A coalition led by the Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE) has been named a finalist in the National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) competition, according to an announcement from the NSF on September 18. The team, known as Quantum Connected, is focused on using quantum technology to enhance cybersecurity for sensitive national information.
Quantum Connected consists of academic institutions, industry partners, nonprofits, and government organizations based in the Midwest. If selected for funding, the group could receive up to $160 million over ten years to advance quantum-based cybersecurity solutions. The NSF is expected to announce winning teams in early 2026.
“Quantum technology is our best long-term bet for securing our nation’s information, which faces escalating threats that classical technology is not equipped to address,” said David Awschalom, Liew Family Professor of Molecular Engineering and director of the CQE, who serves as principal investigator of Quantum Connected. “Our region has all of the key elements — leading scientists and engineers, quantum startups, physical facilities — to deliver quantum-based security. The key gap is NSF funding support. An NSF Engine award would be an economic boost for the Illinois-Wisconsin-Indiana region. More crucially, though, it would be a critical win for U.S. economic and national security — one we cannot do without.”
The CQE region covers Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana—areas collectively referred to as the Quantum Prairie—which have become centers for quantum innovation. Facilities in this region include Purdue University Northwest’s Roberts Impact Lab (a commercialization center under development), Hyde Park Labs with shared equipment via the UChicago Science Incubator and graduation suites for quantum startups, a National Quantum Algorithm Center, and the soon-to-be-built Illinois Quantum & Microelectronics Park that will house advanced research infrastructure.
The Chicago area also hosts the annual Chicago Quantum Summit through CQE, attracting leaders from government, academia, and industry.
The NSF Engines program was created by the agency’s Technology, Innovation and Partnerships directorate with a goal of building regional ecosystems that foster technological breakthroughs supporting economic growth and national security across various sectors.
In 2024, a CQE-led coalition received an NSF Development Award used to expand partnerships and strengthen workforce initiatives throughout Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana.
Additionally, CQE leads the Bloch Quantum Tech Hub—a U.S. Economic Development Administration–designated initiative designed to accelerate advancements in quantum technologies related to economic strength and national security. This hub helped attract Bluefors—a global leader in cryogenic measurement systems—to bring its lab service into the United States for the first time.