The Deal in New Mexico

In September 2025, New Mexico entered into a landmark partnership with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to launch the Quantum Frontier Project. The agreement commits $120 million over four years, split evenly between DARPA and the state, to independently test and validate which quantum computing approaches can realistically reach “utility-scale” by 2033—the point where quantum delivers more value than it costs.

$120M
DARPA + New Mexico’s Quantum Frontier Project commitment

At the same time, New Mexico is rolling out its own $315 million quantum strategy: a $185 million sovereign wealth fund to back venture capital focused on local startups, another $60 million match with DARPA for validation work, and a $25 million venture studio to connect scientists with founders.

$315M
New Mexico’s broader state-led quantum strategy

“Utility by 2033 is the finish line—and the clock is already ticking.”

What Quantum Really Means

Quantum computing rests on qubits—information carriers that can exist in multiple states at once and influence each other across distance. By exploiting superposition and entanglement, quantum systems can explore solution spaces far beyond the reach of today’s fastest supercomputers.

That makes them potentially game-changing for areas like chemistry, logistics, cybersecurity, and drug development. DARPA’s standard is simple: no hype, just proof that a machine can pass a utility test by 2033.

2033
Deadline for DARPA’s “utility-scale” quantum test

Why DARPA’s Involvement Matters

This approach fits DARPA’s DNA. Since its creation in 1958, the agency has been the U.S. government’s moonshot machine, producing breakthroughs ranging from ARPANET (the early internet) to stealth technology and GPS components.

$4.3B
DARPA’s FY2025 budget—funding America’s moonshots

Its 2025 budget is over $4.3 billion, and the quantum program is one of its flagship bets. Nearly 20 companies—from giants like IBM and Quantinuum to smaller firms like IonQ and Rigetti—have been brought into a staged evaluation process, with independent validation built in.

“DARPA isn’t chasing hype—it’s demanding proof.”

Why New Mexico—and Who Could Be Next

New Mexico’s selection wasn’t random. The state already hosts a rare cluster of assets: Sandia National Laboratories, Los Alamos National Laboratory, the Air Force Research Laboratory at Kirtland Air Force Base, and the University of New Mexico’s Center for Quantum Information and Control.

That combination of federal labs, military research, and university talent is the blueprint.

The real question is whether majority-Black states in the South—Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee—can build their own playbook. They can. With strong HBCU networks, these states could organize regional consortia, pair with nearby federal facilities, and chase funding streams such as the National Science Foundation’s Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes (worth up to $7.5 million a year) or the proposed Department of Energy Quantum Leadership Act, which would authorize $2.5 billion over five years.

$7.5M/year
NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute grant potential

$2.5B
Proposed DOE Quantum Leadership Act funding over five years

“From Sandia to Selma, the playbook for quantum hubs is there. The question is: who will run it?”

Where the Black Community Fits In

For Black America, the opportunity is not limited to building a quantum computer. The wealth lies in the supply chain. Photonics and optics companies, cryogenics and vacuum system vendors, control electronics specialists, and cybersecurity service providers are all part of the quantum ecosystem. Software, middleware, and benchmarking tools are equally critical. Even testing and validation labs—exactly what DARPA is funding in New Mexico—are openings for Black-owned firms.

Federal contracting is another lane.

15% vs. 1.5%
Federal contract goal for small disadvantaged businesses vs. current Black share

The administration set a goal for 15 percent of federal contract dollars to flow to small disadvantaged businesses by 2025, yet Black-owned firms currently capture closer to 1.5 percent. That gap represents both the challenge and the opportunity. Programs like SBIR and STTR, HUBZone status, and 8(a) certifications remain viable on-ramps if approached strategically.

“The wealth isn’t just in building a quantum computer. It’s in the supply chain.”

Risks and Realism

This is not without risk. The “utility by 2033” milestone could slip, and workforce shortages are already being flagged across the National Quantum Initiative. But the supply-chain niches, service contracts, and workforce pathways are more immediate. They can deliver returns even if the technology itself takes longer to mature.

The Call to Action

Here’s the practical path forward:

• Join the Quantum Economic Development Consortium to gain visibility into federal opportunities and supply-chain needs.

• Identify two or three niches—photonics, cryogenics, post-quantum cryptography services—and pre-qualify in federal procurement systems.

• Push for HBCU-led coalitions to secure NSF and DOE funding, and negotiate cloud quantum access with providers like IBM to train the next generation of Black technologists.

• Explore cooperative R&D agreements with national labs to turn local talent into intellectual property.

“Black America can’t afford to be spectators in the next industrial revolution.”

The race to 2033 has already started. The only question left is whether Black America will treat quantum computing as someone else’s moonshot—or build the companies, labs, and careers that make it our own.