Quantum tech hub's $40.5M grant expected to bring thousands of jobs to Colorado

Natasha Lovato, Fort Collins Coloradoan
Updated ·2 min read
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Colorado is on track to become a leader in quantum technology with a recent grant that will help create thousands of jobs. Quantum technology tech hub Elevate Quantum was awarded the $40.5 million grant, which is expected to increase economic mobility throughout Northern Colorado and the Rocky Mountain west region.

According to Swinburne University of Technology, quantum technology applies the principles of quantum mechanics and encompasses technologies such as quantum computing, quantum sensing, quantum imaging and quantum cryptography. These technologies use the properties of subatomic particles to improve various aspects of daily life, including pharmaceuticals, energy, finance, transport, defense, communications and health.

The $40.5 million grant was announced by Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Boulder, on July 2. The grant is funded through investments in the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act to help bolster the region’s ability to increase the scale of production and delivery of quantum technologies.

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Helen Young Hayes, the founder and chief executive officer of ActivateWork and part of the Elevate Quantum consortium, said that Colorado will play a leading role in quantum technology, creating tens of thousands of new jobs by 2030.

"What excites me most is that we can improve upon Silicon Valley’s model and intentionally design a diverse and inclusive quantum workforce to drive economic prosperity for Coloradans," Hayes said.

"I believe that launching tech careers is the surest and shortest pathway to economic mobility."

When will the quantum tech work begin?

The programs within the tech hub are already underway and will be completed by 2030

Neguse stated in a press release that the federal grant money will support the research and technological advancements underway in Colorado’s labs and in federal research facilities.

“In being named the nation’s leading quantum Tech Hub, Elevate Quantum, Colorado, and the Rocky Mountain West have solidified their position as the leaders of the quantum revolution," Neguse said in the release.

What kind of jobs are needed in the quantum tech field in Northern Colorado?

Zach Yerushalmi, the chief executive officer of Elevate Quantum, said in an email to The Coloradoan that Elevate Quantum in Colorado is an ecosystem that builds the critical physical components that make up the core supply chain for the entire national and international quantum economy.

"Because we build physical stuff, complex integrated machinery, the jobs in our region look more like what you need in the aerospace sector than what it takes to be successful in a PhD math lab," Yerushalmi said.

"We’re talking about pipefitters, welders, technicians."

Yerushalmi added that many of the critical suppliers to the quantum tech field are located in Fort Collins and Loveland.

"3,000 people are working in the quantum industry today, scaling to over 10,000 by 2030. It's an economic development opportunity for every part of our state that will be truly historic," he said.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Colorado tech hub Elevate Quantum expected to boost jobs with grant