DARPA advances Atom Computing, Diraq, IBM and IonQ to QBI Stage C

DARPA has selected Atom Computing, Diraq, IBM and IonQ for Stage C, the final stage of its Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI). Stage C involves direct physical testing and empirical validation of each company's fault-tolerant hardware, to assess whether it could reach utility-scale operation by 2033.

The four companies cover different qubit technologies: neutral atoms (Atom Computing), silicon spin qubits (Diraq), superconducting transmons (IBM) and trapped ions (IonQ).

Atom Computing says its stage carries potential funding of up to $300 million. It says DARPA will independently assess whether its proposed utility-scale neutral-atom quantum computer can be built and operated as designed. Microsoft will provide Atom Computing with algorithmic support and error-correction codes as part of the program. Diraq and IonQ also announced their selections. Funding amounts for Diraq, IBM and IonQ were not given in the available announcements.

DARPA launched QBI to test whether practical, industrial quantum computers can be built sooner than conventional industry projections suggest. Reaching Stage C puts these four designs into hardware verification, and the $300 million figure shows how much money the stage can involve.