DARPA just slashed its quantum roster in half. Here are the early winners

The quantum computing sector received a notable update when the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) disclosed a shortlist of companies advancing to Stage C of its Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI). This initiative is recognized as the most stringent and impartial vetting program for innovative quantum hardware.

Initially, 11 companies entered Stage B in November, demonstrating their research and development plans, key risks, and prototypes. To progress to Stage C, companies must construct and test their concepts, collaborating with the government to verify and validate their designs. The four companies chosen for Stage C this time around are Atom Computing, Diraq, IBM, and IonQ.

They join Microsoft and PsiQuantum, who made it to Stage C in February 2025 through a separate vetting process. Each company could secure up to $300 million in funding from the U.S. government. The four selected companies represent all the current "modalities" or methods of constructing a qubit, the basic unit of quantum computation.

IBM utilizes superconducting circuits, Atom Computing employs neutral atoms, IonQ works with trapped ions, and Diraq builds silicon spin qubits on semiconductors. Diraq's CEO, Andrew Dzurak, highlights that their technology, built on standard semiconductor manufacturing processes, provides a cost advantage in DARPA's evaluation criteria, potentially allowing them to reach utility scale by 2031, two years ahead of schedule.

Atom Computing's CEO, Dr. Ben Bloom, shares a similar sentiment, emphasizing their confidence in their neutral atom technology's ability to solve useful problems at scale. IBM's VP of Quantum System, Oliver Dial, acknowledges the validation of their superconducting approach from an external, impartial source but remains confident in the technology's eventual success.

The quantum computing landscape remains dynamic, with multiple companies working on various approaches and timelines for achieving utility-scale quantum computers.