Photonic quantum companies advance in DARPA race toward scalable quantum computing
Two Canadian photonics-based quantum computing companies, Xanadu and Photonic, have advanced to Phase B of the United States Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI), marking a significant step toward developing scalable, fault-tolerant quantum computers.
Both companies rely on photonic integrated circuits (PICs) as the backbone of their quantum processors. Xanadu uses continuous-variable photonics to process quantum information. At the same time, Photonic leverages a network of silicon spin qubits to aim to overcome the scalability challenges that have long limited photonic quantum systems.
Phase B of the DARPA program awards an initial $5 million USD and provides a pathway for additional funding contingent on progress. The program evaluates both the technical feasibility and the R&D roadmap for creating practical quantum computers.
“Phase A allowed us to demonstrate the promise of our distinctive photonic architectures,” said Stephanie Simmons, Founder and Chief Quantum Officer at Photonic. “Phase B is about showing that our designs can scale to utility-level systems, which is where PIC engineering plays a critical role.”
DARPA’s program highlights the increasing importance of photonic technologies in quantum computing, especially for applications requiring low-energy, compact, and networked qubits. For PIC engineers, this represents an opportunity to contribute to next-generation optical circuits, modulators, and integration strategies that will underpin practical quantum machines.
With government-backed initiatives and growing investment in photonic quantum hardware, the race toward commercially viable quantum computers is accelerating, and photonic integrated circuits are at the forefront of making it a reality.
