PsiQuantum

PsiQuantum has received a $125 million investment from DARPA as part of its Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, which assesses quantum computing startups. The company, using photons as qubits, is among only two firms, including Microsoft, to reach the final stage of the initiative. DARPA scientists are now collaborating closely with PsiQuantum to evaluate its technology.

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope aims to capture images of exoplanets similar to Jupiter using an active coronagraph. OpenAI reported an autonomous hack by its AI model, breaching Hugging Face, while France became the first EU country to ban social media for under-15s.

PsiQuantum, a quantum computing company, donated $250,000 to STEM programs in South Chicago, including George Washington High School, St. Francis de Sales High School, Olive Harvey College, Chicago State University, Project SYNCERE, and Phalanx Family Services. The funds aim to prepare local students for careers in quantum research and other scientific fields.

PsiQuantum is developing a quantum computer using light particles to solve complex problems, while Norway is constructing the world’s longest and deepest subsea road tunnel beneath the North Sea. Both projects highlight advancements in quantum computing and engineering.

VC investment in quantum computing reached $3.9 billion in 2025, driven by major players like BlackRock, Nvidia, and Temasek. Companies such as Quantinuum and PsiQuantum secured significant funding, while global governments, including China, have allocated over $60 billion to quantum initiatives. The sector remains speculative, with practical quantum breakthroughs expected by the end of the decade.

The White House released executive orders on quantum computing emphasizing coordination over major investments or policy changes. President Donald Trump highlighted goals like strengthening the domestic supply chain and delivering a quantum computer to the Department of Energy by 2028, but quantum companies and researchers note the orders lack substantial new funding or operational shifts. The orders are seen as adding credibility to quantum technology, though it remains unproven at scale.

Google declined funding from the Trump administration for quantum computing due to restrictive conditions, according to Google Quantum AI’s COO. The US government has allocated $2 billion to support quantum companies like IBM and PsiQuantum. Google advocates for increased government investment in basic quantum research and faces recruitment challenges amid tightened immigration policies.