Maryland leaders eye ownership of future of quantum computing - Yahoo Finance
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by: Hayley Milon Posted: Feb 9, 2026 / 01:51 PM EST Updated: Feb 9, 2026 / 01:51 PM EST WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — If Silicon Valley was the birthplace of the internet, Maryland officials are betting that the “Discovery District” in College Park will be the front line for what comes next. As the global race for quantum supremacy intensifies, a surge of federal policy and state-level investment is positioning the Washington-Maryland corridor as the “Capital of Quantum.” The move comes as the industry shifts from theoretical science in academic labs to a tangible economic engine capable of reshaping the regional job market. The introduction of the National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act of 2026 aims to pump billions of dollars into the sector through 2034, ensuring the United States maintains a competitive edge over international rivals in developing the next generation of computing power.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore has put the state’s weight behind a $1 billion “Capital of Quantum” initiative. The plan is already yielding physical results. Microsoft recently opened a new Quantum Center in the U.S. University of Maryland’s Discovery District, and IonQ, a leader in the field, continues to expand its headquarters in College Park. A recent report by The Washington Post highlighted a growing partnership between the university and private industry aimed at making the state the nation’s undisputed leader in the field. For Moore, the stakes are more than just scientific. The administration views quantum as a way to diversify the state’s economy, potentially reducing Maryland’s long-standing dependence on direct federal government employment by fostering a self-sustaining private tech ecosystem. The state lost nearly 25,000 jobs to DOGE cuts and the shrinking of federal programs under the second Trump administration. While the technology is complex, the economic impact is designed to be accessible. The federal reauthorization bill emphasizes the creation of “Workforce Hubs,” specialized vocational training programs. These hubs are intended to train a new class of workers. Industry experts say the field will soon require thousands of technicians with two-year degrees to maintain specialized hardware and quantum fridges, the ultra-cold cooling systems required for the computers to operate. Maryland also recently secured a landmark deal with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to establish the nation’s “Benchmarking Hub.” As the official site for verifying quantum claims, the hub ensures that any global tech firm looking to validate its hardware must do so in Maryland.