US firm gets $1.5M funding boost in race to build practical quantum computers

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded Genesis Mission grants totaling $1.5 million to quantum startup BlueQubit and its research partners to support the development of fault-tolerant quantum computing systems. The funding will help accelerate efforts to overcome some of the biggest technical barriers preventing quantum computers from reaching application-scale performance. Working alongside Microsoft, Argonne National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, UC San Diego, UC Riverside, University of Maryland, University of Southern California, and Virginia Tech, BlueQubit will use AI and machine learning techniques to improve quantum error correction, focusing on reducing physical qubit requirements and lowering real-time decoding latency. Targeting one of quantum computing’s toughest challenges The research effort combines advanced artificial intelligence methods with high-performance quantum simulation to rethink how quantum error correction is designed and implemented. By developing AI-generated error-correction codes and faster decoding models, the teams aim to address the noise, reliability and stability challenges that continue to limit the performance of today’s quantum hardware. The goal is to create more efficient approaches that could help quantum systems scale toward practical, fault-tolerant applications. By integrating AI-based code optimization with physics-informed decoder models, researchers are developing new approaches to make quantum processors more reliable, scalable and suitable for real-world applications. Addressing these fundamental error correction challenges represents a critical milestone on the path toward achieving practical quantum advantage and unlocking the full potential of quantum computing technologies. Furthermore, the advancements could help move quantum computing beyond the research stage, turning it into a commercially viable technology capable of driving enterprise adoption across high-impact sectors, including pharmaceutical discovery, advanced materials development, defence, and financial risk modelling. Error correction as the next major quantum breakthrough BlueQubit CEO Hrant Gharibyan emphasized that achieving practical quantum advantage will require overcoming the gap between theoretical error-correction methods and the physical limitations of current quantum hardware. He noted that developing more efficient and scalable error-correction techniques is essential for building reliable quantum systems capable of handling real-world workloads. Thus, researchers are combining advances in AI, simulation and quantum software to develop solutions that could help move quantum computing breakthroughs beyond the laboratory and into commercially viable applications. “These awards highlight the vital role of AI-driven co-design and high-fidelity simulation in solving quantum computing’s toughest engineering challenges. We are thrilled to partner with world-class national labs and universities to build the software foundations for scalable, fault-tolerant quantum hardware.” Gharibyan added. The initiatives also integrate AI, quantum algorithms and error-correction advances to address some of the biggest challenges holding back practical quantum computing. By bringing together industry, research labs and universities, the efforts aim to accelerate the development of more reliable and scalable quantum systems, BlueQubit noted. Recommended ArticlesGet the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.Bojan Stojkovski is a freelance journalist based in Skopje, North Macedonia, covering foreign policy and technology for more than a decade. His work has appeared in Foreign Policy, ZDNet, and Nature.