The U.S. National Science Foundation is distributing 20 million to five new teams, joining four others selected in 2023, to design a National Quantum Virtual Laboratory. These projects aim to integrate sensors, networks, and computers into a unified system, demonstrating functional quantum technologies for practical applications. Each of the five teams will receive 4 million over two years to refine development plans and prepare for the implementation phase later in 2024, subject to appropriations from Congress. “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
The National Science Foundation is significantly expanding its investment in a nationwide effort to unify quantum science research, selecting five additional teams to join four others selected in 2023. Collectively, these new awards represent 20 million in funding, building upon prior investment to create a total investment for the National Quantum Virtual Laboratory design competition. These projects are diverse, ranging from designs for fault-tolerant quantum computing logic to high-fidelity quantum networks capable of transmitting information over distances of about 60 miles. One team aims to create sensors utilizing protein-based qubits, designed for use within solid materials or even inside living cells. Beyond the core research, the program emphasizes collaboration, with partnerships spanning 20 states and including federal agencies like 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, including Boeing, Honeywell, and IonQ, are also involved, contributing to the development and scaling of emerging quantum technologies and co-creating educational curriculum for K-12 classrooms to expand the STEM workforce. NSF expects to select the first teams to move from design to implementation later in 2024, 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
This brings the total NSF investment in the design competition to 20 million plus funding for the four previously selected teams, demonstrating a sustained commitment to advancing quantum technologies. One team is focused on accelerating fault-tolerant quantum logic, aiming to unify error-correcting code, hardware, and algorithms into a single development process. Research also extends into novel sensor designs, including those utilizing protein-based qubits for applications within complex materials and even living cells. This expansion reflects a broader national push to consolidate expertise.
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
Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computing and Error Correction Methods
This focus on holistic design represents a shift from optimizing individual components to creating a cohesive system capable of mitigating the inherent instability of qubits. These projects are not simply about building better qubits, but about establishing a functional, interconnected quantum ecosystem. A critical challenge in quantum computing is maintaining qubit coherence long enough to perform complex calculations; the team will build fault-tolerant quantum computing logic by unifying the design of error-correcting code, hardware, and algorithms into a single, cohesive development process. Simultaneously, another team is exploring using superconducting hardware, seeking to improve computing efficiency through novel error-detection methods. This emphasis on practical error correction is vital, as achieving reliable quantum computation requires drastically reducing error rates. These efforts, coupled with the development of portable quantum sensors utilizing chip-based technology, highlight a broader ambition to translate quantum capabilities into real-world applications.
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
