IBM has announced its progression to Stage C, the third phase of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI). This significant milestone moves IBM closer to its goal of developing a fault-tolerant quantum computer.
Stage C involves a rigorous verification process by DARPA, where independent experts will meticulously test and measure IBM’s quantum hardware, technologies, system engineering, and architectures. The objective is to assess the company’s capability to build a truly fault-tolerant quantum computer.
“Advancing to Stage C of DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative validates the strength of IBM’s path towards building a fault-tolerant quantum computer,” said Dr. Jay Gambetta, Director of IBM Research and IBM Fellow. “IBM plans to deliver the first fault-tolerant system in 2029 and scale the value of quantum computation well beyond that timeframe. We look forward to engaging with the DARPA expert team as they move into the testing phase of fault-tolerant quantum computing approaches.”
DARPA, an independent research arm of the U.S. Department of Defense, launched the QBI program in 2024 with the ambitious aim of determining if an industrially useful, fault-tolerant quantum computer can be developed by 2033. The program defines such a system as one whose computational value exceeds its cost. IBM has successfully navigated the initial evaluation stages of QBI, including Stages A and B, which focused on analyzing comprehensive research and development plans and risk mitigation strategies.
IBM asserts it has built the industry’s most robust quantum foundation, supported by the world’s largest fleet of quantum computers and Qiskit, its widely adopted quantum software development kit. IBM’s quantum computers are currently being utilized as scientific instruments by a network of over 340 organizations across sectors such as financial services, healthcare, materials science, academia, and government, driving the development of industrial applications and the search for algorithms to unlock the full potential of fault-tolerant quantum computing.
Last year, IBM unveiled its blueprint for the world’s first fault-tolerant quantum computer, codenamed IBM Quantum Starling. Starling is designed to integrate advancements in error correction, processor design, and system engineering. Since then, IBM reports consistent progress, including demonstrations of key hardware components essential for fault tolerance and breakthroughs in efficient error correction decoding.
Advancing Through QBI Stages
Participants in the QBI program who successfully progress through its phases follow a structured three-stage journey:
- Stage A required organizations to submit an initial technical concept for a cost-effective, fault-tolerant quantum computer with a realistic near-term path to realization. Several Stage A participants were announced in April 2025.
- Stage B involved each company providing a comprehensive research and development plan, detailing the pathways to achieving such a computer, along with associated risks and strategies for mitigation.
- Stage C, announced today, marks the transition from conceptual plans to evaluation by DARPA QBI’s Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) team, which will conduct hardware testing.
In parallel with its QBI participation, IBM continues to collaborate with industry, government, and academic partners to accelerate the timeline for achieving fault-tolerant quantum computing capabilities.
Further information about the Quantum Benchmarking Initiative can be found on the DARPA website.
