04 April 2025, Sydney Australia – Silicon Quantum Computing (SQC), a pioneer in quantum computing and atomic manufacturing, today announced that it has been awarded a DARPA contract under the Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) program. The purpose of this program is to rigorously verify and validate if any quantum computing approach can achieve utility-scale operation, meaning its computational value exceeds its cost, by the year 2033.

SQC’s Founder and CEO, Michelle Simmons, said, “We are extremely excited to be selected for this award and to be working with the expert team at DARPA. Not only is the associated funding incredibly useful, DARPA’s third-party interrogation of our path to a utility-scale quantum computer will be immensely valuable.At SQC we have always been focused on the end goal, to deliver a useful quantum computer.”

To overcome the technical challenges to achieve quantum computing at scale, back in 1998 Bruce Kane proposed SQC’s disruptive ‘atom qubits in silicon’ platform. Unlike other quantum technology platforms that use artificially manufactured qubits for a fast start, SQC’s atom qubits are intrinsically quantum, resulting in industry-leading algorithmic performance metrics. With qubits embedded in a silicon chip, SQC’s high-quality processors are readily manufacturable at scale.

“This is why we have built a fully integrated in-house manufacturing facility at SQC, allowing us to iterate new chip designs within 1-2 weeks – far faster than other quantum computing companies.” added SQC Chair and former ARM CEO Simon Segars.

Simmons noted, “This award from DARPA validates SQC’s global leadership in the race to develop quantum computers that can deliver reliable, real-world, commercial solutions.”

Further information

• About DARPA’s Quantum Benchmark Initiative program here: https://www.darpa.mil
• Kane’s seminal paper proposing atom qubits in silicon as a scalable hardware platform: https://www.nature.com/articles/30156
• SQC’s industry-leading algorithmic performance: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41565-024-01853-5

About Silicon Quantum Computing

• Silicon Quantum Computing Pty Limited (SQC) is at the forefront of global efforts to build a commercial-scale quantum computer and bring quantum computing to market. Established in May 2017, it is the world’s first atomic precision manufacturing company focused on delivering the highest quality qubits and commercial outcomes as they scale. SQC has significant backing from Telstra, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, UNSW Sydney, and the Australian Federal and New South Wales governments. With AU$283m in funding to date and a highly integrated team of engineers, SQC has developed a full- stack quantum computer in-house and is capable of rapid iteration and product deployment at speed.