Thanks to the opportunity to join the JETRO-hosted Quantum Delegation, I had the privilege of visiting various quantum technology innovation hubs in the Chicago and Boston areas. This blog captures some of the key observations and insights I gained through site visits and conversations with researchers, startups, and ecosystem builders on the front lines of quantum technology advancement.
Chicago Area
Illinois Quantum & Microelectronics Park
The State of Illinois is making a bold investment in the development of quantum technologies. One flagship project is the Illinois Quantum & Microelectronics Park. On the former site of the US Steel mill, a 128-acre state-of-the-art quantum tech hub is being constructed. What was once symbolic of Chicago’s industrial decline is now being transformed into the world’s largest quantum research campus. The project reflects the strong leadership and vision of state officials committed to revitalizing Illinois through innovation.
Hyde Park Labs
Operated by the University of Chicago, Hyde Park Labs is a research and coworking lab designed for entrepreneurs. The lab emphasizes medicine and quantum technology and will soon host IBM’s 156-qubit quantum computer. A dilution refrigerator will also be installed, and tenants will be able to rent access to the system on a short-term, reservation basis. Startups can begin research with minimal investment—even by renting just a single desk. The facility includes 40,000 sq ft of shared amenity including kitchens, decks, and lounges that foster collaboration and spontaneous innovation among people from various backgrounds.
Argonne National Laboratory
Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Argonne National Laboratory hosts the exascale supercomputer Aurora, equipped with 10,624 compute nodes. Each node includes dual Intel Xeon CPUs, 1TB DDR5 RAM, and six Intel GPUs with 128GB High Bandwidth Memory, all connected via PCIe. Nodes are networked using Slingshot 11 fiber-optic interconnects. The system supports shared-memory parallelization with OpenMP and distributed memory parallelization via MPI. Each node is water-cooled. Although I couldn’t tour it, Argonne also houses the Advanced Photon Source, a cutting-edge synchrotron radiation facility.
mHUB
mHUB is an incubator for manufacturing startups—truly a paradise for makers. It offers unrestricted access to tools such as 3D printers, plasma cutters, laser engravers, woodworking equipment, PCB rework stations, and even X-ray imaging machines. CAD/CAM licenses are included with membership. Operators are on-site to assist members in using the equipment, making it beginner friendly. Members also benefit from workshops, mentorship programs, investor connections, and even contract work opportunities that provide income before startups reach profitability. There are no specific eligibility criteria to join.
EeroQ
Located in The Terminal, a renovated locomotive parts factory turned high-tech office space, EeroQ is a quantum computing startup with a novel approach. Using CMOS technology to fabricate etched silicon wafers, they trap and control single electrons to form qubits. The system is cooled by superfluid liquid helium between the sillicon wafer and the trapped electrons. This method allows for long coherence times (up to 10 seconds) and leverages existing semiconductor manufacturing infrastructure. With a 50-person team of in-house experts, EeroQ handles all design and manufacturing internally.
Boston Area
CIC: Cambridge Innovation Center
Located in Kendall Square, CIC is a flexible coworking space where companies—from startups to large enterprises—can rent space on monthly terms. CIC believes innovation thrives in a diverse environment. The space is ready for use from day one, complete with printers, internet, kitchens, showers, mailrooms, and meeting spaces. A dedicated Japan Desk team exists to support Japanese companies aiming to succeed in the U.S. market.
QuEra Computing
Born from research at Harvard University and MIT, QuEra builds quantum computers using laser cooling technology. Their 256-qubit system is accessed globally. Their machine has been used for research in lattice gauge theory and spin physics of condensed matter. The results of those research were published in prestigious scientific journals. Compared to superconducting quantum computers, QuEra’s approach offers advantages such as higher qubit density and no need for liquid helium cooling. One current bottleneck is the relative immaturity of precision laser control technology, which lags behind the more mature microwave control used in superconducting approaches.
Networking and Reflections
Throughout the visit, I had valuable conversations with individuals from diverse sectors: quantum startups, materials companies, heavy industry, banks, trading firms, national labs, and more. It became clear that there are many avenues for contributing to the advancement of quantum technology. At TSG U.S.A., Inc., we are motivated to explore ways we, too, can contribute to this exciting field.
Footnote
Many more companies and organizations kindly hosted us—thank you all. I regret I couldn’t include every visit here.