New Participants in Stage C
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has selected four additional companies to advance to Stage C, the final phase of its Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI), GovCon Wire reported. The newly selected companies are Atom Computing, Diraq, IBM, and IonQ.
Each of the selected companies is pursuing a different qubit technology. Atom Computing is developing scalable arrays of neutral atoms, while Diraq focuses on silicon CMOS spin qubits. IBM is working with modular superconducting processors, and IonQ is utilizing trapped-ion quantum computing. These four firms join Microsoft and PsiQuantum, which previously entered Stage C after participating in a pilot program.
Testing and Agreements
Under the initiative, DARPA’s independent verification and validation team will test the companies' hardware and designs to see if they can perform as modeled. IonQ announced it signed a Stage C agreement with DARPA valued at up to $300 million running through 2029, though funding beyond the initial obligation depends on future appropriations. DARPA will test multiple generations of IonQ's Superion quantum systems against the company's technical roadmap.
Meanwhile, IBM plans to deliver its first fault-tolerant quantum computer, the IBM Quantum Starling, in 2029. DARPA's team will evaluate IBM's hardware during this final stage to validate its path toward fault-tolerant quantum computing.
Assessing Utility-Scale Quantum Computing
QBI is a DARPA effort to determine whether any quantum computing approach can reach utility-scale operation by 2033. DARPA defines utility scale as the point at which a system’s computational value outweighs its cost. The initiative does not pit companies against one another; instead, it assesses whether each approach offers a credible near-term route to utility scale. More than 20 companies have been evaluated since QBI launched in mid-2024.