Microsoft has launched a 15,000-square-foot quantum research center in the University of Maryland Discovery District. Opened on September 22, 2026, the facility allows DARPA to conduct independent, on-site testing of the company’s Majorana 2 topological quantum hardware.
The center operates under DARPA’s US2QC program. Microsoft is one of two finalists in the program's final phase, enabling evaluators to install their own hardware and run measurement protocols. The project is part of Maryland’s Capital of Quantum initiative, which has pledged an initial $52.5 million, with total funding potentially reaching $100 million over four years.
Technically, the Majorana 2 system marks a significant advancement over the 2025 Majorana 1 prototype. Qubit coherence times have increased from under 12 milliseconds to up to 20 seconds, representing a 1,600-fold improvement. Microsoft aims to scale this architecture to approximately 1 million qubits on a single chip.
The facility includes makerspaces for collaborations with companies such as AMD and Intel, alongside postdoctoral training programs with the University of Maryland. Microsoft has publicly stated its goal to deliver commercial quantum systems by 2029, focusing on topological qubits that offer greater resistance to environmental noise compared to superconducting or trapped-ion designs.
