insider brief
- A Chicago Quantum Exchange-led coalition has been awarded a $1 million National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engine (NSF Engine) Development Award.
- The project aims to deepen partnerships and strengthen workforce and economic development plans for Chicagoland's growing quantum ecosystem.
- This award is part of the first-ever NSF Engine Competition of 2022, a program established by CHIPS and Science Act.
A coalition led by the Chicago Quantum Exchange will receive a $1 million National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engine (NSF Engine) Development Award to deepen partnerships and strengthen workforce and economic development plans for Chicagoland's growing quantum ecosystem. won a dollar.
The NSF Engine Development Award: Advancing Quantum Technology in the Midwest (effective April 15) aims to translate laboratory research into real-world applications and train workers for fast-growing companies. used by multisectoral coalitions to build data-driven strategies. quantum economy. Quantum technology, which harnesses the unusual properties of nature's smallest scales, is poised to transform society by enabling unhackable communications, secure financial transactions, accelerated drug discovery, optimized supply chains, and more. it's finished.
“The Chicago region is already an important hub for the development of quantum technologies that will greatly enhance our economy and national security,” said David, Liu Family Professor of Molecular Engineering and director of the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago. Orshalom said. Director of CQE and Principal Investigator of the NSF Engine Project. “However, to realize these goals, we will need to expand our commercialization efforts and build a workforce large enough to meet growing demand. This gap is due to our deeply engaged ecosystem. This NSF Engine Award recognizes our region's leadership in this field and marks another important step toward a quantum future. ”
The $1 million NSF Engine Development Award is the first-ever NSF Engine Development Award, a program established by the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 to ensure the United States remains globally competitive in key technology areas. Part of the engine competition.
The award follows the region's designation as a U.S. tech hub for quantum technology, announced by the White House and the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA) in October. As part of the Tech Hubs program, another CQE-led coalition is vying for up to $70 million for projects aimed at developing quantum technology solutions that address pressing societal challenges by accelerating industry adoption. Masu.
Both the EDA designation and the NSF award reflect the region's position as a key player in advancing U.S. leadership in the quantum field, supporting universities, industry leaders, national research institutions, state and local governments, and Facilitated by collaboration among economic and workforce development nonprofit organizations. CQE has served as a catalyst.
CQE is based in Chicago and includes the Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Northwestern University, as well as more than 40 participating companies and international organizations. I am. , nonprofit organizations, and community partners. All her CQE members and many of their partners, along with government, university and other stakeholders, are part of the NSF Engine project. Many are also members of The Bloch Quantum, a group that competes for funding for Tech Hubs.
Already receiving millions of dollars in corporate and government investment, the Chicago region boasts world-leading experts in quantum information science, a widely distributed industrial base, and a vibrant startup culture that includes the nation's first quantum technologies. is headquartered. Infrastructure that includes startup accelerators, four of the ten National Quantum Initiative Act research centers, and one of the nation's longest quantum networks. In a recent show of support, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker asked state lawmakers to provide $500 million for quantum technology in the fiscal year 2025 budget proposal.
For more information about the NSF Engines Program, visit https://new.nsf.gov/funding/initiatives/regional-innovation-engines.
