The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced five additional teams in the National Quantum Virtual Laboratory design competition, increasing the total number of NSF-supported projects to nine.
These teams will receive a combined $20 million and join four others selected in 2025.
This initiative advances the administration’s goal of strengthening U.S. leadership in quantum science, as outlined in the recent Executive Order on Ushering in the Next Frontier of Quantum Innovation.
The National Quantum Virtual Laboratory, currently in the design phase, aims to provide researchers nationwide with specialized resources to develop practical quantum technologies.
Each team will receive $4 million over two years to refine plans and prepare for implementation.
Their work will help integrate sensors, networks, and computers into a unified system that demonstrates functional quantum technologies for real-world applications.
The selected teams represent institutions in 20 states and collaborate with federal partners, including the U.S. Department of War's Air Force Research Laboratory, Department of Energy national laboratories, NASA, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Over two dozen U.S. companies, such as Boeing, Honeywell, IonQ, NVIDIA, and Quantinuum, are also participating to help develop and scale quantum technologies.
The teams will design experimental quantum technologies, including networks for transmitting quantum information over long distances and sensors capable of measuring faint properties within a single cell.
NSF is also supporting education and training initiatives, such as developing quantum science curricula with K-12 teachers and encouraging researchers to serve as role models in classrooms to inspire future STEM professionals.
The National Quantum Virtual Laboratory is part of NSF's strategy to fulfill the "National Quantum Initiative Act" passed by Congress in 2018.
NSF expects to select the first teams to move from design to implementation in 2026, pending congressional appropriations.
The five new teams will focus on: building fault-tolerant quantum computing logic; designing a high-speed quantum networking system; developing sensors that use quantum entanglement and coherence; creating new error-detection and correction methods for quantum computers; and designing portable, chip-based quantum sensor technology for use outside laboratory environments.