D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS), the only dual-platform quantum computing company providing 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 ERASE (Erasure Qubits and Dynamic Circuits for Quantum Advantage), a project focused 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.”
This grant is part of a broader federal push to maintain U.S. competitiveness in quantum technologies, which are expected to revolutionize fields such as cryptography, materials science, and artificial intelligence. The NQVL program specifically aims to create a national quantum computing infrastructure that accelerates research and development. By securing this award, D-Wave positions itself at the center of efforts to overcome key technical challenges in quantum computing, particularly error correction—a critical hurdle for building practical, large-scale quantum computers.
The implications for the quantum computing industry are significant. D-Wave’s dual-rail technology, which uses pairs of superconducting qubits to encode information, offers a promising path to reduce errors without requiring massive qubit overhead. If successful, the ERASE project could demonstrate a scalable approach to fault tolerance, potentially accelerating the timeline for commercially viable quantum computers. For readers, this news underscores the growing role of public-private partnerships in advancing cutting-edge technology, with direct implications for national security and economic competitiveness.
D-Wave is a leader in the development and delivery of quantum computing systems, software, and services. It is the world’s first commercial supplier of quantum computers and the only company to offer dual-platform quantum computing products and services spanning both annealing and gate-model technologies. More than 100 organizations across commercial, government, and research sectors trust D-Wave to address complex computational challenges using quantum computing.
