Full Breakdown
Microsoft Gives DARPA On-Site Access to Majorana 2 at New Maryland Quantum Center
By Drooid · · How we work
Opening of the Maryland Quantum Research Center
The opening on September 22 launches a 15,000-sq-ft facility in the University of Maryland’s Discovery District. It will house Microsoft’s Majorana 2 topological quantum system and give DARPA direct, on-site access for testing. The site also includes a hardware makerspace, partner labs, and space for future prototypes.
Background & Context
The center is part of Maryland’s “Capital of Quantum” initiative, a public-private partnership launched in January 2025 to attract over $1 billion of quantum-industry investment. The state and university have pledged more than $500 million toward academic and workforce programs. An agreement with DARPA provides up to $100 million in matching grants, and a $65 million capital project is under way for a new Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security (ARLIS) headquarters.
DARPA’s Underexplored Systems for Utility-Scale Quantum Computing program, within its Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, aims to determine whether any quantum-computing approach can yield commercially useful machines by 2033. Microsoft’s Majorana 2 system is in the final stage of this evaluation.
Key Figures & Groups
- Zulfi Alam – Corporate vice president, Microsoft Quantum
- Gov. Wes Moore – Governor of Maryland
- Congressman Glenn Ivey – Maryland’s 4th district
- Darryll J. Pines – President, University of Maryland
- Jason Zander – Executive vice president, Microsoft Discovery & Quantum
- Dr. Charles Tahan – Partner, Microsoft Quantum
Data & Statistics
- Facility size: 15,000 sq ft
- DARPA matching grant ceiling: $100 million
- State-private quantum pledges: >$500 million
- ARLIS headquarters project: $65 million for a 110,000-sq-ft building
- Microsoft’s commercial-quantum target: by 2029
Official Statements & Responses
Gov. Ivey highlighted the region’s talent pool and ecosystem as essential for turning discoveries into companies and high-paying jobs. Microsoft notes that the Majorana 2 chip uses a new lead-based material stack to improve qubit stability and reduce error rates, and that the Maryland system can accommodate future chip generations. The company also announced funding for quantum postdoctoral positions and annual measurement-based computing workshops.
Verbatim Quotes
- “This is a big deal for us because ?it essentially enables DARPA to kick the tires and to sort of figure out how good this machine is and how it's performing,” — Zulfi Alam, Microsoft Quantum
- “Quantum has the potential to transform every part of our economy and society and the opening of this new discovery center is another step in Maryland leading the nation in this emerging sector,” — Gov. Moore
What's Next
DARPA will begin its evaluation of Majorana 2 shortly after the September 22 opening, running boot sequences and performance tests. Microsoft says the facility is designed to swap in future chips as they are developed. The evaluation will assess whether computational value outweighs system cost, informing the roadmap toward commercial viability by 2033. Microsoft projects its first commercial quantum systems by 2029, and the center will continue to host partner integrations, workforce-training programs, and annual workshops.
