Prince George’s County: The Capital of Quantum Innovation Strengthens Its Global Leadership
Maryland’s position as a global leader in quantum science and innovation has taken another major leap forward. Governor Wes Moore announced a landmark partnership with the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to establish the Capital of Quantum Benchmarking Hub at the University of Maryland's Discovery District in College Park, one of Prince George’s County’s fastest-growing innovation corridors.
This agreement formalizes a new state-federal collaboration that will unlock up to $100 million in federal investment to accelerate Maryland’s rapidly growing quantum industry. The announcement, made at the University of Maryland’s Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security (ARLIS), included Governor Moore, University of Maryland President Darryll J. Pines, DARPA Microsystems Technology Office Program Manager Joe Altepeter, and ARLIS Executive Director Dr. John Beieler.
“Today, we write the next chapter in our work to make Maryland the global capital of quantum,” said Governor Moore. “This new collaboration with DARPA is about leveraging Maryland’s world-class assets to grow our economy, create jobs, and enhance our national security. Together, we will continue to drive innovation through durable partnerships that leave no one behind.”
The partnership will further elevate Prince George’s County as the Capital of Quantum, anchored by the University of Maryland’s Discovery District—already home to leading quantum technology innovators such as IonQ, Quantum Catalyzer (Q-Cat), and other cutting-edge research labs. This vibrant hub is positioning Prince George’s County as a global epicenter for quantum research, technology commercialization, and workforce development.
In January, Governor Moore launched the Capital of Quantum Initiative, a public-private partnership involving the University of Maryland, College Park, and IonQ, aimed at catalyzing over $1 billion in investments to grow Maryland’s quantum economy. Today’s agreement builds on that momentum, cementing Prince George’s County’s role as a strategic gateway for quantum development nationally and globally.
“The University of Maryland is proud to serve as the home of the Capital Quantum Benchmarking Hub and to play a pivotal role in advancing the nation’s quantum future,” said University of Maryland President Darryll J. Pines. “This partnership with DARPA and the State of Maryland underscores our long-standing commitment to cutting-edge research and national security. Together, we are building the infrastructure and expertise needed to evaluate, refine, and ultimately realize the promise of quantum computing.”
DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) will establish an independent, world-class test and evaluation team in Prince George’s County to rigorously assess quantum computing platforms.
“As part of QBI, we are building the world’s largest and most qualified independent quantum computing test and evaluation team, so that we can rigorously test commercial approaches to determine what’s viable and what’s hype,” said DARPA Program Manager Joe Altepeter. “The Capital Quantum Benchmarking Hub will provide an additional research and testing facility for our experts to evaluate plans and systems of the quantum computing companies that progress through the QBI program.”
Dr. John Beieler, Executive Director of ARLIS, emphasized the strategic significance of the new hub:
“Hosting the Capital Quantum Benchmarking Hub reflects our commitment to partnering across government, academia, and industry to drive innovation and deliver trusted solutions for the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community. We are honored to collaborate with the State of Maryland and DARPA to help advance the promise of quantum computing and strengthen our nation’s technological leadership.”
The Discovery District is a thriving ecosystem that fuels Prince George’s County’s economic development priorities in technology, life sciences, and education. With groundbreaking companies like IonQ—the world’s first publicly traded pure-play quantum computing company—and dynamic public-private partnerships, the Discovery District continues to attract world-class talent, private investment, and federal resources.
The Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation applauds this transformative partnership, recognizing that quantum computing and innovation are vital to driving the next generation of economic growth, national security, and global competitiveness.
Prince George’s County is not just participating in the future of technology—we are leading it.
For more information about the Discovery District and Prince George’s County’s innovation ecosystem, visit www.pgcedc.com.
