Microsoft has launched a new 15,000-square-foot quantum research facility in the University of Maryland’s Discovery District. The center provides DARPA researchers with direct, physical access to the Majorana 2 quantum chip, enabling independent testing and performance validation.
The project is part of the Capital of Quantum initiative. Maryland allocated $52.5 million from its fiscal year 2026 budget for the hub, with total combined funding from the state and DARPA projected to reach $100 million over four years.
Microsoft utilizes topological qubits based on Majorana particles, which differ from the superconducting qubits used by competitors like IBM and Google. The facility is designed to be hardware-upgradable, allowing for future chip replacements without structural changes.
The collaboration operates under DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative to establish performance standards. Microsoft is a finalist in the US2QC program, which aims for practical quantum computing by 2033, while the company targets commercial deployment by 2029.
