Ideas Lab: Practical Fully-Connected Quantum Computer Challenge (PFCQC) | 17 548

Opportunity Information: Apply for 17 548

The National Science Foundation (NSF) grant opportunity titled "Ideas Lab: Practical Fully-Connected Quantum Computer Challenge (PFCQC)" (Funding Opportunity No. 17-548) is a multidisciplinary, high-intensity funding call built around an Ideas Lab model, where researchers convene to rapidly form teams and shape bold, cross-cutting research projects aimed at overcoming key barriers to practical quantum computing. The core purpose is not simply to support incremental advances, but to catalyze new, integrative concepts that combine hardware, software, and algorithm design into coherent approaches capable of delivering quantum computing performance that meaningfully surpasses what classical high-performance computing can do for certain problem classes.

The opportunity is motivated by the promise of quantum computing as a fundamentally different approach to computation that leverages coherent superposition and entanglement. NSF highlights that quantum computers could deliver advantages for tasks that are widely viewed as difficult for classical machines, including integer factoring, search and optimization, and especially simulation of quantum mechanical systems. The latter is emphasized because simulating quantum systems is a natural fit for quantum processors and remains extremely challenging for conventional computers, even at large scale, which limits progress across physics, chemistry, materials science, and engineering.

At the same time, NSF frames the central challenge plainly: building a practical, scalable quantum computer remains a major grand challenge. Reaching practical scale requires coordinated progress across many layers of the technology stack. The solicitation calls out specific domains where breakthroughs or major engineering advances are needed, including quantum device fabrication and processor design, quantum control methods, new physical-level architectures, error correction and strategies that avoid or mitigate decoherence, compilation techniques for quantum programs, programming environments and models, operational software to run and manage quantum computers, and quantum algorithm design. A major theme is co-design: instead of developing hardware, software, and algorithms in isolation, the program pushes for tightly coupled development where each layer is tailored to the characteristics, constraints, and strengths of the chosen quantum platform.

The Ideas Lab format is central to how this program operates. Rather than relying solely on the traditional proposal process, NSF uses an intensive workshop environment to bring together researchers from diverse backgrounds (for example, physics, electrical and computer engineering, computer science, and domain science communities) and drive them toward new partnerships and integrated project concepts. Participants typically arrive with strong expertise in their own area, but the lab is designed to deliberately mix perspectives so that teams can identify overlooked connections and generate novel, cross-disciplinary research directions. The intended output of this process is the formation of teams of domain scientists and engineers who will refine multidisciplinary ideas and ultimately submit full proposals shaped by the Ideas Lab outcomes.

In terms of administration and sponsorship, the solicitation is jointly organized across NSF directorates and divisions that reflect the convergence the program is seeking: the Division of Physics (PHY) within the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS), the Division of Computing and Communication Foundations (CCF) within the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE), and the Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems (ECCS) within the Directorate for Engineering (ENG). This structure signals that NSF is looking for proposals that genuinely bridge these areas, not projects that sit purely within one discipline.

The funding details in the source information characterize the opportunity as a discretionary grant program in the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category, with CFDA numbers 47.041, 47.049, and 47.070. Eligibility is listed as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full solicitation text. The opportunity data shows an award ceiling of $15,000,000, with an expectation of 2 awards. The original closing date listed is November 30, 2017, and the creation date is April 4, 2017. The solicitation also notes that U.S. researchers must submit preliminary proposals for participation in the Ideas Lab via NSF FastLane, indicating a two-step pathway where initial submissions are used to select participants for the lab, and the lab then supports team formation and development of full proposals.

Strategically, NSF positions this Ideas Lab as advancing two of its "10 Big Ideas for Future NSF Investments": "The Quantum Leap: Leading the Next Quantum Revolution" and "Growing Convergent Research at NSF." It is also linked to the National Strategic Computing Initiative (NSCI), specifically its third objective, which focuses on developing new computing capabilities beyond the trajectory of Moore's Law. In other words, NSF is framing practical quantum computing not only as a scientific goal, but as a national-level computing and innovation priority that could redefine future computational capabilities.

Overall, the PFCQC Ideas Lab opportunity is best understood as a convergence-driven program meant to accelerate the emergence of practical, scalable quantum computers by forcing integration across the full stack: materials and devices, control and architecture, error correction and reliability, programming models and compilers, systems software and operations, and algorithms aligned to real scientific and engineering use cases. The program is explicitly designed to reward teams that can demonstrate this kind of end-to-end thinking and produce credible paths toward operating quantum systems capable of tackling problems that classical computing cannot handle efficiently.

• The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Ideas Lab: Practical Fully-Connected Quantum Computer Challenge (PFCQC)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.041, 47.049, 47.070.
• This funding opportunity was created on Apr 04, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 30, 2017. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $15,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

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