The Department of Energy will fund quantum computer development with up to $215 million through the new Quantum Genesis Q Competition. Applicants must propose systems capable of at least 100 logical qubits and demonstrate hundreds of millions of fault-tolerant operations, signaling a push beyond simply increasing qubit counts toward reliable computation.
“Through the Quantum Genesis Q Competition, we are building a new era of computational power for the nation through innovative public-private partnerships,” said Under Secretary for Science Darío Gil. Phase I of the competition will award up to $1.5 million for early progress toward this goal.
Quantum Genesis Q Competition: Funding Scientifically Relevant Quantum Computers
The Department of Energy intends to allocate up to $100 million to competitors who successfully demonstrate a scientifically relevant quantum computer featuring at least 100 logical qubits; this incentive pool forms the core of Phase II funding within the Quantum Genesis Q Competition. Beyond this base award, the competition offers two additional $50 million bonus pools for achieving higher qubit counts, specifically 150 and 200 logical qubits, incentivizing further scaling of quantum processing capabilities.
This tiered structure signals a clear preference for not just qubit quantity, but also demonstrable progress toward increasingly complex quantum systems. Applications for participation are open only to private sector companies, a strategic decision intended to encourage commercial innovation and accelerate the translation of research into deployable technology. Total planned funding for the competition reaches $215 million, with an initial $2.5 million allocated for the current fiscal year, and subsequent funding dependent on congressional approval.
The competition’s structure, with its two distinct phases, is designed to support incremental development; Phase I will distribute up to $1.5 million per recipient for achieving early milestones, providing seed funding for initial progress. The focus on scientifically relevant quantum computers distinguishes this initiative from efforts solely prioritizing qubit count, emphasizing the need for systems capable of addressing real-world problems in fields like chemistry, materials science, and applied mathematics.
A parallel initiative, the Quantum High-Performance Computing Validation and Verification Testbed Lab Call, will engage DOE’s National Laboratories to establish essential tools for characterizing and validating these emerging quantum systems, ensuring rigorous testing across the entire computing stack.
Applications for the Quantum Genesis Q Competition must be submitted by October 19, 2026, following a virtual informational webinar scheduled for September 25, 2026, at 1:00 p.m.; this timeline underscores the Department’s commitment to a rapid deployment of funding and a swift acceleration of quantum computing development. The Request for Applications and the Lab Call are available on the Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research’s Funding Opportunities webpage, providing detailed guidelines for prospective applicants and outlining the specific criteria for evaluation.
Through the Quantum Genesis Q Competition, we are building a new era of computational power for the nation through innovative public-private partnerships.
Darío Gil, Under Secretary for Science
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