Pritzker announces federal partner for quantum computing campus

CHICAGO (WCIA) — Illinois’ proposal to create a new quantum computing campus has a new partner with a federal agency.

Governor J.B. Pritzker announced the partnership of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, part of the U.S. Department of Defense, with Illinois’ quantum computing campus Tuesday. The partnership is named Quantum Proving Ground.

“The future of quantum is here, and it’s in Illinois,” Pritzker said Tuesday at a news conference announcing the collaboration.

The state previously allocated $500 million in the fiscal year 2025 budget for the campus. With it, officials estimate the project will generate up to $60 billion in economic impact and create thousands of jobs.

“With the support of our federal partners, Illinois’ quantum campus will generate the sort of competitive research that has driven our most important American innovations, all while injecting billions of dollars into our state’s economy and creating hundreds of local jobs,” the governor said.

State leaders said DARPA will continue leading technological innovations in Illinois with the investment on the new campus. Some inventions DARPA previously invested in include GPS miniaturization, weather satellites, and the modern internet.

“Illinois has long held the spirit of invention, innovation, and influence. The quantum computing campus further establishes Illinois as a as a global hub for technology and innovation,” Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said. “Through the combined efforts of Illinois’ National Labs, world-class universities, industry leaders, and now our growing partnership with the Department of Defense with this Quantum Proving Ground, our state will continue to champion technologies and industries of the future.”

DARPA is already encouraging companies to apply help develop new hardware on the campus.

“We urge small and large companies and research institutions across the country who are developing quantum computing hardware to come and work with DARPA and our partners,” Dr. Joe Altepeter, the DARPA program manager leading the Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, said. “We just issued a special notice on the federal government’s SAM.gov website as a heads up that the QBI solicitation is coming soon.”

Both DARPA and the state are committing up to $140 million in matching funds for the Quantum Proving Ground. DARPA invites companies interested in working in industrial quantum to apply on the federal government’s SAM.gov website.

On the campus, the space is planned to have shared cryo facilities, equipment labs, and spaces for both private companies and Illinois’ research universities to collaborate. No location has been announced yet for the quantum campus.

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