QuantumCT opens a quantum innovation hub in New Haven, Connecticut

[Cass93]

QuantumCT has opened a 4,500 square foot headquarters and incubator at 101 College Street in New Haven, The Quantum Insider reports. It is a public and private partnership led by the University of Connecticut, Yale and Southern Connecticut State University. Connecticut's quantum programme is eligible for up to 160 million dollars from the National Science Foundation over ten years, with 15 million already awarded for the first two years

The hub received 1.35 million dollars from the state's Department of Economic and Community Development, matched by the City of New Haven and the building's owner. A larger 30,000 square foot facility with lab space is planned. The opening also launched a public outreach series called Chai and Quantum, which is a nicely informal way to get people talking about the subject

The work covers computing, networking, sensing, materials and cryptography. Yale has deep roots in quantum research, particularly in superconducting qubits, and Steven Girvin, one of the field's best known theorists, spoke at the opening. He said: "Quantum science is entering an exciting new era." Governor Ned Lamont said: "Quantum technology represents one of the most significant economic and scientific opportunities of our time."

Chief executive Vivek Ramakrishnan called the hub "a gathering place where researchers, entrepreneurs, students, industry leaders, and community members can come together." American states are competing hard to attract quantum investment, from Illinois and Colorado to Tennessee and now Connecticut. Regional hubs like this aim to keep university spin-outs local rather than seeing them move to bigger cities

Do regional quantum hubs help, or do they spread the money too thinly? And should UK cities like Bristol, Glasgow or Birmingham have dedicated quantum incubators?

QuantumCT Opens New Haven Innovation Hub to Build Connecticut's Quantum Technology Ecosystemthequantuminsider.com

[QubitZero13]

UK cities already have some of this through the quantum hubs programme. A dedicated incubator space in Bristol or Glasgow would help startups get going. The hubs have mostly focused on research rather than business support

[Rebecca40]

Yale's superconducting qubit work is legendary. A lot of the transmon technology used by IBM and Google traces back to research there. A hub in New Haven makes a lot of sense. Rob Schoelkopf and Michel Devoret did foundational work there, and Schoelkopf is now D-Wave's chief scientist after this year's acquisition

[David93]

Keeping spin-outs local is the real goal. Too many good companies leave the place where the research happened because the money and talent are elsewhere. Boston and Silicon Valley have pulled talent away from smaller regions for decades. Connecticut is trying to reverse that

[Chris81]

Every US state seems to want a quantum hub now. Some will succeed, some will fade

The ones with strong universities nearby have the best chance. Competition between states has driven a lot of investment, which is no bad thing

[SuperOwen35]

Up to 160 million dollars over ten years from the NSF is serious long term funding. That kind of stability is what research ecosystems need