I immediately spoke with Governor Jared Polis and the state’s economic development leadership and made my case for pursuing a designation as a Regional Technology and Innovation Hub (Tech Hub). The bill hadn’t even passed yet, but I felt certain that under the capable leadership of US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, it would. I stepped into my role as “instigator” and pressed forward.
The bipartisan CHIPS and Science legislation, with its goal of improving US national and economic security, would establish Tech Hubs across the United States. These would improve our nation’s capabilities in ten critical areas, including energy technology, advanced manufacturing, and quantum information science—a revolutionary technology that will profoundly advance our computational abilities.
From TechHubNow! to Elevate Quantum
The bill passed, and by the time it was signed into law on August 9, 2022, a group of us were already moving forward with the creation of TechHubNow!, a public-private initiative to strengthen and leverage Colorado’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and to demonstrate that we were a clear choice for Tech Hub designation.
After much planning, collaboration, and hard work, we launched Elevate Quantum (EQ), a consortium of more than 100 partners focused on advancing quantum computing capabilities—including businesses, colleges and universities, K–12 STEM programs, investors, government entities, laboratories, and nonprofit organizations. We forged an alliance with both New Mexico and Wyoming and named our consortium Mountain West.
We submitted our proposal to the Economic Development Administration, and in October 2023, we received the good news: The EDA announced that Elevate Quantum would be one of the country’s 31 designated Tech Hubs and the only quantum-specific Tech Hub.
The Perfect Conditions for Quantum Success
EQ’s achievement of the Tech Hub designation and its future success depend on several conditions and capabilities. Just as quantum systems require precise conditions (such as near-absolute-zero temperatures, an ultra-clean environment, and complete isolation from interference), an innovation endeavor like Elevate Quantum needs specific factors to thrive—a few of which follow.
Financial Support
Quantum research and development are expensive. Fortunately, Elevate Quantum has secured crucial capital for its current phase. First, the EDA granted $40.5 million to EQ—the only quantum Tech Hub to receive such a grant. That initial investment triggered other funding: The state of Colorado, through bipartisan legislation, contributed $74 million to help fund a shared quantum research facility (The Quantum Commons) and offer greater access to capital for small and medium quantum companies. Private capital and industry collaborations provided another $1 billion.
The Right Businesses
Colorado is home to some very large, well-established quantum companies, including Quantinuum, Infleqtion, and Atom Computing. Additionally, we have a range of midsize, emerging quantum-related businesses, such as Maybell Quantum, Vescent, and Mesa Quantum. These, along with dozens of exciting quantum startups, give us a resilient supply chain for the many specialized components necessary to make quantum computers.
A Qualified Workforce
Colorado is home to many PhDs and researchers who, through institutions like CU Boulder and JILA (the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics), have made great strides in quantum science (winning four Nobel Prizes, in fact). But quantum science requires many other types of roles: technicians, electricians, engineers. That’s why the Elevate Quantum Workforce Consortium (EQWC) is working to prepare and maintain the workforce needed for quantum progress, connecting with educators, training providers, community leaders, and employers across Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming.
Political Commitment
Senator Hickenlooper, Governor Polis, and other legislators have been instrumental in promoting policies that improve Colorado’s workforce overall, especially in advanced industries. The importance of their advocacy and support can’t be overstated.
Infrastructure
We knew from the outset that we’d need to build a group of world-class quantum testbeds. These tools are critical for advancement but extremely expensive to build. By building testbeds, we knew we’d attract and retain quantum researchers and entrepreneurs and enable them to validate their hypotheses and develop their products.
A Supportive Ecosystem
Connecting all the pieces—the startups and big businesses, the schools and universities, the workforce, investors, nonprofits, and government—is something I love to catalyze and nurture. I’ve established business ecosystems for many organizations, including Cintrifuse, Energize Colorado, and many universities.
I’ve applied my ecosystem-building skills with Elevate Quantum, too, though I’m certainly not working alone. Many of us are facilitating connections in order to help the quantum players in our network. If a quantum company in our Mountain West region needs to hire more people, acquire more capital, or find mentors or suppliers, EQ is here to help. Similarly, we’re building a sustainable infrastructure to provide the tools quantum entrepreneurs need to test their hypotheses: testbeds, dilution refrigerators, sensors, lasers, atomic clocks, and a sophisticated compute platform (across a range of modalities).
Colorado’s EQ ecosystem is growing more robust, vibrant, and productive by the day, and I’m excited to see the advances our state will achieve.