The company builds instruments that are relevant to quantum networking, a regional strength with the potential to deliver provably secure communication. NuCrypt was founded in 2003 by Prem Kumar, a CQE researcher and professor of electrical and computer engineering at Northwestern University.
“We have been a Chicago-area quantum-related company for over 20 years, so it has been particularly exciting for us to see the region’s quantum industry blossom over that time from near obscurity to a truly world leading location,” said NuCrypt CEO Gregory Kanter. “There are amazing possibilities here, and we look forward to collaborating with other CQE members to help keep the momentum going strong.”
NuCrypt is among nearly three dozen quantum companies growing in the Quantum Prairie, the globally recognized hub that spans Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana. Its products include a suite of integrated instrumentation that allows for the generation, distribution, and measurement of entangled photons over fiber networks. The region is home to universities, national labs, and companies that are among the leaders in quantum communications and networking, most notably the 124-mile Chicago Quantum Network—one of the nation’s longest.
“NuCrypt is a part of the growing domestic quantum supply chain and a manufacturer of equipment needed for quantum communications—two areas of importance to our community,” said David Awschalom, the University of Chicago’s Liew Family professor of molecular engineering and physics and the director of the CQE. “We look forward to working together to accelerate the commercialization of secure quantum communication technologies and strengthen the overall quantum ecosystem in the Midwest.”
NuCrypt will partner with the CQE on research collaborations and as an industry partner on CQE-led regional economic development initiatives. NuCrypt is part of Quantum Connected, a CQE-led coalition that is developing quantum-based information security and is among 15 finalists for a US National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) award.