New York City and NYU back a $284m quantum fabrication facility opening in 2030

[BankHolidayBlues]

New York City is giving NYU $29.2 million towards a new Quantum Fabrication Facility called QFab. The Quantum Insider's report is based on the announcement. NYU will add $255 million for construction and ten years of operation, bringing the total to about $284 million. It is a major investment in quantum hardware for the city

QFab will cover 23,000 square feet at 770 Broadway and is due to open in 2030. It will offer fabrication and testing of quantum chips and components, cleanrooms and cryogenic equipment. It will also provide technician training, CUNY certificate and associate degree programmes, internships, bootcamps and startup incubation

The education side is ambitious. Projections say the facility will reach more than 35,000 New Yorkers over ten years, including more than 5,000 students. The release gives slightly inconsistent figures for company support, mentioning both more than 100 companies supported and about 50 incubated

There are some interesting terms in the deal. The city gets three seats on QFab's advisory board and 15 percent of NYU's central proceeds from intellectual property created with city funded equipment. Speakers at the announcement included NYU president Linda Mills and Tandon dean Juan de Pablo, along with city officials and Senator Schumer

Fabrication facilities are one of the biggest bottlenecks in quantum hardware. Most startups cannot afford their own cleanroom, so shared facilities make a big difference. Pairing it with technician training and community college programmes is a smart way to build a local workforce

Do shared fabrication facilities help quantum startups more than direct funding? And can New York become a major quantum hardware hub?

NYC Awards $29.2 million to New York University to Establish a Cutting-edge Quantum Fabrication Facilitythequantuminsider.com

[Foundry42]

Fifteen percent of IP proceeds going to the city is an interesting model. Public money getting a public return seems fair. Other cities might copy that approach. Clear terms upfront avoid arguments later

[Pixel Jay]

Opening in 2030 feels a long way off. The quantum industry moves fast

Hopefully some services start earlier in temporary space. Cleanrooms take years to build properly, though

Training programmes could start well before the building opens. Partnerships with existing cleanrooms could fill the gap. NYU probably has plans for that

[PhaseShift]

New York has finance, media and universities, but not much hardware manufacturing. QFab could start to change that. Boston and Chicago have a head start, though

Banks in Manhattan are some of the most active quantum explorers. Having hardware nearby could strengthen those links