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TopologicalEst. 1975Redmond, Washington

Microsoft

Microsoft Azure Quantum

Betting on the topological qubit.

Chasing the holy grail — topological qubits — while offering the broadest cloud marketplace of quantum hardware today.

The Topological Long Bet

Microsoft is the only major company chasing topological qubits — inherently protected from noise.

Led by Krysta Svore (VP Advanced Quantum Development)

The Story

Timeline.

2005

Microsoft Station Q founded at UC Santa Barbara to pursue topological quantum computing.

2019

Launches Azure Quantum, a cloud marketplace of external quantum hardware.

2023

Publishes evidence of Majorana zero modes — the exotic states underpinning its qubit bet.

2024

Demonstrates 24 logical qubits with Quantinuum, largest at the time.

2025

Unveils Majorana 1, its first topological qubit processor.

What makes them different

Key Facts

  • Only major company pursuing topological qubits — inherently protected from noise.
  • Q# is Microsoft's dedicated quantum programming language.
  • Azure Quantum offers access to hardware from IonQ, Quantinuum, Rigetti and more.
  • Backed by decades of theoretical physics research at Station Q.

Real-world pilots

Quantum Uses Today

  • Azure Elements pilots for chemistry and materials with AkzoNobel and Case Western.
  • Government contracts, including DARPA US2QC on utility-scale hardware.

If they succeed

Potential Applications

  • Naturally error-protected fault-tolerant hardware.
  • Nitrogen fixation and green fertilizer catalyst discovery.
  • Enterprise-scale quantum in Azure alongside HPC and AI.