The U.S. National Science Foundation is distributing 20 million collectively to five new teams, expanding a multi-year investment that now includes nine projects dedicated to designing a National Quantum Virtual Laboratory. This initiative aims to provide researchers across the country with access to specialized quantum resources, integrating sensors, networks, and computers into a unified system for practical applications. Each of the five teams will receive 4 million over two years to move from the design phase toward implementation, building scientific testing and evaluation capabilities for functional quantum technologies. “Across academia, government and industry, America has an unmatched array of brilliant people working on quantum science and tech with incredible potential to improve our quality of life,” says Brian Stone, performing the duties of the NSF director. “But too often they are working independently in silos. We need to bring their talent and ideas together, and NSF is uniquely positioned to make that happen.”
National Quantum Virtual Laboratory Design Competition Awards
A collective $20 million investment will propel five new research teams into the next phase of the National Quantum Virtual Laboratory design competition, significantly expanding a program already underway with four previously funded groups. This commitment from the National Science Foundation (NSF) underscores a multi-year effort to unify disparate quantum research efforts across the United States and translate theoretical advances into practical technologies. Projects range from building fault-tolerant quantum computing logic to designing high-fidelity quantum networks capable of transmitting information over 60 miles, and developing protein-based quantum sensors for use within living cells. These efforts aim to create a unified system demonstrating real-world applications for quantum technologies, with participation from the Department of Defense’s Air Force Research Laboratory, NASA, and over two dozen companies like Boeing, Honeywell, and IonQ, alongside educational initiatives designed to cultivate the future STEM workforce.
The team will design chip-based quantum sensor technology that is portable and robust enough to be used in the field, outside the highly controlled laser laboratory environments typically required for such sensors.
NSF
Quantum Network & Sensor Technology Development Projects
This funding supplements prior allocations, bringing the total NSF commitment to nine projects dedicated to establishing a nationally accessible quantum resource. These initiatives focus not on isolated advancements, but on integrating quantum sensors, networks, and computers into a cohesive system capable of addressing real-world challenges. One team is focused on accelerating fault-tolerant quantum logic, seeking to unify error-correcting code, hardware, and algorithms. Another is designing a photonic entanglement network aiming for speeds approximately 100,000 times faster than existing quantum networks, with a range of around 60 miles. Researchers are also exploring distributed-entanglement quantum sensing, including protein-based qubits for use within complex materials and even living cells. This collaborative effort extends beyond academia, with federal partners including the Air Force Research Laboratory, Department of Energy national laboratories, NASA, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. More than two dozen U.S. companies, such as Boeing, Honeywell, and IonQ, are actively participating, indicating a strong drive toward scaling up these emerging technologies.
The team will design a high-fidelity quantum networking system approximately 100,000 times faster than current quantum networks and able to carry information over distances of about 60 miles.
NSF
Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computing and Error Correction Methods
Researchers are increasingly focused on building practical quantum computers, and a key challenge lies in mitigating the inherent fragility of quantum states. Quantum computations are susceptible to errors from environmental noise and imperfections in quantum bits, or qubits, necessitating robust error correction schemes. The pursuit of fault tolerance isn’t solely about correcting errors after they occur; it’s about designing systems where errors are actively prevented from propagating and corrupting the entire computation. One team is tackling this through “Erasure Qubits and Dynamic Circuits for Quantum Advantage,” developing new error-detection and correction methods using superconducting hardware to enhance computing efficiency. This differs from traditional error correction by focusing on identifying and isolating faulty qubits before they compromise results. These efforts are bolstered by a collaborative network of federal partners, including U.S. companies like IonQ and Quantinuum. The ultimate goal is to move beyond theoretical designs and into implementation, with NSF anticipating selecting teams for this phase later in the year, contingent on congressional appropriations.
But too often they are working independently in silos. We need to bring their talent and ideas together, and NSF is uniquely positioned to make that happen.
Brian Stone, performing the duties of the NSF director
