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FROM THE EDITOR.

This week, the New Mexico Economic Development Department announced it awarded funding to support the development of a quantum campus and venture studio in Albuquerque’s Innovation District. Roadrunner Venture Studios will lead the initiative, which is designed to accelerate quantum commercialization and strengthen the region’s growing deep-tech ecosystem.

The decision reflects Albuquerque’s natural position as an emerging quantum hub, with its concentration of national labs, universities, and a longstanding research legacy. I’ll try not to throw my arm out patting myself on the back, but, as I noted more than a year ago in my “Tomorrow’s Quantum Hotbeds” story, the city’s foundation in science and technology made it a logical candidate for this type of investment. (Another factor I looked for was the existence of visionary entrepreneur groups like Roadrunner.)

This latest round of funding could serve as a catalyst to move Albuquerque from a promising “hotbed of tomorrow” into one of today’s leading quantum hotspots. The combination of dedicated infrastructure, coordinated venture support, and a skilled talent pipeline positions the city to play a significant role in the next phase of quantum innovation.

More quantum-related announcements are expected soon, and I’ll keep you updated as they are confirmed.

Have a great weekend!

— Matt, Chief Content Officer at The Quantum Insider

INSIDER BRIEF.

• SEC Docs Show Bigger Quantinuum Round

• Quantum Research May Pay Off Even if Quantum Computing Fails

• IBM and AMD Join Forces For Quantum

• Vietnam Announces Quantum Initiative

• SkyWater’ Quantum Momentum Increases

• Palm Beach County Quantum Event

• New Kid on India's Quantum 'Bloq'

• Silicon Quantum Computing, CSIRO Defense Contracts

• Quantum.Tech Europe 2025 Evolves

• Penn Engineers Send Quantum Signals

ANALYST NOTES.

The Noteworthy & Nuanced

Quantum communications via the Internet? Engineers at the University of Pennsylvania achieved the first integration of quantum networking with commercial fiber-optic infrastructure, transmitting entangled quantum signals using the standard Internet Protocol. Their silicon-based “Q-chip” coordinated quantum and classical data with over 97% fidelity on Verizon’s live network, showing that fragile quantum information can coexist with everyday internet traffic.

The EU-funded QCDC project has established Europe’s first cloud-based trapped-ion quantum computing service, enhancing research independence and technological sovereignty. Researchers used the platform for proof-of-concept simulations in biochemistry, fluid dynamics, and materials science, in collaborations with AQT, QC Ware, Covestro, and Boehringer Ingelheim.

The two tech giants IBM and AMD have announced a partnership to co-develop hybrid quantum-classical supercomputing platforms that combine IBM’s quantum systems with AMD’s CPUs, GPUs, and AI accelerators. Focused on open-source architectures, the collaboration aims to enable breakthroughs in drug discovery, logistics, and materials science by simulating molecular behavior with quantum computers while classical hardware processes large-scale data. Stay tuned for initial demonstrations planned for later this year! — Alan Kanapin, Analyst at The Quantum Insider

The Research Rundown

Check out this week’s handpicked quantum research. These are studies headed for real-world impact: improving accuracy, reducing latency, using fewer resources, or solving problems that classical methods struggle with. These are early developments, but they hint at where quantum might earn its keep.

• Researchers from the Chennai Institute of Technology have proposed a quantum machine learning framework to improve early warning systems for sudden environmental disasters such as floods, wildfires, and hurricanes. Tested on real-world datasets, the hybrid quantum-classical models achieved up to 95.8% prediction accuracy.

• Researchers from Memorial University, Queen’s University Belfast, and collaborators developed a hybrid quantum-classical model that combines LSTMs with variational quantum circuits to estimate energy expenditure in older adults from wearable sensor data. Tested on the GOTOV dataset, the quantum-enhanced model outperformed classical baselines by better capturing complex temporal patterns.

• Researchers from the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières and the University of Toronto propose a quantum-enhanced digital twin architecture to optimize and secure future smart grid infrastructures. By integrating algorithms like QAOA into hybrid models, their approach improves real-time simulation, predictive maintenance, and anomaly detection.
  
  — Cierra Choucair, Journalist & Analyst at The Quantum Insider

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INSIDER SPOTLIGHT: Roadrunner Venture Studios to Lead $25 Million Quantum Initiative in New Mexico

➡️ New Mexico’s Economic Development Department has tapped Roadrunner Venture Studios to lead a $25 million initiative to accelerate quantum innovation and commercialization, anchored by a new “quantum campus” in downtown Albuquerque’s Innovation District.

➡️ The project unites a formidable coalition — including Sandia and Los Alamos national labs, the University of New Mexico, Elevate Quantum, and venture firms like DCVC and Playground Global — signaling the maturity of New Mexico’s quantum ecosystem.

➡️ Beyond bricks and mortar, Roadrunner will launch a flagship Founder-in-Residence program and recruit startups such as QuEra, Qunnect, and Resonance, linking entrepreneurial talent with local research infrastructure.

➡️ The state effort dovetails with the broader Rocky Mountain quantum corridor spanning New Mexico, Colorado, and Montana, underscoring that regional ecosystems don’t need to compete for resources. Instead, nested collaborations can create network effects, with talent, capital, and ideas circulating across state lines.

➡️ By consolidating a quantum network, testbeds, and prototyping facilities in a single hub, New Mexico aims to provide a platform for scale that complements rather than fragments the national quantum landscape.

➡️ With the global quantum technology market projected to exceed $200 billion by 2040, the scale and composition of this coalition suggest New Mexico is positioning itself not just as a participant, but as a co-leader in America’s next wave of deep tech growth.

Analyst Commentary

New Mexico is staking a serious claim in the future of quantum technology. The state’s decision to back Roadrunner Venture Studios with a $25 million initiative to create a quantum campus in downtown Albuquerque’s Innovation District is more than a real estate play, more than a downtown development effort. It’s an effort to knit together the pieces of an already formidable ecosystem and accelerate the commercial pathways for quantum research.

As one of the regions in the U.S. building a nucleus of talent or infrastructure from scratch, New Mexico starts with enviable assets. Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory have for decades been at the forefront of physics, materials, and national security research. The University of New Mexico has built respected programs in quantum information science. And now, a new generation of startups — including QuEra, Qunnect, and Resonance — is emerging to commercialize technologies from neutral atom processors to quantum networking hardware.

To lean into an analogy, what Roadrunner Venture Studios is doing here is creating connective tissue. By launching a Founder-in-Residence program, providing shared lab space with quantum networking and prototyping capabilities, and bringing in a roster of venture investors like DCVC, Playground Global, and Quantonation, the studio is establishing a platform where ideas can move more smoothly from lab to market. That “studio model” — concentrated services, mentorship, and capital in one place — is designed to address two of the biggest hurdles in quantum: the long timelines for deep engineering and the need for experienced entrepreneurial talent to translate science into business.

It’s somewhat fitting that I’m writing this on the first day of the U.S. college football season — these ecosystems lend themselves easily to a competitive framework, But these ecosystems are not isolated bets. For example, New Mexico is part of the broader Rocky Mountain quantum corridor, alongside Colorado and Montana. Colorado is home to NIST labs and a cluster of companies like ColdQuanta/Infleqtion and Atom Computing, while Montana has growing quantum talent initiatives. By positioning itself as a hub that connects these communities — rather than competing directly for the same dollars and people — New Mexico strengthens the regional — and, further, national — value proposition. The “nested ecosystem” model matters because quantum innovation requires not just brilliant researchers, but robust supply chains, specialized infrastructure, and investors willing to underwrite long development cycles.

The coalition assembled by Roadrunner and EDD is notable for its diversity and credibility. Having both national labs and venture firms at the same table shortens the gap between breakthrough science and early commercial products. The involvement of specialized investors like Quantonation alongside heavyweight venture firms like DCVC is also telling: it reflects a recognition that quantum is not a niche curiosity, but a serious frontier market that needs targeted capital strategies.

Viewed against the global quantum race, New Mexico brings a lot to the table. For years, skeptics have dismissed quantum as either too early or too fragmented to matter. But the state’s initiative shows how governments and local players can translate national research assets into commercial ecosystems.

The open question is execution. A $25 million program and a strong coalition are powerful starting points, but the real challenge is sustaining momentum through the long, uncertain road to quantum commercialization. Many quantum technologies require years of engineering before they reach market readiness, and the path will involve as much organizational resilience as technical breakthroughs.

Think they’re up for this challenge? From my well-spent years watching the Coyote vs. Roadrunner cartoons, never bet against the Roadrunner.

DATA SPOTLIGHT.

PacketLight Networks and NEC demonstrated quantum key distribution over a 400G dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) network using a dual-fiber setup. They integrated NEC’s QKD system with PacketLight’s PL-4000M 600G Muxponder, achieving 100% data throughput and low latency, verified via a 100GbE tester. The QKD ran over a dedicated parallel fiber, maintaining quantum signal integrity. The result: a cost-effective, scalable quantum-safe model with zero performance tradeoffs on existing high-capacity infrastructure.

INDUSTRY HIGHLIGHTS.

🇪🇺 The European Quantum Industry Consortium warns that Europe risks falling behind global competitors unless it swiftly converts research leadership into industrial strength. In a new position paper, QuIC calls for a €2 billion/year Quantum Sovereignty Growth Fund, expanded infrastructure, strategic software investment, and stronger IP protection.

📜 A team of international legal and policy experts argues that voluntary global standards, as opposed to premature regulation, are the most effective way to govern emerging quantum technologies. They propose a “standards-first” model, including a dedicated Quantum Technology Quality Management System, to guide innovation, ensure interoperability, and align ethical, legal, and technical safeguards.

🚂 The QCMobility | Rail Transport project, led by the DLR Institute of Transportation Systems, is testing quantum machine learning and optimization algorithms on real railway data to improve decision-making in areas like scheduling and route planning. Partnering with D-Fine, Planqc, and major rail operators, the initiative aims to benchmark quantum approaches against traditional methods to evaluate their practical impact on efficiency and reliability in rail transport.

🖥️ Kothar Computing has launched FORGE, a browser-based scientific computing platform that allows researchers to model, simulate, and publish solutions to complex quantum many-body problems in minutes instead of months of coding.

⛈️ NASA has awarded Planette a contract to develop QubitCast, an AI and quantum-inspired forecasting system that extends weather prediction accuracy up to one year—far beyond the 10-day limit of conventional models. By combining physics-based simulations with efficient quantum-inspired algorithms, QubitCast aims to deliver earlier, more actionable warnings for extreme weather events.

🇪🇺 The EU-funded QCDC project has launched Europe’s first cloud-based trapped-ion quantum computing service, giving researchers independent access to advanced quantum hardware.

🧬 The Wellcome Sanger Institute has chosen Quantinuum as a technology partner in the EU’s Quantum for Bio challenge. In collaboration with Oxford, Cambridge, and other partners, the team aims to use Quantinuum’s H2 quantum computer to encode and process the PhiX174 genome, a world-first demonstration of practical quantum genomics.

✈️ Q-CTRL has secured $24.4M in DARPA contracts under the Robust Quantum Sensors program to advance quantum navigation systems resistant to jamming, spoofing, and environmental interference. Building on successful field trials of its Ironstone Opal system, the company will develop next-generation sensors with Lockheed Martin as a subcontractor.

🇻🇳 Vietnam has launched three new national technology networks spanning quantum technology, cybersecurity, and aerospace, to accelerate innovation and global collaboration. The quantum-focused initiative, VNQuantum, aims to connect researchers, industry, and investors to advance applications in computing, secure communications, and national security.

🤝 IBM and AMD have announced a partnership to develop quantum-centric supercomputing architectures, integrating IBM’s quantum systems with AMD’s CPUs, GPUs, and AI accelerators. The collaboration will focus on open-source hybrid platforms where quantum computers simulate molecular and atomic behavior while classical supercomputers handle large-scale data, with applications in drug discovery, materials science, and logistics.

🇨🇦 SuperQ Quantum Computing Inc. has joined FABrIC, Canada’s $223M national initiative led by CMC Microsystems to strengthen the semiconductor and quantum technology ecosystem. Membership gives SuperQ access to funding, prototyping services, training, and national R&D partnerships, which it plans to leverage to advance commercialization of its Super™ hybrid quantum-classical platform.

🇮🇳 Bloq Quantum is developing a low-code platform for quantum algorithms, with an intention to become the software backbone of the global quantum industry. Targeting the 500+ enterprises already exploring quantum, with finance as the first major adopter followed by defense, the company’s long-term mission is to build a full-stack platform for quantum applications, akin to Databricks in machine learning.

✨ Quantum.Tech Europe 2025 (Sept 29–Oct 1, Rotterdam) is expanding its format with an evolved expo floor featuring live Demo Drives, a Start-Up Zone, and a Hosted Buyers Club to connect enterprises with solution providers. The program spans eight content stages across industries from finance and pharma to telecom and critical infrastructure, with new Skills Accelerator Masterclasses on Python for quantum, Quantum-AI integration, and quantum security. Across three days, the event blends technical case studies, boardroom strategy sessions, and curated networking from the Start-Up Pitchfest and QT Hot 10 Awards to lounges and icebreaker experiences.

Join leaders from Fujitsu, Quantinuum, Oxford Instruments, and D-Wave on Sept. 3 for a live panel exploring real-world quantum use cases from supply chain optimization to quantum chemistry and enterprise deployments. As part of the International Year of Quantum, this 60-minute webinar will provide actionable insights into how quantum technologies are being applied today across industries. Register here to attend.

EVENTS.

Aug. 28 -- Quantum Curio: Back to School Edition. This in-person session at the University of Washington is for people exploring quantum for the first time or building in the next wave of frontier tech.

Aug. 31– Sept. 5 -- IEEE Quantum Week 2025 will be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Sept. 16-18 -- Quantum World Congress 2025 will be held at Capital One Hall in Greater Washington. The event is a chance for the world’s quantum ecosystem to come together and bring a quantum-ready future into focus.

Sept. 24-25 -- Q2B25 Paris at Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie, Paris, France.

Sept. 29-Oct. 1 -- Quantum.Tech Europe is taking place in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The event will bring together the whole quantum supply chain to drive forward the commercial applications of Quantum Technologies.

Oct. 6-10 -- 8th International Conference for Young Quantum Information Scientists (YQIS25) will take place in Barcelona, Spain. YQIS is a conference series organized by and for PhD students and early-career researchers working across the broad field of quantum information.

Oct. 8 -- The Fifth Anniversary of The City Quantum & AI Summit will take place at the Mansion House in the City of London this year with the subtitle Race for Growth.

Oct. 8 -- The Quantum Insider, in partnership with the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County and Quantum Coast Capital, will host Quantum Beach 2025, an officially recognized event of the International Year of Quantum (IYQ2025). Register here.

Oct. 13-17 -- Quantum Reference Frames 2025 will bring together leading experts on quantum reference frames and the many related subjects in the first focused event in the new era of quantum frame covariance. QRF 2025 is co-funded by the Quantum Information Structure of Spacetime consortium.

Oct. 19-21 -- Q+AI will be held in New York City. This event will uncover the coming wave of Quantum + AI, include 50+ speakers, daily mentoring sessions and 16 sessions, one continuous track.

Nov. 10-12 -- European Quantum Technologies Conference 2025 will be held at Øksnehallen, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Dec. 1-4 -- QUEST-IS 2025 Quantum Engineering Sciences and Technologies for Industry and Services From Quantum Engineering to Applications for Citizens. EDF Lab, Paris-Saclay, France.