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 capabilities for scientific testing and evaluation of 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 is expanding the National Quantum Virtual Laboratory design competition, adding five new teams to the four previously funded, signaling a sustained, multi-year commitment from the National Science Foundation to advance quantum technologies. The projects span a diverse range of quantum challenges, including the development of fault-tolerant quantum computing logic and high-fidelity quantum networks capable of transmitting information over distances of approximately 60 miles. One team is focused on designing sensors, potentially utilizing protein-based qubits, to analyze chemical properties within complex materials or even individual cells. Another is exploring new error-detection methods for quantum computers using superconducting hardware, aiming to improve computational efficiency. Beyond the core research, the program emphasizes workforce development, with teams co-creating quantum science curriculum for K-12 classrooms and researchers directly engaging with students to inspire future STEM professionals.
More than two dozen U.S. companies, including Boeing, Honeywell, and IonQ, are partnering on these projects, indicating a strong drive towards translating research into scalable technologies. NSF expects to select the first teams for implementation later in the year, subject to appropriations from Congress.
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
Quantum Network & Sensor Technology Development Projects
The pursuit of practical quantum technologies is rapidly gaining momentum, as evidenced by a substantial investment from the National Science Foundation. Currently, nine teams are actively engaged in designing a National Quantum Virtual Laboratory, a resource intended to democratize access to specialized quantum tools for researchers across the United States. This initiative focuses not solely on computation, but also on integrating quantum sensors, networks, and computers into functional systems applicable to real-world challenges. Companies, including Boeing, Honeywell, and IonQ, are collaborating to accelerate the development and scaling of these emerging technologies, while simultaneously investing in STEM education and workforce development.
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
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 information. The team designing “Accelerating Fault-Tolerant Quantum Logic” is attempting to unify error-correcting code, hardware, and algorithms into a single development process, a critical step toward reliable computation. This approach acknowledges that quantum bits, or qubits, are susceptible to noise and errors, necessitating robust error correction schemes to maintain the integrity of calculations. NSF is investing 4 million over two years in this team, alongside four others selected previously, to move beyond theoretical designs and toward implementation. Another team is tackling error detection with superconducting hardware, aiming to improve computing efficiency through “Erasure Qubits and Dynamic Circuits for Quantum Advantage.” Their work focuses on identifying and correcting errors during computation, rather than solely after a calculation is complete, potentially offering significant performance gains.
The agency’s investment reflects a broader push to integrate sensors, networks, and computers into a cohesive quantum system. The distributed-entanglement quantum sensing project, for example, is exploring sensors, including those utilizing protein-based qubits, that leverage quantum properties to analyze materials and even biological cells. These advancements are not merely academic exercises; they represent a concerted effort to translate quantum potential into tangible, real-world applications.
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
