantum computing threats and to accelerate development of a scientifically-relevant quantum computer.