Colorado Will Get Federal Planning Grant For Quantum Computing Tech Hub
Colorado may not be a regional hydrogen powerhouse, but it will be a tech hub benefiting from a share of $10 billion earmarked by the CHIPS and SCIENCE Act, to encourage investment in new technologies and America's competitiveness.
Elevate Quantum's Colorado project will receive funding to further develop the center's concept, a Commerce Department source said. An official announcement is expected next week.
The Elevate Quantum Consortium proposal aims to make the state a center for the integration of quantum information science, quantum mechanics and computer science. The goal will be to translate research into market applications and contribute to the growth of the startup ecosystem as well as support workforce development.
This area is relatively new and concentrated in only a few cities across the country. The appointment could be significant for Colorado and help it become a leader in quantum technology.
Police recently sent a bipartisan letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo from state lawmakers supporting its efforts to become a regional technology hub for advanced energy technologies. It was one of two ideas supported by state leaders - the other was focused on clean energy.
"Colorado is an undisputed leader in quantum research and technology adoption, and this appointment will help us leverage the resources we have to advance Colorado and the quantum industry," he said.
Colorado Sen. John Hickenlooper, when asked about the possibility of the appointment, said it could be "huge."
He said that the region is making rapid progress in this sector and that achieving this designation will attract the attention of not only the government and other government agencies, but also those who invest in start-ups and the ecosystems needed to develop your technologies.
Hickenlooper, who serves on the Senate Commerce Committee, said this is the type of economic development the mayor and governor have pushed for. "How do we build this place (Colorado) where we're known as leaders in technology and science?" He believes that such an appointment can help the state go this way.
Although the initial grant amount has not yet been announced, this is the first stage of the Business and Economic Development Authority's Regional Technology Center designation process. If Elevate Quantum is successful, it could qualify for $50 million to $70 million in funding in Phase II studies. The grant is expected to be awarded in 2024.
The CHIPS Act takes effect in August 2022 and aims to invest in high-tech research and bring semiconductor manufacturing to the United States. Hickenlooper and Sen. Michael Bennett voted for the bill, which passed the Senate by a vote of 64 to 33. The bill passed the House by a vote of 243 to 187, with all Colorado House Democrats voting in favor and all Colorado House Republicans voting against. Resist
