Hewlett Foundation’s $100 Million Security Fund Includes Quantum

The Hewlett Foundation has launched a five-year, $100 million initiative on the security of emerging technologies, with quantum computing named as one of the areas it will cover. Unveiled at the Aspen Security Forum, the Emerging Technology and Security Initiative spans artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and quantum. Quantum is a secondary component here; the effort largely frames around AI.

What the Hewlett Foundation’s new initiative will fund

According to the July 21 press release, the initiative supports universities, think tanks, and civil society organizations across three areas: protecting critical infrastructure such as power grids and hospitals from AI-enabled threats, reducing security risks from fast-moving technologies including biotech and quantum, and helping governments develop rules for governing emerging tech.

It builds on $10 million in exploratory grants announced in February, to institutions including Stanford’s Hoover Institution and Vanderbilt’s national security institute, with another $10 million planned through 2026. Foundation President Amber Miller framed progress and safety as “natural complements, not competing approaches.”

As Eli Sugarman, director of Special Projects leading the initiative, explained:

“Too much of the AI and emerging technology debate misses questions ordinary people care about most — their safety and how these technologies impact their families. (…) This is about evidence-based problem-solving, funding creative experts on critical cybersecurity challenges, and convening diverse stakeholders across government, industry, and civil society.”

How much of the funding is actually for quantum?

There’s no quantum-specific funding figure, no dedicated quantum initiative, and no named quantum grantees. Every quote and both leaders’ remarks center on AI, with quantum listed alongside biotech under a wider umbrella.

The money is also mostly future commitment. The $100 million is the full five-year total, and only about $20 million, the February grants plus what is planned through 2026, is accounted for so far. The mission framing about civil society bridging an innovation-versus-security distance is the foundation’s own.