{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"163662","rtpr_id":"nBwNR86Ja-20261007","ticker":"IONQ","exchange":"NYSE","all_tickers":["IONQ"],"title":"IonQ Advances to Final Stage of DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative","author":"Business Wire","published_at":"2026-10-07T21:45:00.091Z","article_body":"IonQ Advances to Final Stage of DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative\n\nKEY HIGHLIGHTS\n\n\n * Under an agreement with a potential value of up to $300 million, IonQ will\nadvance to Stage C of DARPA's Quantum Benchmarking Initiative.\n\n * IonQ is among the elite first companies selected for Stage C — during which\nIonQ will deliver multiple generations of class-leading quantum systems for\nDARPA’s independent validation.\n\n * The advancement reflects DARPA's confidence in IonQ's approach to building\nlarge-scale fault-tolerant quantum computers. Following successful completion\nof Stage A and Stage B, it moves the company's architecture and roadmap into\nindependent verification and validation.\n\nIonQ (NYSE: IONQ), the world’s leading full-stack quantum platform and\nfoundry, has advanced to Stage C of the Defense Advanced Research Projects\nAgency’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.darpa.mil%2Fresearch%2Fprograms%2Fquantum-benchmarking-initiative&esheet=54618096&newsitemid=20261007629257&lan=en-US&anchor=Quantum+Benchmarking+Initiative&index=1&md5=9f5c10d62c71f13bfe146a4ab4406344)\n(QBI). IonQ and DARPA\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.darpa.mil%2F&esheet=54618096&newsitemid=20261007629257&lan=en-US&anchor=DARPA&index=2&md5=fdf359f7f03cfb505df12a6b705f6584)\nhave signed a Stage C agreement with a potential value of up to $300 million\nto continue validating IonQ’s approach to delivering large-scale\nfault-tolerant quantum computers. Funding beyond the initial obligation\nremains subject to future appropriations and DARPA funding actions.\n\nThe Big Picture\n\nDARPA's QBI is one of the most rigorous technology evaluation programs in the\nU.S. government, designed to determine whether quantum computing systems can\nreach utility scale — where their computational value exceeds their cost.\nThroughout Stages A and B, IonQ shared prototype hardware data with DARPA to\nsupport its technical roadmap. IonQ’s successful advancement to Stage C\nbrings DARPA’s most exacting, independent review of the coming generations\nof IonQ’s Superion quantum systems\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ionq.com%2Fnews%2Fionq-launches-superion-product-line-industry-leading-upgradeable-platform-designed-to-scale-manufacturable-fault-tolerant-quantum-computing&esheet=54618096&newsitemid=20261007629257&lan=en-US&anchor=Superion+quantum+systems&index=3&md5=35296b1614852ee3f6e3611fdbdcee8b)\n.\n\nIonQ is among the first companies to advance to this stage after demonstrating\nleadership with its technical plan and execution in earlier stages:\n\n\n * Stage A - IonQ defined the technical concept for a utility-scale quantum\ncomputer.\n\n * Stage B - IonQ developed a detailed R&D roadmap, including the technical\nrequirements, designs, and risk-mitigation plans needed to achieve its\nproposed system.\n\nExecutive Perspective\n\n\"Advancing to Stage C is a significant vote of confidence in IonQ's technology\nroadmap and architecture for delivering quantum computing at utility scale,\"\nsaid Niccolo de Masi, IonQ Chairman and CEO. \"We've long believed that winning\nthe quantum race requires more than achieving technical milestones. It\nrequires building systems that can be manufactured reliably and at scale, and\nthat are designed to solve some of the world's most complex problems. That's\nnot a future promise — it's happening today, with our sixth-generation\nquantum computer, Superion 256.”\n\nNext Steps\n\nRunning through 2029, Stage C will welcome multiple Superion generations to\nDARPA’s independent verification and validation process. DARPA’s team will\nrigorously test IonQ’s scalable hardware and software to demonstrate\nperformance against its technical roadmap.\n\nThroughout the QBI process, IonQ will continue scaling its manufacturing and\ndeployment of Superion systems. As it does, the company will take on more\ncustomers tackling a wide range of commercial, scientific, and security\nchallenges.\n\n“Radical simplification and rapid scale are at the heart of how we build,”\nsaid Chris Ballance, IonQ President of Quantum Computing. “The path to scale\nisn't more complexity – it’s stripping complexity out, so systems can be\nmanufactured, deployed, and operated reliably at volume. That's the discipline\nDARPA's independent verification is now putting to the test.\"\n\nAbout IonQ\n\nIonQ, Inc.\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fionq.com%2F&esheet=54618096&newsitemid=20261007629257&lan=en-US&anchor=IonQ%2C+Inc.&index=4&md5=d1a69eaba1bd96062b3ae08fb2cde3ce)\n[NYSE: IONQ] is the world’s leading quantum platform and foundry -\ndelivering integrated quantum solutions across computing, networking, sensing,\nand security. IonQ’s newest generation of quantum computers, the Superion,\nis the latest in a line of cutting-edge systems. Earlier systems have helped\ncustomers and partners including Amazon Web Services, AstraZeneca, and NVIDIA\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ionq.com%2Fnews%2Fionq-speeds-quantum-accelerated-drug-development-application-with&esheet=54618096&newsitemid=20261007629257&lan=en-US&anchor=Amazon+Web+Services%2C+AstraZeneca%2C+and+NVIDIA&index=5&md5=0a9465d3e3d4b479fe3117900cea5c62)\nachieve a 20x performance increase over previous quantum solutions and\naccelerate innovation in drug discovery, materials science, financial\nmodeling, logistics, cybersecurity, and defense. In 2025, the company achieved\n99.99% two-qubit gate fidelity, setting a world record in quantum computing\nperformance\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fionq.com%2Fnews%2Fionq-achieves-landmark-result-setting-new-world-record-in-quantum-computing&esheet=54618096&newsitemid=20261007629257&lan=en-US&anchor=setting+a+world+record+in+quantum+computing+performance&index=6&md5=90d17809d698848f031ddb6e399ad939)\n.\n\nHeadquartered in College Park, Maryland, IonQ has operations across North\nAmerica, Latin America, EMEA, and APAC. Our quantum computing services have\nbeen available through all major cloud providers since 2021, while we also\nmeet the needs of networking and sensing customers across land, sea, air, and\nspace. IonQ is making quantum platforms more accessible and impactful than\never before. Learn more at IonQ.com\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fionq.com%2F&esheet=54618096&newsitemid=20261007629257&lan=en-US&anchor=IonQ.com&index=7&md5=000240c821bc212a158619314d494ecf)\n.\n\nNote to Investors Regarding Forward-Looking Statements\n\nThis press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements\ncontained in this press release other than statements of historical fact are\nforward-looking statements, including statements regarding our quantum\ncomputing roadmap, including our intention to continue to scale up our\nmanufacturing and deployment of Superion systems, and our agreement with DARPA\nand its expected timeline and process. In some cases, you can identify these\nstatements by forward-looking words such as “pending,” “look forward,”\n“accelerate,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “suggest,” “plan,”\n“believe,” “intend,” “estimate,” “target,” “project,”\n“should,” “could,” “would,” “may,” “will,” “forecast,”\n“confident,” “position,” “become,” “on track,” “ensure,”\n“ongoing” and other similar expressions. These statements are only\npredictions based on our expectations and projections about future events as\nof the date of this press release and are subject to a number of risks,\nuncertainties and assumptions that may prove incorrect, any of which could\ncause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by\nsuch statements, including, among others, those described under the heading\n“Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended\nDecember 31, 2025 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC,\nand in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026\nto be filed with the SEC. New risks emerge from time to time, and it is not\npossible for our management to predict all risks, nor can management assess\nthe impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor,\nor combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from\nthose contained in any forward-looking statement we make. Investors are\ncautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements,\nwhich speak only as of the date they are made. Except as otherwise required by\nlaw, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement,\nwhether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.\n\n\n\nView source version on businesswire.com:\nhttps://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261007629257/en/\n(https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261007629257/en/)\n\nIonQ Media Contacts: \n\nTammy Swanson\n\ntammy.swanson@skywatertechnology.com\n(mailto:tammy.swanson@skywatertechnology.com)\n\nTor Constantino\n\ntor.constantino@ionq.co (mailto:tor.constantino@ionq.co)\n\nIonQ Investor Contact: \n\ninvestors@ionq.co (mailto:investors@ionq.co)\n\n\nCopyright Business Wire 2026","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nBwNR86Ja-20261007","title":"IonQ Advances to Final Stage of DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative","author":"Business Wire","ticker":"IONQ","created":"2026-10-07T21:45:00.091Z","tickers":["IONQ"],"exchange":"NYSE","article_body":"IonQ Advances to Final Stage of DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative\n\nKEY HIGHLIGHTS\n\n\n * Under an agreement with a potential value of up to $300 million, IonQ will\nadvance to Stage C of DARPA's Quantum Benchmarking Initiative.\n\n * IonQ is among the elite first companies selected for Stage C — during which\nIonQ will deliver multiple generations of class-leading quantum systems for\nDARPA’s independent validation.\n\n * The advancement reflects DARPA's confidence in IonQ's approach to building\nlarge-scale fault-tolerant quantum computers. Following successful completion\nof Stage A and Stage B, it moves the company's architecture and roadmap into\nindependent verification and validation.\n\nIonQ (NYSE: IONQ), the world’s leading full-stack quantum platform and\nfoundry, has advanced to Stage C of the Defense Advanced Research Projects\nAgency’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.darpa.mil%2Fresearch%2Fprograms%2Fquantum-benchmarking-initiative&esheet=54618096&newsitemid=20261007629257&lan=en-US&anchor=Quantum+Benchmarking+Initiative&index=1&md5=9f5c10d62c71f13bfe146a4ab4406344)\n(QBI). IonQ and DARPA\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.darpa.mil%2F&esheet=54618096&newsitemid=20261007629257&lan=en-US&anchor=DARPA&index=2&md5=fdf359f7f03cfb505df12a6b705f6584)\nhave signed a Stage C agreement with a potential value of up to $300 million\nto continue validating IonQ’s approach to delivering large-scale\nfault-tolerant quantum computers. Funding beyond the initial obligation\nremains subject to future appropriations and DARPA funding actions.\n\nThe Big Picture\n\nDARPA's QBI is one of the most rigorous technology evaluation programs in the\nU.S. government, designed to determine whether quantum computing systems can\nreach utility scale — where their computational value exceeds their cost.\nThroughout Stages A and B, IonQ shared prototype hardware data with DARPA to\nsupport its technical roadmap. IonQ’s successful advancement to Stage C\nbrings DARPA’s most exacting, independent review of the coming generations\nof IonQ’s Superion quantum systems\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ionq.com%2Fnews%2Fionq-launches-superion-product-line-industry-leading-upgradeable-platform-designed-to-scale-manufacturable-fault-tolerant-quantum-computing&esheet=54618096&newsitemid=20261007629257&lan=en-US&anchor=Superion+quantum+systems&index=3&md5=35296b1614852ee3f6e3611fdbdcee8b)\n.\n\nIonQ is among the first companies to advance to this stage after demonstrating\nleadership with its technical plan and execution in earlier stages:\n\n\n * Stage A - IonQ defined the technical concept for a utility-scale quantum\ncomputer.\n\n * Stage B - IonQ developed a detailed R&D roadmap, including the technical\nrequirements, designs, and risk-mitigation plans needed to achieve its\nproposed system.\n\nExecutive Perspective\n\n\"Advancing to Stage C is a significant vote of confidence in IonQ's technology\nroadmap and architecture for delivering quantum computing at utility scale,\"\nsaid Niccolo de Masi, IonQ Chairman and CEO. \"We've long believed that winning\nthe quantum race requires more than achieving technical milestones. It\nrequires building systems that can be manufactured reliably and at scale, and\nthat are designed to solve some of the world's most complex problems. That's\nnot a future promise — it's happening today, with our sixth-generation\nquantum computer, Superion 256.”\n\nNext Steps\n\nRunning through 2029, Stage C will welcome multiple Superion generations to\nDARPA’s independent verification and validation process. DARPA’s team will\nrigorously test IonQ’s scalable hardware and software to demonstrate\nperformance against its technical roadmap.\n\nThroughout the QBI process, IonQ will continue scaling its manufacturing and\ndeployment of Superion systems. As it does, the company will take on more\ncustomers tackling a wide range of commercial, scientific, and security\nchallenges.\n\n“Radical simplification and rapid scale are at the heart of how we build,”\nsaid Chris Ballance, IonQ President of Quantum Computing. “The path to scale\nisn't more complexity – it’s stripping complexity out, so systems can be\nmanufactured, deployed, and operated reliably at volume. That's the discipline\nDARPA's independent verification is now putting to the test.\"\n\nAbout IonQ\n\nIonQ, Inc.\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fionq.com%2F&esheet=54618096&newsitemid=20261007629257&lan=en-US&anchor=IonQ%2C+Inc.&index=4&md5=d1a69eaba1bd96062b3ae08fb2cde3ce)\n[NYSE: IONQ] is the world’s leading quantum platform and foundry -\ndelivering integrated quantum solutions across computing, networking, sensing,\nand security. IonQ’s newest generation of quantum computers, the Superion,\nis the latest in a line of cutting-edge systems. Earlier systems have helped\ncustomers and partners including Amazon Web Services, AstraZeneca, and NVIDIA\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ionq.com%2Fnews%2Fionq-speeds-quantum-accelerated-drug-development-application-with&esheet=54618096&newsitemid=20261007629257&lan=en-US&anchor=Amazon+Web+Services%2C+AstraZeneca%2C+and+NVIDIA&index=5&md5=0a9465d3e3d4b479fe3117900cea5c62)\nachieve a 20x performance increase over previous quantum solutions and\naccelerate innovation in drug discovery, materials science, financial\nmodeling, logistics, cybersecurity, and defense. In 2025, the company achieved\n99.99% two-qubit gate fidelity, setting a world record in quantum computing\nperformance\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fionq.com%2Fnews%2Fionq-achieves-landmark-result-setting-new-world-record-in-quantum-computing&esheet=54618096&newsitemid=20261007629257&lan=en-US&anchor=setting+a+world+record+in+quantum+computing+performance&index=6&md5=90d17809d698848f031ddb6e399ad939)\n.\n\nHeadquartered in College Park, Maryland, IonQ has operations across North\nAmerica, Latin America, EMEA, and APAC. Our quantum computing services have\nbeen available through all major cloud providers since 2021, while we also\nmeet the needs of networking and sensing customers across land, sea, air, and\nspace. IonQ is making quantum platforms more accessible and impactful than\never before. Learn more at IonQ.com\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fionq.com%2F&esheet=54618096&newsitemid=20261007629257&lan=en-US&anchor=IonQ.com&index=7&md5=000240c821bc212a158619314d494ecf)\n.\n\nNote to Investors Regarding Forward-Looking Statements\n\nThis press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements\ncontained in this press release other than statements of historical fact are\nforward-looking statements, including statements regarding our quantum\ncomputing roadmap, including our intention to continue to scale up our\nmanufacturing and deployment of Superion systems, and our agreement with DARPA\nand its expected timeline and process. In some cases, you can identify these\nstatements by forward-looking words such as “pending,” “look forward,”\n“accelerate,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “suggest,” “plan,”\n“believe,” “intend,” “estimate,” “target,” “project,”\n“should,” “could,” “would,” “may,” “will,” “forecast,”\n“confident,” “position,” “become,” “on track,” “ensure,”\n“ongoing” and other similar expressions. These statements are only\npredictions based on our expectations and projections about future events as\nof the date of this press release and are subject to a number of risks,\nuncertainties and assumptions that may prove incorrect, any of which could\ncause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by\nsuch statements, including, among others, those described under the heading\n“Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended\nDecember 31, 2025 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC,\nand in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026\nto be filed with the SEC. New risks emerge from time to time, and it is not\npossible for our management to predict all risks, nor can management assess\nthe impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor,\nor combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from\nthose contained in any forward-looking statement we make. Investors are\ncautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements,\nwhich speak only as of the date they are made. Except as otherwise required by\nlaw, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement,\nwhether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.\n\n\n\nView source version on businesswire.com:\nhttps://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261007629257/en/\n(https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261007629257/en/)\n\nIonQ Media Contacts: \n\nTammy Swanson\n\ntammy.swanson@skywatertechnology.com\n(mailto:tammy.swanson@skywatertechnology.com)\n\nTor Constantino\n\ntor.constantino@ionq.co (mailto:tor.constantino@ionq.co)\n\nIonQ Investor Contact: \n\ninvestors@ionq.co (mailto:investors@ionq.co)\n\n\nCopyright Business Wire 2026"},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-10-07T21:45:00.129089768Z","server_sent_at_ms":1791409500129},"received_at":"2026-10-07T21:45:00.180Z","source_url":"https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261007629257/en/"},"analysis":{"id":"152112","press_release_id":"163662","analysis_json":{"industry":{"label":"IT Services","sector":"Information Technology"},"redFlags":["funding beyond the initial obligation subject to future appropriations and DARPA funding actions"],"eventType":"partnership","narrative":"IonQ has advanced to Stage C of DARPA's Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, signing an agreement with a potential value of up to $300 million to continue validating its path to utility-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computing.\n\nStage C runs through 2029 and will subject multiple generations of IonQ's Superion quantum systems to DARPA's independent verification and validation, following successful Stage A and Stage B completions.\n\nFunding beyond the initial obligation remains subject to future appropriations and DARPA funding actions, so the headline value is a ceiling rather than a committed award.","sentiment":"bullish","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":true,"suggestedAngle":"DARPA's most rigorous validation program advances IonQ to the final stage with up to $300M in potential value — a major government endorsement of its fault-tolerant roadmap."},"keyFigures":{"dealValueUsd":300000000,"customDimensions":{"stage_c_run_through":"2029","potential_agreement_value":"up to $300 million"}},"quotedText":"Advancing to Stage C is a significant vote of confidence in IonQ's technology roadmap and architecture for delivering quantum computing at utility scale","namedEntities":{"people":[{"name":"Niccolo de Masi","role":"Chairman and CEO"},{"name":"Chris Ballance","role":"President of Quantum Computing"},{"name":"Tammy Swanson","role":"Media Contact"},{"name":"Tor Constantino","role":"Media Contact"}],"products":["Superion","Superion 256","Quantum Benchmarking Initiative"],"companies":[{"name":"IonQ, Inc.","ticker":"IONQ","relationship":"filer"},{"name":"DARPA","relationship":"government partner"},{"name":"Amazon Web Services","relationship":"customer/partner"},{"name":"AstraZeneca","relationship":"customer/partner"},{"name":"NVIDIA","relationship":"customer/partner"}],"dollarAmounts":[{"amount":"$300 million","context":"potential value of DARPA Stage C agreement"}]},"materialImpact":{"score":4,"reasoning":"IonQ advanced to the final Stage C of DARPA's Quantum Benchmarking Initiative under an agreement with potential value up to $300 million — a major government validation and funding opportunity. However, funding beyond the initial obligation is subject to future appropriations, tempering certainty."},"tickerRelevance":{"others":[],"primary":"IONQ"},"globalImportance":45,"audienceRelevance":65,"eventTypeSecondary":["operations_update"],"importanceComponents":{"tickerTier":"mid-cap retail favorite","eventGravity":"up to $300M government agreement and technology validation","fundingCertainty":"contingent on appropriations","retailFavoriteBoost":true}},"event_type":"partnership","event_type_secondary":["operations_update"],"sentiment":"bullish","material_impact_score":4,"narrative":"IonQ has advanced to Stage C of DARPA's Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, signing an agreement with a potential value of up to $300 million to continue validating its path to utility-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computing.\n\nStage C runs through 2029 and will subject multiple generations of IonQ's Superion quantum systems to DARPA's independent verification and validation, following successful Stage A and Stage B completions.\n\nFunding beyond the initial obligation remains subject to future appropriations and DARPA funding actions, so the headline value is a ceiling rather than a committed award.","key_figures":{"dealValueUsd":300000000,"customDimensions":{"stage_c_run_through":"2029","potential_agreement_value":"up to $300 million"}},"named_entities":{"people":[{"name":"Niccolo de Masi","role":"Chairman and CEO"},{"name":"Chris Ballance","role":"President of Quantum Computing"},{"name":"Tammy Swanson","role":"Media Contact"},{"name":"Tor Constantino","role":"Media Contact"}],"products":["Superion","Superion 256","Quantum Benchmarking Initiative"],"companies":[{"name":"IonQ, Inc.","ticker":"IONQ","relationship":"filer"},{"name":"DARPA","relationship":"government partner"},{"name":"Amazon Web Services","relationship":"customer/partner"},{"name":"AstraZeneca","relationship":"customer/partner"},{"name":"NVIDIA","relationship":"customer/partner"}],"dollarAmounts":[{"amount":"$300 million","context":"potential value of DARPA Stage C agreement"}]},"model_name":"glm-5.3-flashx","prompt_hash":"sha256:5c812bd9e28b810d","schema_hash":"sha256:05005c02d9cffac9","created_at":"2026-10-07T21:45:05.434Z","global_importance":45,"audience_relevance":65,"importance_components":{"tickerTier":"mid-cap retail favorite","eventGravity":"up to $300M government agreement and technology validation","fundingCertainty":"contingent on appropriations","retailFavoriteBoost":true}},"durationMs":5222,"modelName":"glm-5.3-flashx"}}