PsiQuantum Breaks Ground on America’s Largest Quantum Computing Project in Chicago

PsiQuantum broke ground on the company’s site at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park(IQMP) in Chicago, where America’s first million-qubit scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer will be built and deployed. 

As the anchor tenant at the IQMP at Quantum Shore, PsiQuantum’s site will be developed in several phases, with the possibility of future expansion across additional acreage. 

During the initial construction phase at the IQMP—alongside development partners Related Midwest and CRG, construction partner Clayco, lead designer Lamar Johnson Collaborative, advisor Croke Fairchild, and financing provided by Blue Owl Capital funds—PsiQuantum will build its largest intermediate-scale test system. 

This test system will further validate PsiQuantum’s systems and architecture and will be directly evaluated by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s(DARPA) team of experts through the final stage of the Quantum Benchmarking Initiative(QBI) program. 

PsiQuantum will then begin construction on additional phases at the IQMP, and ultimately deploy the first million-qubit scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer in the United States at the site.

In July 2024, PsiQuantum announced a comprehensive partnership with the State of Illinois, Cook County, and the City of Chicago to locate the company’s first U.S.-based fault-tolerant system at the IQMP, following a competitive nationwide search.

“Breaking ground on the largest quantum computing project in America is the result of hard work, close partnership, and a shared commitment to unlock the full potential of quantum computing,” said Prof. Jeremy O’Brien, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer. 

“While hard work still lies ahead, I am confident that PsiQuantum, with the continued support of our partners in the public sector, the private sector, and the local community, is poised to finally build and deploy quantum computing—right here on Chicago’s South Side.”

Today’s event follows PsiQuantum’s September 10 announcement that the company has raised over $1 billion in funding for its Series E round, which will also equip the company to break ground on its utility-scale quantum computing site in Brisbane, Australia, in addition to further advancing the performance of its quantum photonic chips and fault-tolerant architecture. 

Many paths to utility-scale quantum computing face steep challenges in manufacturability, cooling, networking, and control electronics. PsiQuantum’s photonic approach addresses these challenges by leveraging high-volume semiconductor manufacturing, tapping into existing cooling technology and infrastructure, and networking with conventional telecom fiber.