From R&D to Operations: Ethan Krimins on the Future of Quantum at the DEpartment of Defense
At Quantum World Congress 2025, Ethan Krimins, founder of Indiana-based Quantum Research Sciences (QRS), delivered a candid and practical roadmap for companies aiming to win—and deliver—contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). Speaking in the Government & Security track on the session “Quantum Computing Technologies at the Department of Defense” (Maplewood Hall, Sept. 17), Krimins emphasized that the future of federal quantum adoption lies in moving from research and development to real-world operations, with a sharper focus on hardware, mission-specific use cases, and persistent engagement with program managers.
Krimins drew on a decade of experience and a track record of nearly 25 DoD contracts—including a Phase III award and a TRL-9 quantum software deployment currently running inside the Department—to highlight where opportunities are emerging. “Over the next year or two I see a greater focus on hardware, a stronger push toward operational deployment versus R&D, and within that operational current the hottest vector is sensing,” he told the audience.
What DoD Buyers Really Want
Krimins distilled his lessons into four imperatives for any company hoping to break into defense quantum work:
De-risking: Warfighters live in risk, and program officers expect vendors to anticipate and mitigate it—even when solicitations don’t spell it out.
Use cases first: Technology demos alone won’t cut it. Contractors must tie their solutions directly to mission needs, ideally with subject matter experts who can translate technical benefits into operational value.
Relationships and responsiveness: Winning contracts isn’t just about technology—it’s about people. “If a technical lead wants a four-hour kickoff, you should be high-fiving your team,” Krimins said. Passion and responsiveness matter.
Patience and persistence: The Wright brothers needed over five years to secure government interest in powered flight. Contractors should expect multiple failed bids before scoring wins, and treat each loss as free consulting to refine future proposals.
Platforms, Compliance, and Current Work
Krimins addressed a common question: which quantum computers are best suited for defense applications? While no commercially available system is yet IL5-compliant, he said that opens opportunities for small businesses to work with government labs as intermediaries.
For large optimization problems, hybrid solvers on D-Wave remain the most practical choice.
For targeted optimization and simulation, IBM earned praise for its professionalism and responsiveness.
QRS currently runs operational projects across IonQ, IBM, and D-Wave systems, including inventory forecasting, system optimization, and a Pentagon contract under JADC2/ABMS for battle course-of-action generation.
Advice for Small Firms
For startups and small teams, Krimins recommended starting with SAM.gov as the central hub for opportunities, while considering SBIR/STTR programs for early-stage funding. He cautioned that companies should expect “three to five swings at bat before you connect” and stressed the importance of persistence.
Where Demand Is Building
Krimins identified several defense priorities likely to dominate in the next 12–24 months:
Hardware-forward deployments that can transition from lab to field.
Operational programs over pure R&D.
Quantum sensing as the strongest near-term demand signal.
Optimization use cases across logistics, command-and-control, and resource allocation.
An Invitation—and a Challenge
Krimins closed with an invitation to companies of 50+ employees to join an upcoming technology hackathon organized by QRS, designed to accelerate field-ready solutions for defense. At the same time, he reminded the audience of the need for resilience: “Write that first proposal even if it’s unlikely to win. This is a marathon. Be persistent. For every win, expect several losses. It’s okay. You improve, and then you break through.”
Bottom line
Ethan Krimins made clear that the DoD’s quantum future will favor companies that combine credible hardware and sensing pathways with disciplined de-risking, mission-specific storytelling, and the persistence to outlast the bureaucracy.