Pritzker Announces Federal Partnership for Quantum Computing Campus

Danny Connolly and Cole Henke

6 minutes ago

FILE – Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker turns to supporters after defeating Republican challenger Darren Bailey on Nov. 8, 2022, in Chicago. On Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, a day after Illinois House Democrats approved pay raises for top government officials in late-night budget legislation — including a 16% raise for them — Pritzker told reporters he only asked lawmakers to approve a raise for the heads of his departments to attract top talent. He said the Legislature is a co-equal branch of government and his focus is on the executive branch. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)

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

Governor JB Pritzker announced Tuesday the partnership between the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, part of the U.S. Department of Defense, and the Illinois quantum computing campus. The partnership is called 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 had already allocated $500 million for the campus in the fiscal 2025 budget. 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, the Illinois Quantum Campus will generate the type of competitive research that has driven our most important American innovations, 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 to drive technological innovation in Illinois through the investment in the new campus. Among the inventions DARPA has already invested in are the miniaturization of GPS, weather satellites and the modern Internet.

“Illinois has long been a place of invention, innovation, and influence. The Quantum Computing Campus strengthens Illinois’ position as a global hub for technology and innovation,” said Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL). “Through the combined efforts of Illinois’ national labs, world-renowned universities, industry leaders, and now our growing partnership with the Department of Defense through this quantum proving ground, our state will continue to champion the technologies and industries of the future.”

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

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

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

On campus, the space is expected to house shared cryogenic facilities, equipment labs and collaboration spaces between private companies and Illinois research universities. No location has yet been announced for the quantum campus.