D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS), the only dual-platform quantum computing company offering both annealing and gate-model systems, announced it has been selected to receive a $1,566,250 grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) through the agency's National Quantum Virtual Laboratory (NQVL) program. The funding will support D-Wave's role as a key industry partner in the ERASE (Erasure Qubits and Dynamic Circuits for Quantum Advantage) project, which focuses on developing foundational technologies for fault-tolerant quantum computing and strengthening U.S. leadership in quantum innovation.
Led by Yale University, the ERASE project brings together researchers from leading academic institutions and industry organizations to advance dual-rail gate-model quantum computing hardware, software, error correction, and applications. D-Wave, through its New-Haven, Connecticut-based subsidiary Quantum Circuits, LLC, will give ERASE researchers access to its superconducting dual-rail gate-model quantum computing resources. The award moves ERASE into the second phase of the NQVL program and underscores the NSF's continued support for the project's approach to scalable, fault-tolerant quantum computing.
“NSF’s continued support for the ERASE project highlights the national importance of accelerating progress toward scalable, fault-tolerant quantum computing,” said Dr. Alan Baratz, CEO of D-Wave. “We believe that D-Wave’s dual-rail technology can play a meaningful role in that effort, while building the technical foundation and skilled workforce needed to sustain U.S. leadership in quantum computing.”
The grant is part of a broader national effort to maintain U.S. competitiveness in quantum technology, which is expected to revolutionize industries from pharmaceuticals to cybersecurity. For investors, D-Wave's involvement in federally funded research signals confidence in its technology and could lead to future commercial applications. The ERASE project's focus on fault-tolerant quantum computing addresses one of the biggest challenges in the field: building systems that can correct errors and perform reliable calculations at scale.
D-Wave's dual-platform approach, offering both annealing and gate-model systems, positions it uniquely in the quantum computing landscape. The company's resources, including its Leap quantum cloud service with 99.9% availability, provide researchers with enterprise-grade access. More than 100 organizations across commercial, government, and research sectors currently use D-Wave's systems to tackle complex computational problems.
The NSF's investment through the NQVL program aims to create a national quantum infrastructure, and D-Wave's role in ERASE is expected to contribute to workforce development and technical advancements. As quantum computing moves from theory to practical application, projects like ERASE are critical for overcoming technical hurdles and ensuring that the U.S. remains at the forefront of quantum innovation.
