COLLEGE PARK, Md. (WBFF) — A new partnership with the federal government has been inked, solidifying Maryland as a hub in quantum computing research, Gov. Wes Moore announced Monday at the University of Maryland Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security.

The partnership is with the Defense Advance Research Projects Agency, or DARP, and will help the state leverage up to $100 million in federal match funding to the state’s quantum investments over the next four years, Gov. Moore said.

Now, Maryland is “the first quantum hub on the entire east coast,” Gov. Moore said.

The quantum partnership will create benchmarks for research to determine what’s being created on the quantum front and if the development will result in meaningful advancements. But, because the race to development is underway and the industry is so new, it’s not clear what’s real and what’s hype, according to Joe Altepeter, DARPA Quantum Benchmark Initiative program manager.

“If I think of the 10 smartest physicists that I know, I would say half of them are convinced this is going to be the most important piece of technology of the 21st century,” explained Altepeter. “But the other half are convinced that not only are you never going to build a quantum computer, but even if you did, it’s never going to do anything better than what your laptop is going to do for a real problem.”

Altepeter said the new benchmark hub will provide research and testing facilities for experts to evaluate plans and systems of quantum computing companies already doing research as the companies progress through the program.

“As part of QBI, we are building the world’s largest and most qualified independent quantum computing test and evaluation team, so that we can rigorously test commercial approaches to determine what’s viable and what’s hype,” he added.

Gov. Moore has made it a priority of his administration to diversify Maryland’s economy; he’s said the stagnant growth is a result of an overreliance on the federal government. Investing in quantum, according to Gov. Moore, will provide Maryland with an opportunity to grow its workforce.

“I think it’ important to show that we can both be fiscally disciplined but also invest in the future,” Gov. Moore said when asked if the right time is now to utilize state funding on the gamble of quantum. “This is an industry where we are watching other states like New York and Illinois that are moving quickly to invest, but they don’t have the same assists that we do.”

Confident the investment will produce results, Gov. Moore gave the audience big plans of what the quantum research may unlock down the line.

“Quantum is going to have a remarkable impact on the human condition and its home is going to be right there in Maryland,” he said. “We’re going to help solve diseases that our people are getting sick from. We’re going to help cure issues of everything from food insecurity to population adjustments.”

While the Trump Administration has pulled funding from states, and said the new FBI building would not be coming to Maryland after the General Services Administration announced it won the bid, Gov. Moore didn’t indicate he was too concerned about the new federal funding match getting threatened.

“We have seen the federal administration has added a real sense of chaos to the American economy but that doesn’t mean we have to stop investing and stop being creative,” he said when asked if he was concerned the funding could be pulled.

Gov. Moore allocated some $27 million in his budget for quantum research at the Discovery District. While he also supported the final state budget that included a 3% tech tax, the quantum industry – again only at the Discovery District – is exempt.

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