February 22, 2024 — Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is asking state lawmakers for $500 million for quantum technology in his budget proposal released Wednesday. This is the latest show of support for the region's quantum ecosystem, which is attracting millions of dollars in funding from companies and governments. Investment has increased in recent years and it is emerging as a central driver of U.S. leadership in this area.
In an interview with Axios, Pritzker said his proposal includes $200 million for cryogenic facilities needed to keep quantum computing systems cold and $100 million for the development of a quantum campus. .
“We've already established ourselves as a major hub for quantum development, but now we have an opportunity to take an even bigger step,” Pritzker told the outlet.
The announcement will be made as follows chicago quantum exchangeThe coalition will win up to $70 million in federal funding in the second phase of a federal initiative aimed at revitalizing an innovation economy that could become a world leader in critical technologies within 10 years. are competing with each other. Block Tech Hub, a cross-sector coalition led by CQE, earned the region designation as a U.S. regional innovation and technology hub for quantum technologies in the first phase of the program last year. The selection was announced by the White House and the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA) in October.
CQE is based at the University of Chicago, led by the Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Northwestern University, and includes more than 40 corporate, international, and non-profit organizations. regional and regional partners. It plays a key role in fostering cross-sector partnerships that are central to the region's growth in strength in this sector, and the institution has attracted significant investment in recent years.
This includes $280 million in federal funding as part of the National Quantum Initiative Act of 2018, as well as $280 million in federal funding from IBM and Google last year for two separate plans to advance quantum computing, from the University of Chicago and the University of Tokyo. Includes a total of $150 million in funding.
“The University of Chicago is deeply committed to research in quantum science and technology and is passionate about partnerships with leading research universities and national laboratories as we form one of the world's leading quantum technology communities,” said Paul from the University of Chicago.・President Alibisatos said. “Governor Pritzker is fostering an innovation environment in Illinois, and today’s announcement will accelerate these efforts. will lead to extraordinary progress.”
The Chicago area is home to some of the world's leading experts in quantum information science. A widely dispersed industrial base. A vibrant startup culture, including Duality, the country's first quantum startup accelerator. 4 of the National Quantum Initiative Act's 10 research centers. and infrastructure, including the nation's longest 124-mile quantum network.
“Government investment is key to advancing research, building the quantum workforce of the future, and strengthening the Chicago region quantum ecosystem, which is central to driving the quantum economy,” said David Orshalom, Lew Family Professor of Molecular Engineering. he said. He received his PhD from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and is the Director of CQE. “Quantum technology has the potential to deliver advances that strengthen the U.S. economy and national security, making this support critical not only for the region but for the nation.”
Source: Becky Beaupre Gillespie, Chicago Quantum Exchange
