Microsoft Unveils Quantum Research Center for DARPA Collaboration
Microsoft has opened a 15,000-square-foot quantum research center at the University of Maryland's Discovery District. The center will support hardware research, partner integration, workforce training, and government collaboration.
The facility provides DARPA with on-site access to Microsoft's topological quantum system, including qubits built on its Majorana 2 chip. This system uses an emerging class of quantum devices designed to be more error-resistant.
Microsoft is also launching a quantum hardware makerspace, where students and researchers can work directly with equipment. The company has partnered with AMD, Intel, IQM, Fermilab, Riverlane, and Quantum Motion for this project.
The center will serve as a location where prospective partners can test how their technologies work with Microsoft's broader quantum platform. This is part of the company's strategy to support multiple quantum hardware types through a common software and infrastructure layer.