Expanded Chicago Quantum Summit highlights role of coordinated action - University of Chicago News

Share to Facebook X LinkedIn Share as an Email Print Content About 950 people from around the world gathered in downtown Chicago and online last week for a Chicago Quantum Summit with a defining message: The future of quantum technology will be shaped not by a single sector, company or country but through coordinated action and sustained collaboration. From Nov. 3-4, quantum computing competitors discussed how their platforms could work together to advance the entire field. Leaders from multiple countries discussed immigration pathways with legal experts, and banking and quantum technology leaders explored how quantum innovations might shape financial systems. Over breaks and in the hallways, startup founders and early-career researchers mingled with government officials, university leaders and CEOs. Attendees from across the United States and at least 16 countries, including Australia, Japan, the UK and Canada shared ideas and compared notes. The governor of Illinois and the U.S. deputy secretary of commerce, speaking just hours apart, described a common vision of quantum leadership driven by coordinated public investment and private innovation. And, as the summit’s second day opened, the U.S. Department of Energy’s undersecretary for science announced $625 million in funding for the five DOE National Quantum Information Science (QIS) Research Centers, renewing one of the foundational federal programs for quantum research in the U.S. and emphasizing the role that partnerships play in the centers’ work. “The goals we have set will not be realized by any single lab or single investigator or even a single company,” the DOE’s Darío Gil said as he announced the renewal, which included two centers in the CQE region. These are the Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems (SQMS) Center, led by Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, and Q-NEXT, led by Argonne National Laboratory. “Though efforts from individual research groups are vitally important and will always have a central role to play in the DOE mission and QIS program, building a new capability for science requires partnering across fields, institutions and sectors.” Corporate panelists speak about bridging computing platforms. From left to right: Mandy Birch, of TreQ; Lorenzo Martinelli, of D-Wave Quantum; Johannes Pollanen, of EeroQ; and Kristen Pudenz, of Atom Computing. Photo by Anne Ryan The summit was hosted by the Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE), a hub that connects leading universities, national labs and industry partners to advance quantum technology, scale the quantum workforce and drive the quantum economy. It is based at the University of Chicago. Collaboration has always been integral to the summit’s mission. But with quantum technologies moving rapidly from research to real-world application, fostering cooperation around the full spectrum of ecosystem needs have taken on added importance, participants and organizers said. “The cooperative spirit and shared purpose shaping the future of this transformative sector were on full display at the 2025 Chicago Quantum Summit,” said David Awschalom, the CQE director, the Liew Family Professor in Molecular Engineering and Physics at UChicago’s Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering. “The enthusiasm for this mission was evident in the conversations that happened in packed hallways, in the depth of discussion that unfolded during sessions and in the breadth of engagement we saw from nearly every part of the ecosystem,” said Awschalom, who is also a senior scientist at Argonne. “This dedication is the key to fueling our sector’s advance and turning discovery into real-world application.” The summit hosted the 12 winners of the 2025 Boeing Quantum Creators Prize, rising stars in quantum technology research and development. Over 75 undergraduates, graduates and postdoctoral researchers also presented their work in the summit’s annual poster session, which was part of a reception presented by the Consulate General of Canada in Chicago. Five of the presenters were recognized with awards. The summit also capped a year of high-profile regional developments that underscored the Midwest’s growing strength in critical quantum infrastructure. Students network at the Chicago Quantum Summit. The event fostered discussions between quantum educators from institutions such as University of Illinois Chicago and City Colleges of Chicago. Photo by Anne Ryan Cryogenic leader Bluefors brought its lab service to the U.S. for the first time with two Chicago facilities; incubator Hyde Park Labs opened on Chicago’s South Side; and industry, academic and government leaders broke ground at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park.