Hub for quantum advances grows as additional companies move in

The Colorado Quantum Incubator (COQI)—a CU Boulder-led hub for advancing quantum lab-to-market technology translation, research, innovation and community engagement—has rapidly taken shape in a state-of-the-art facility at BioMed Realty’s Flatiron Park in Boulder. COQI is ramping up operations as it welcomes its first tenant companies, now including tenant Atom Computing, a global leader in neutral atom quantum processors.

Atom Computing, which focuses on developing large-scale quantum computers that can achieve unprecedented computational breakthroughs, will use space at COQI while expanding and renovating its existing Boulder facility. Dr. Remy Notermans, director of strategic planning at the company said that COQI is filling a critical need at a time of great growth for the company, locally and globally. ”The quantum incubator is really pivotal and helping to allow us to grow in the area, and giving us that extra space to do that, so it’s all tying in in a really nice, neat way.”

Atom Computing has deep ties to CU Boulder; it was founded by Ben Bloom (PhD, Physics) and is advised by Jun Ye, professor of Physics and fellow at JILA and NIST. “Atom brings deep hardware experience and a global perspective” to the incubator, said Scott Sternberg, CUbit Quantum Initiative executive director and COQI project lead.

According to Sternberg, Atom’s residence goes beyond space rental. Each company moving into the incubator is helping to shape it in some way and Atom is helping to refine the incubator’s technical capabilities. “We’re not only getting a tenant, but we’re getting a consultant that’s telling us how to outfit the space for their needs, which is indicative of the needs of other quantum companies. So, that’s a good relationship,” said Sternberg.

Atom’s tenancy at COQI is a true symbiosis, agreed Justin Ging, Atom’s chief product officer. “We’ve had our technical teams advising on what the leading lab spaces need for this type of quantum work,” he said. “It’s been nice that we can give back, provide that expertise and guidance,” he said.

Four pillars, one mission

COQI was launched last January with the goal of connecting Colorado’s world-class capabilities in quantum research to commercialization, and offering facilities for prototype testing, collaborative development and public engagement. The 13,000-square-foot facility is backed by bipartisan legislative support and spearheaded by CU Boulder, in partnership with Colorado State University, Colorado School of Mines and Elevate Quantum, a coalition of 120 organizations.

COQI is built around a mission to be “Human driven, quantum powered,” said Sternberg. That mission is supported by four pillars: two on the “human” side, including support services specialized for quantum development and community gathering places like the CUbit-sponsored Quantum Café and the Colorado Quantum Meeting Series, a regular forum for researchers, industry professionals and students to exchange ideas and build partnerships.

On the “quantum” side are university-inspired lab platforms and instrumentation suites that leverage CU Boulder’s deep expertise in areas like atomic clocks, quantum networking, quantum materials and more. “All of this is designed to provide a nexus and attract companies—whether they’re local or global,” said Sternberg. “These are assets you can only get in total in one place in the world—and that’s Boulder, Colorado.”

Momentum at the core

The incubator is fast becoming a fulcrum for an industry that promises to transform how societies communicate, compute and solve problems once thought unsolvable. COQI’s list of new and prospective tenants is varied and growing, said Sternberg. “The interest has been overwhelming. It’s a door that people have beaten a path to, wanting these conversations, wanting to understand what we’re really building here,” he said. “The real benefit is that we’re at the center of the conversation. This is part of our innovation strategy—creating a nexus for quantum conversation, quantum talent development and quantum business development.”

CU Boulder has already established itself as a powerhouse of discovery and talent, with four Nobel Prizes in physics and a steady stream of graduates who are sought after in quantum-related careers. By inviting companies into the deep tech space and giving them access to difficult-to-acquire instrumentation, the incubator fulfills another objective—turning fundamental discoveries into industry-shaping innovations by advancing quantum technologies from the lab to the marketplace. “Certainly we’re focused on spinning out companies from the university,” said Sternberg. “This is a logical landing point for a startup, a first bridge out of the university into the real world.”

About Atom Computing

Atom Computing is developing large-scale quantum computers to enable companies and researchers to achieve unprecedented computational breakthroughs. Utilizing highly scalable arrays of optically trapped neutral atoms, the company has developed systems with over 1,000 qubits, featuring advanced capabilities towards fault-tolerant quantum computing. Atom Computing’s on-premises systems provide customers with new computational tools to address increasingly complex applications and to grow their quantum ecosystem.

About the Colorado Quantum Incubator

The Colorado Quantum Incubator (COQI) was created through collaboration among partner universities and state and regional economic development initiatives. Its purpose is to support quantum startups, provide access to advanced scientific equipment and serve as a testbed for quantum innovations. COQI aims to accelerate research into real-world applications, foster economic development, create quantum-related jobs and position Colorado as a global leader in quantum technology. 

Interested in being part of the Colorado Quantum Incubator? Reach out to cubit@colorado.edu.