February 19, 2025

Montgomery County, Md: Welcome to the ‘Capital of Quantum’

As 2025 marks the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, Montgomery County, Maryland, is solidifying its place as a leader in this rapidly advancing industry. With a thriving technology sector and strong partnerships, the county is making significant strides in quantum computing, cybersecurity, and advanced technology research.

Home to more than 29,000 Computer and Mathematics Professionals and 90,000 technology workers, Montgomery County is a prime location for quantum innovation. Industry pioneers such as Fasoo, Quantum Xchange, and TISTA Science & Technology Corporation call the county home, alongside federal agencies like the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE)—both of which play a critical role in advancing quantum research and security.

An Intentional Commitment to Growth

Recognizing the importance, relevance and future impact of quantum technology, Maryland Governor Wes Moore has made this industry a focal point of the Moore-Miller Administration’s economic growth agenda for 2025. The newly announced “Capital of Quantum” initiative is a $1 billion investment over the next five years aimed at strengthening Maryland’s position as a quantum technology leader. This ambitious initiative brings together the state of Maryland, the University of Maryland, federal agencies, and private sector leaders to accelerate quantum innovation and commercialization.

Across the region, partnerships, opportunities and expansions focusing on the growth of the quantum ecosystem are growing quickly:

• Industry leader IonQ announced their intention to expand their footprint in Maryland, establishing a new 100,000 sf corporate headquarters in the University of Maryland’s Discovery District.
• Connected DMV, along with qBraid, Aqora and Quantum World Congress, have launched the Global Industry Challenge, a competition for innovators, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders to collaborate and solve practical use cases using quantum, AI, and quantum-adjacent technologies.
• The University of Maryland Institute for Health Computing (UM-IHC) celebrated its second anniversary and will become the anchor of a new mixed-use life sciences center at the North Bethesda Metrorail Station.

As companies, policymakers and researchers continue to collaborate, Maryland’s Montgomery County is poised to drive the next wave of technological breakthroughs and economic growth in the quantum sector.