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Microsoft is opening a new quantum research center near the University of Maryland, part of a push to make the state a hub for quantum science.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said Wednesday the center will be built in the University of Maryland's Discovery District in College Park.

The project is a partnership between Microsoft, the State of Maryland and the University of Maryland Enterprise Corporation.

Officials said the facility will give researchers early access to Microsoft's quantum technology and support collaborations with government agencies, universities and private companies.

Moore said the move is part of a larger strategy to position Maryland at the forefront of quantum information science.

In April, the state signed a memorandum of agreement with the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to create the "Capital Quantum Benchmarking Hub" at UMD.

The partnership set aside $1 billion in federal funding for testing and evaluating quantum technology.

That package included $52.5 million from Moore's fiscal year 2026 budget and $70 million from UMD partners, according to the governor's office.

The University of Maryland is one of the top quantum computer research institutions, according to the state of Maryland.

The university has branded itself "the capital of quantum," pointing to its location near federal science agencies, government labs, and major tech firms.

Quantum mechanics involves the behavior of light and matter, according to the Britannica encyclopedia.

The science of quantum mechanics can be used to build quantum computers, which can encode more information than traditional technology.

"Quantum computing may revolutionize our ability to solve problems that are hard to address with even the largest supercomputers," according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Microsoft to open quantum research center near University of Maryland, College Park