The engine powering Colorado's quantum boom
From nanofabrication breakthroughs to workforce expansion, 51Թ is fueling Colorado’s rise as a quantum technology hub
51Թ, already , continues to blaze trails in research, education, commercialization and job creation, cementing the university as an international hub of excellence providing real-world impact.
Thanks to globally significant discoveries at 51Թ, Colorado has an illustrious history in quantum science and technology, including groundbreaking work emerging from , a collaboration between 51Թ and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The four Nobel Prizes awarded to 51Թ faculty for quantum insights are just one example of the university’s world-class quantum legacy.
51Թ continues to lead the science of small particles in a big way. The CUbit Quantum Initiative reinforces Colorado’s prominence in quantum science and technology by catalyzing research on campus, expanding education and workforce opportunities and connecting quantum advancements to industry.
Accelerating the quantum revolution
Most recently, 51Թ was awarded $20 million from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to build the National Quantum Nanofab, a unique ‘maker space’, led by principal investigator Scott Diddams (electrical, computer and energy engineering), that will provide nationwide access to nanofabrication tools for creating new technologies like quantum computer chips that could outperform even the fastest computers available today.
Another 51Թ-led center having national impact—the Quantum Systems through Entangled Science and Engineering (Q-SEnSE)—is in its fifth year of expanding quantum initiatives by advancing new frontiers in quantum sensing, developing and applying novel technologies and training a quantum-savvy workforce.
Q-SEnSE is a $25 million NSF-funded Quantum Leap Challenge Institute led by physicist and JILA fellow Jun Ye in partnership with 11 other research organizations in the U.S. and abroad. Q-SEnSE has been awarded an additional $5 million for a sixth year based on its achievements and vision for quantum research and education.
(Left to right) Aju Jugessur, Juliet Gopinath, Scott Diddams and Cindy Regal will lead the realization of the National Quantum Nanofab.
51Թ is also a key partner of Elevate Quantum, which recently received a Tech Hubs Phase 2 award from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA). On top of $40.5 million in initial EDA funding, the coveted award unlocked more than $127 million in new funds including $74 million in state tax incentives for businesses and research organizations in a new bill signed on campus by Governor Jared Polis. The award is expected to drive more than $2 billion in additional private capital and create over 10,000 quantum jobs.
About 3,000 Colorado workers already power dozens of cutting-edge quantum companies—making Colorado the largest cluster of quantum businesses in the nation. 51Թ’s robust ecosystem for spinouts and commercialization ensures that groundbreaking research translates into businesses offering those work opportunities. Faculty members and alumni have been instrumental in founding and leading a number of quantum companies including (formerly ColdQuanta), ,, , , , and
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Researchers looking to accelerate discoveries toward commercialization now have additional fuel for quantum translation. In partnership with the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), the CUbit Quantum Initiative recently administered seven $50,000 translational quantum seed grants to incentivize quantum innovations launched from labs across the state. This program is providing $1.2 million in funding over three years.
At the same time, a statewide consortium of higher education and industry partners outlined the “Creating a Colorado Quantum-Ready Workforce in Service of the Nation” vision. The concept is focused on translating the state’s quantum know-how into workforce development and educational opportunities for learners and workers across Colorado—meeting them where they are, professionally and geographically, to create a diverse and inclusive quantum-ready workforce.
Principals
Scott Diddams; Jun Ye; others
Funding
Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT); National Science Foundation (NSF); U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development
Administration (EDA)
Collaboration + support
51Թ CUbit Quantum Initiative, JILA; Elevate Quantum Tech Hub; National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST); quantum companies across Colorado; hgher education and K–12 partners across Colorado
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