Is Maryland’s big bet on quantum computing paying off? - The Baltimore Banner

The world of quantum computing — the emerging technology industry that Gov. Wes Moore has called the future of job growth and economic prosperity in Maryland — descended on College Park this week for the three-day Quantum World Congress.The conference, held for the first time in College Park after convening for the past three years in Tysons, Virginia, and D.C., attracted delegations from more than 30 countries. Organizers said this year’s conference was by far the best attended.Maryland’s quantum computing champions, Moore chief among them, say the state is at the forefront of the national conversation about the burgeoning industry.Quantum computers could quickly solve problems that might take traditional computers years to complete, potentially unlocking innovation across supply chain logistics, encryption, medicine and more.Advertise with us“I want Maryland to be the global pathway of quantum,” Moore said Thursday during his prepared remarks at the conference.As nations and states compete to attract the companies that may one day develop quantum for everyday commercial and industrial uses, the conference has provided state and local officials an opportunity to pitch Maryland as a leading industry hub to thousands of researchers, executives and investors from around the world.Read MoreBurroughs announces $360K grant to pay balances for Bowie State students from his districtSep 22, 2026Tensions over Sphere National Harbor escalate as council members press for labor agreement Sep 21, 2026Maryland is cited among the states leading the way in quantum research and investments. But other states with renowned universities and federally funded research institutions have also made quantum an economic development priority.“To the companies, investors and researchers and partners who have traveled here from all over the world, I want you to know that Prince George’s County can be your home, too,” County Executive Aisha Braveboy said during a welcoming address.What is quantum computing?The Wall Street Journal explained quantum computing using shipping logistics.Advertise with usWhile traditional computers might identify the best shipping route by examining each option one by one, a quantum computer could evaluate all routes simultaneously and identify the most efficient one much more quickly, saving time and money.Modern computers store and process information using binary digits, or “bits,” the most basic unit of digital data for computing. Bits hold a value of either 0 or 1.Quantum computers rely on quantum bits, known as “qubits,” which can be 0, 1 or a mix of the two values.This state of mixed energy is part of what enables quantum computers to complete computations that would take traditional computers far longer, said Norbert Linke, director of the National Quantum Laboratory, or QLab, at the University of Maryland, College Park.The potential computing power of qubits increases exponentially when they’re combined, Linke said. Successfully combining enough qubits could, in theory, build a computer more powerful than any in existence.Advertise with usMuch of quantum computing remains theoretical and current quantum computers hardly compete with the best traditional computers, Linke said. However, the technology has not reached the scale its proponents foresee. The problem is with the qubit, Linke said. Quantum computing requires combining many qubits, but they’re unstable.The best quantum computers make an error once every 1,000 operations, according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology. A traditional computer makes roughly one error every quintillion calculations, according to NIST.But the industry has progressed. Twenty years ago, researchers could work with two qubits at a time. Now it’s hundreds, maybe thousands, Linke said.“It’s not science fiction,” he said. “In the next 10 years, we will have some very specific applications.”Advertise with usMaryland’s playStu Solomon, founder and vice chair of Connected DMV, which organized this week’s conference, said Prince George’s County “sits at the center of one of the most remarkable concentrations of scientific, federal and technological capability anywhere in the world.” UMD has been researching the field for more than 35 years. The university partnered with NIST in 2006 to establish a quantum research institute on campus. “The University of Maryland has always been ahead in all things quantum,” University President Darryll Pines said to conference attendees. College Park is home to the state’s Capital of Quantum, an ecosystem of federal labs, national security agencies, research universities and investors across the region and headquartered in Discovery District Maryland, the university’s research park.The leading quantum computing company IonQ, headquartered in College Park, helps anchor Discovery District. Advertise with usThe Capital of Quantum initiative also calls for attracting $1 billion in investments by 2030 to grow the state’s industry.“This is not a fad,” Moore said. “This is a commitment.”Since Moore announced the $1 billion goal in early 2025, the state and the University of Maryland have attracted about $500 million in pledged investments and nearly a dozen quantum startups have set up shop in Discovery District, according to the governor’s office.Last week, Boston-based QuEra Computing announced it would open an office as part of an agreement with the University of Maryland. Companies from the United Kingdom and Finland are opening facilities in College Park, too, according to the university.The state has recently announced an agreement with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency for up to $100 million in matching grant funding and expansions of quantum facilities in College Park, including a new Microsoft research center.Advertise with usMaryland is competing with states within the region and across the country as it pushes to secure industry leaders and investors. The quantum industry has also gravitated to California, Illinois, Colorado, Massachusetts and New York.Tennessee recently doubled its budgeted quantum investment, and the federally funded Oak Ridge National Laboratory is a major driver for attracting quantum companies. The state landed a significant economic development victory over Maryland last year when IonQ announced it would build its planned quantum computing and networking hub in Chattanooga rather than College Park. Across the Potomac River, George Mason University recently established the Virginia Quantum Hub.But local economic development officials say investment in one part of the DMV can boost the entire region. Advertise with usTo compete in a global industry, the leaders of local economic development corporations in Maryland and Northern Virginia say the DMV will benefit by working together to market the entire region.“It’s almost like we’re bookending this incredible region,” Anna Nissinen, director for Arlington Economic Development, said of the Virginia Quantum Hub during a panel that included economic development leaders from Prince George’s, Montgomery and Howard counties.Corey Stambaugh, director of the Capital of Quantum, said Maryland’s quantum ecosystem stands out.Before directing the Capital of Quantum, Stambaugh oversaw NIST labs, including in Colorado. He said he spent years talking up Colorado’s quantum initiatives.“We are doing just as much. And I’d say we’re complementary,” he said of the Capital of Quantum.Stambaugh added: “I would put us right at the top with anybody else.”