Florida's Quantum Leap: D-Wave HQ Move Cements New Tech Hub

BOCA RATON, FL – January 28, 2026 – South Florida has officially entered the quantum age. In a landmark move that signals a major shift in the nation's technology landscape, quantum computing pioneer D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS) is relocating its global headquarters from the heart of Silicon Valley in Palo Alto, California, to Boca Raton, Florida. The company will establish its new base of operations and a major U.S. Research and Development facility at the historic Boca Raton Innovation Campus (BRiC), the very site where IBM launched the personal computer revolution decades ago.

The relocation is more than just a change of address; it represents a strategic trifecta of corporate expansion, academic partnership, and regional ambition. Bolstering the move is a separate, monumental $20 million commitment from nearby Florida Atlantic University (FAU) to purchase and install one of D-Wave’s next-generation Advantage2™ annealing quantum computers on its campus, creating an unprecedented nexus of quantum research and workforce development in the Sunshine State.

A Strategic Bet on the Sunshine State

For D-Wave, the decision to trade California's Bay Area for Florida's Gold Coast is a calculated bet on a burgeoning tech ecosystem. The company, which offers both annealing and gate-model quantum systems, sees the move as a critical step in its growth trajectory.

“Florida represents one of the fastest growing technology ecosystems in the United States, and as such it was the ideal choice for our new corporate headquarters and U.S. R&D facility,” said Dr. Alan Baratz, CEO of D-Wave, in a statement. “The state offers a rich scientific and educational environment, a growing pool of highly skilled tech talent, and a vibrant spirit of innovation that made it attractive to D-Wave.”

Beyond the public-facing optimism, the relocation is a multi-faceted strategic play. It provides D-Wave with a bicoastal presence, establishing crucial operational redundancy for disaster recovery—a sign of a maturing industry where reliability is paramount. This move complements D-Wave's existing specialized sites, including its gate-model R&D center in New Haven, CT, and its Quantum Engineering Center of Excellence in Burnaby, British Columbia.

The move is further sweetened by a significant package of financial incentives. The state of Florida is expected to provide $5 million in direct incentives, a $1.35 million yearly tax credit for two decades, and $300,000 in grants for job training. The City of Boca Raton is adding up to $500,000, contingent on D-Wave creating 100 new high-paying jobs over five years. This financial backing underscores a clear commitment from state and local governments to cultivate a high-tech, high-wage economy.

BRiC's Renaissance: From IBM's Cradle to a Quantum Hub

At the center of this move is the Boca Raton Innovation Campus (BRiC), a sprawling 1.7-million-square-foot site steeped in technological history. Now, thanks to a visionary redevelopment, it is poised to define the future. After acquiring the campus in 2021, owner-operator CP Group, along with DRA Advisors, launched a massive $100 million capital improvement program to transform the aging office park into a modern, amenity-rich "town center" for innovation.

The investment has delivered a revitalized campus featuring an on-site wellness center run by Boca Raton Regional Hospital, new coffee shops, a state-of-the-art dining hall, and flexible event spaces. Critically for D-Wave, the renovations also provided the highly specialized infrastructure necessary to support the extreme demands of quantum computing R&D, including unrivaled power resilience, redundancy, and logistical support.

“D-Wave’s selection of BRiC for its global headquarters represents the capstone of our eight-year effort to transform this historic site into the premier destination for technology and life sciences in the Southeast,” commented Angelo Bianco, Founding and Managing Partner of CP Group.

The strategy is clearly paying off. Even before the D-Wave announcement, BRiC was experiencing a surge in demand, with over 300,000 square feet of leasing activity in late 2025 alone. The campus is already home to a growing roster of tech and life sciences firms, including healthcare technology leader Modernizing Medicine and AI firm EchoTwin AI, creating a vibrant ecosystem that D-Wave will now anchor.

Forging a Quantum Ecosystem: Industry Meets Academia

Perhaps the most transformative element of this development is the deep-seated partnership between D-Wave and Florida Atlantic University. FAU's $20 million commitment to acquire and install an Advantage2™ quantum computer on its campus, anticipated for late 2026, is a game-changer for the region. It will make FAU the first university in Florida to publicly host a dedicated, large-scale quantum computer.

This collaboration is designed to be a powerful engine for innovation and talent creation. A planned "D-Wave Quantum Applications Academy" at FAU will offer students paid internships and hands-on experience, creating a direct pipeline of skilled professionals ready to work in the quantum industry. This addresses a critical bottleneck in the field and ensures D-Wave has access to the specialized workforce it needs to grow.

"This partnership with D-Wave opens unique opportunities for our university to provide real-world solutions and advance research with transformative technology," said FAU President Adam Hasner.

Florida Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly echoed this sentiment, noting that bringing a quantum computer to FAU "creates new opportunities for research, workforce development, and partnerships that will benefit our economy and our national defense." The initiative is expected to drive pioneering research in fields like logistics, data security, and materials science, while attracting further private investment and startups to the area.

The Bigger Picture in the Quantum Race

D-Wave's move is not happening in a vacuum. It reflects broader trends in the hyper-competitive global quantum computing industry, where companies are racing to demonstrate practical value and achieve quantum advantage. By positioning itself as the only dual-platform company, D-Wave is hedging its bets on the future, developing both annealing systems for complex optimization problems and gate-model systems for a broader range of applications.

The company's recent acquisition of Quantum Circuits Inc. and an accelerated roadmap for its gate-model technology signal its aggressive push on all fronts. This strategy appears to be resonating with the market, as evidenced by a 314% increase in the usage of its current Advantage2 system over the past year and a new $10 million enterprise service agreement with an unnamed Fortune 100 company.

Furthermore, D-Wave is actively pursuing applications in the crucial defense sector, collaborating with firms like Davidson Technologies and Anduril on projects for U.S. air and missile defense. By planting its flag firmly in Boca Raton, with strong institutional and academic support, D-Wave is not just relocating its headquarters—it is building a fortified position from which to compete in the next great technological revolution.