QCI in talks for CHIPS funds to help build new nanophotonics facility
Quantum Computing Inc. (QCI) is currently in negotiations with federal, state, and local government parties as it works to line up about $30 million in funding and incentives that will help it build a new state-of-the-art quantum nanophotonics technology manufacturing and research center.
QCI is seeking funding from the $52 billion CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. About $39 billion of that is for manufacturing incentives and $13 billion for research investives.
“The passage of the CHIPS Act is a historic opportunity to transform the U.S. semiconductor industry,” stated QCI CEO Robert Liscouski. “We are positioned to play a significant role in this effort by applying our engineering expertise and quantum technology to develop the next generation of quantum computing technology, including nanophotonics chips. While there is no absolute certainty for success in getting funding, we are heavily engaged with a number of states that are seizing this initiative to establish leadership in the manufacturing of this critical technology. They recognize that our technology is vital to our technological base but also to the development of a well-educated and trained workforce that will enable the U.S. to remain a leader in technological innovation.”
Asked for more details about the location of the new facility, the agencies QCI is negotiating with, and how much money QCI will invest from its own coffers, Liscouski did not mention specific names and dollar figures.
“We are not naming states with whom we are in negotiations for obvious reasons,” he said. “However, we are working with state partners to develop a proposal that will consist of investment from QCI, the states in the form of real estate, financial incentives and/or tax incentives as well as investment from the federal government.”
That facility will help QCI expand its current optical chip development capabilities, “to scale to meet its own as well as other commercial needs,” Liscouski said. The company for now uses a contract lab in New York City to build its photonic quantum chips
QCI is proceeding on a strategy to migrate the technology behind its photonic Entropy Quantum Computer (EQC) system from a discrete component architecture to a highly integrated system on a chip design.
Dan O’Shea has covered telecommunications and related topics including semiconductors, sensors, retail systems, digital payments and quantum computing/technology for over 25 years.
