Key Points
- Quantum startup PsiQuantum has begun construction on a new facility in Chicago.
- The project is backed by a new $1 billion funding round.
- The site will be home to a new, large-scale quantum test system evaluated by DARPA.
- PsiQuantum is using a unique “photonic” approach to build its quantum computer.
Quantum computing startup PsiQuantum has started construction on a major new facility in Chicago, a project powered by a fresh $1 billion in funding. The company announced the groundbreaking on Tuesday, marking a significant step in its quest to build a powerful, fault-tolerant quantum computer.
The new site, situated on a former U.S. Steel plant, will serve as the anchor tenant of the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park. The first project will be to build PsiQuantum’s largest quantum test system to date, a machine that will be closely evaluated by the U.S. military’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
PsiQuantum is taking a unique “photonic” approach to quantum computing. Instead of using super-cooled atoms like many of its rivals, the company uses particles of light (photons) and standard semiconductor manufacturing processes.
They believe this method will help them overcome some of the major technical hurdles that have slowed down the development of large-scale quantum computers.
If successful, the new facility will be home to the country’s first million-qubit, fault-tolerant quantum computer—a machine powerful enough to solve problems that are far beyond the reach of even the fastest supercomputers today. The project is a major win for Illinois, which is positioning itself as a national hub for quantum innovation.
