DARPA's Quantum Benchmarking Initiative: The Race to Utility Scale by 2033
What it is
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, DARPA, runs the Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, often shortened to QBI. Instead of betting on one technology, DARPA asks every serious builder to prove a credible path to a computer whose value exceeds its cost by 2033. That is called utility scale. The stated goal is an objective, not a proven result, and coverage is careful to say so.
Three stages
- Stage A: a short initial phase to define the concept. Reports say about 16 companies joined this phase at first, alongside two firms from an earlier DARPA program.
- Stage B: a yearlong phase where companies detail their R&D plans, identify and reduce risks, and specify the risk-reduction prototypes needed.
- Stage C: the final stage for those that clear the bar. Check DARPA's program page for who has reached it.
Who is in each stage
DARPA said it selected 11 companies for Stage B as of November 6, 2025, and IBM and IonQ each announced their selection on November 7, 2025. DARPA's program page, current as of October 8, 2026, lists Google Quantum AI and Quandela in Stage A (up to 1 million dollars each) and a Stage B group that includes Atom Computing, Diraq, IBM, IonQ, Nord Quantique, Photonic Inc., Quantinuum, Quantum Motion, QuEra Computing, Silicon Quantum Computing and Xanadu (up to 15 million each). IBM's confirmed selection is for Stage B, not Stage C. The page notes it is not always updated in real time, and the dollar figures are maximums. Companies enter on staggered timelines, so the roster can change. See the innovators guide.
The 2026 reopening
In March 2026 DARPA reopened the program with a new Stage A call. DARPA's page lists the new Stage A announcement (published March 9, 2026) with a deadline of November 30, 2026; earlier reports gave September 30, 2026, so check DARPA for the current date. The program has assessed about 20 companies since mid 2024, according to that report.
Why it matters
- Independent scoring: a government team checks claims, which is rare in a field full of company-reported milestones. Compare with benchmarks.
- Technology neutral: superconducting, ion, atom and photonic approaches all compete. See the types guide.
- A date: 2033 is a concrete finish line that frames the whole roadmap to 2035.
The earlier pilot and what Stage C means
Before QBI, DARPA ran a pilot called US2QC. Reporting says two of the four competing firms, Microsoft and PsiQuantum, made it through all three phases of that pilot to win Stage C contracts. In QBI, Stage C is the final phase: a government test and evaluation team tries to determine whether a utility-scale concept can actually be built as designed and operated as intended. Being in a stage is an evaluation step, not a finished machine.
What to watch next
- Which Stage B companies move on to Stage C, and any new entrants from the 2026 Stage A call.
- Whether companies publish independent results, not just plans.
- How the results line up with company roadmaps such as IBM's 2029 Starling target. See IBM's roadmap.
Keep it in proportion
Being in a DARPA stage is a sign of credibility, not a guarantee of success. It says nothing about any token. The QNT memecoin is independent of every company named here. This is not financial advice.
Sources and further reading
- DARPA: Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (program page)
- DARPA: QBI Stage B selection
- ExecutiveGov: QBI Stage B
- The Quantum Insider: DARPA advances quantum initiative
- R&D World: can a useful quantum computer exist by 2033
Reported as of 2026-10-09. Research moves fast, so check the original papers and company pages.
Frequently asked questions
What is DARPA QBI?
A DARPA program that evaluates whether any quantum approach can reach utility-scale computing, value above cost, by 2033.
Which companies are in Stage B?
DARPA named eleven companies for Stage B in November 2025. Besides IBM and IonQ, the group includes Atom Computing, Diraq, Nord Quantique, Photonic, Quantinuum, Quantum Motion, QuEra, Silicon Quantum Computing and Xanadu. IBM was selected for Stage B, not Stage C.
Does QBI guarantee a quantum computer by 2033?
No. It is a goal and an evaluation process, not a guarantee.
Is it connected to the QNT memecoin?
No.
Keep reading
- US Quantum Executive Orders of June 2026 Explained
What the two June 22, 2026 White House executive orders on quantum technology and post-quantum cryptography say, and what they do not do. - The Global Quantum Race: What Governments Are Saying and Spending
A plain English tour of how the US, China, the EU, the UK, India and Japan treat quantum computing as national strategy in 2026. - Quantum Benchmarks Explained: Why Qubit Count Misleads
How do you measure a quantum computer? Learn what error rates, fidelity, coherence time and quantum volume mean, and why qubit count alone is not enough. - The Biggest Innovators in Quantum Computing in 2026
A tour of the companies pushing quantum forward in 2026: IBM, Google, Quantinuum Ltd, IonQ, Microsoft, PsiQuantum, Rigetti, D-Wave, Pasqal, Xanadu, IQM and NVIDIA.
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