Victroy Omole, from Infleqtion, sits in a crowd of people holding a microphone at the 2022 Chicago Quantum Summit

Quantum Economy

Startup Opportunities

With a highly skilled talent base emerging from its world-class universities and state-of-the-art research and lab facilities, the region has the infrastructure to drive the future of quantum information science and engineering. The Midwest has seen tremendous quantum investment in recent years, local, national, and global quantum startups are invited to join the ecosystem.

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Duality Quantum Accelerator

Duality is the first accelerator program in the nation exclusively dedicated to supporting quantum startups. This 12-month accelerator supports and advances companies that build quantum technologies, products, applications, and related enabling technologies. Duality is led by the UChicago's Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and the CQE, along with founding partners the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Argonne National Laboratory, and P33. The accelerator offers innovative quantum startups a comprehensive set of resources including:

  • Entrepreneurial training
  • World-class business expertise and mentorship
  • Technical expertise and the opportunity to access state-of-the-art facilities
  • CQE workspace and Corporate Partnership
  • Industry exposure, including with the CQE community
  • $50,000 in unrestricted funding

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Chain Reaction Innovations (CRI) is a two-year fellowship program for innovators focused on clean energy and science technologies.

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The Chicago Quantum Exchange organizes events throughout the year to promote academic collaboration and information exchange across the quantum information science community. These events enable researchers and students at our member and partner institutions to learn from one another and to hear from some of the most prominent quantum researchers around the globe. Duality startups and CQE corporate partners access, participate in, and organize these events. 

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State-of-the-art facilities and equipment in the region advance quantum information science and help catalyze new technologies. Duality startups and CQE corporate partners access these facilities and technical expertise.

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