Why Quantum Hubs Matter: Quantum Machines Joins the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park
Quantum hubs are critical when it comes to the global race toward useful quantum computing. As the field shifts from isolated lab demonstrations to sustained, scalable systems, the need for shared infrastructure, local expertise, and tight collaboration across the quantum stack has never been clearer.
That’s why Quantum Machines is establishing a flagship hub at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP). The goal is to open a state-of-the-art lab at the IQMP, focused on a hardware-control co-design approach, aligning quantum processors, classical infrastructure, and control software to accelerate progress toward fault-tolerant quantum computing. The Park is still under development, so for the time being Quantum Machines will base the hub at IQMP’s On-Ramp facilities in Chicago, supported by grant funding from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
But the significance of this step goes beyond one facility or one state. It reflects a broader shift in how the quantum industry is maturing: toward regional hubs that provide on the ground capabilities, and toward global networks that allow quantum builders to iterate faster, collaborate more effectively, and scale more reliably. “Quantum progress depends on people as much as technology. Establishing a hub at IQMP is also about training the next generation of engineers and researchers with hands-on access to the tools that will define the future of computing,” says Itamar Sivan, CEO and co-founder of Quantum Machines.
Why state-level hubs matter now
Quantum computing is an ecosystem technology, where progress doesn’t depend on just one discipline. It depends on physics, engineering, hardware, software, and systems architecture moving forward together. State-level hubs help make that possible by creating local centers where teams can access infrastructure, connect with partners, and shorten development cycles.
“State-level quantum hubs play a vital role by empowering local communities with cutting-edge infrastructure, know-how and quantum technologies, which accelerate the pace of research and development,” says Ziv Steiner, QM’s Director of Business Development.
This localized support is especially valuable because it enables speed. A startup can validate ideas quickly and demonstrate progress to investors faster. Academic groups developing new quantum hardware can run repeated experiments, refine their devices, and gain new insights without relying entirely on distant resources. In a field where performance is sensitive to real-world details – noise sources, signal integrity, drift, and calibration complexity – access to a nearby, well-equipped hub can make the difference between slow progress and rapid iteration.
State-level hubs also complement national programs by enabling fast execution and coordination. They create practical environments for collaboration between state governments, universities, federal initiatives, and industry leaders, helping to reduce fragmentation and create momentum where it matters most: in real labs and real systems.
Control belongs at the center of the hub
Quantum Machines is a global leader in hybrid control solutions that harmonize quantum and classical operations, optimizing performance across hardware and software. More than half of companies developing quantum computers rely on QM’s technology, and its platform supports any type of quantum processor. That matters because scaling quantum computing is no longer only about improving qubits. It’s about system-level integration, and control is where that integration happens. As researchers work toward fault tolerance, control systems must support real-time feedback, fast classical processing, stable execution over long durations, and hybrid quantum-classical workflows that connect quantum processors to external accelerators and infrastructure.
At the IQMP, QM’s flagship hub will focus on research and development around hardware-control co-design: building the control layer in a way that aligns quantum hardware capabilities with classical compute resources and software workflows. The lab will host QM’s most advanced controller, OPX1000, and deploy systems comprised of superconducting and spin qubits, an important step toward supporting diverse qubit modalities in one ecosystem.
This is where hubs like IQMP become more than facilities. They become integration points: places where the control layer connects qubit hardware to the rest of the stack, including calibration workflows, error correction frameworks, cloud platforms, and high-performance computing.
One of the defining challenges of quantum computing today is fragmentation. Hardware teams build qubits. Software teams build tools. Control teams build systems that bridge the two. Scaling requires all of them to work together, with coordination that the industry is still learning to achieve. “The IQMP and similar state-level hubs act as crucial connectors within the quantum value chain, serving as physical centers that bring together diverse stakeholders,” says Steiner.
That role as a connector is critical as quantum computing moves toward real-world relevance. IQMP is designed to support the development and commercialization of quantum technologies at scale, and QM’s presence adds a control-focused capability that benefits both industry and research teams working on next-generation systems.
Workforce development and the talent pipeline
Crucially, quantum computing doesn’t scale without talent, and talent doesn’t scale without access to real systems. Regional hubs create an environment where students and early-career engineers can gain hands-on experience, and where industry can build the workforce needed for long-term growth. “Quantum Machines is planning to launch a workforce development program directly at the hub, allowing students, such as those studying electrical engineering, to gain hands-on experience with quantum computing in a real-world setting,” says Steiner.
This kind of program is not only about training. It’s about building a generation of engineers who understand hybrid quantum-classical systems in practice, including the control and infrastructure layers that will define scalable architectures. And of course, scaling quantum technology requires more than research breakthroughs. It requires industrial readiness: supply chains, packaging, fabrication pathways, and robust engineering processes that can support larger systems over time. “As quantum technology represents a new frontier in our digital landscape, local suppliers require significant support to participate in this revolution,” Steiner says.
State-level hubs like IQMP can help address that challenge by facilitating partnerships among private companies, public entities, and academic institutions. That collaborative model strengthens regional supply chains, supports industrial capacity, and creates a more resilient foundation for scaling the US quantum ecosystem.
Quantum computing is global by nature, but leadership is built through local momentum. Coordinated state-level hubs send a strong signal that quantum computing is not only a research ambition, but a strategic industrial effort supported by real infrastructure and real collaboration. By establishing a flagship hub at IQMP, Quantum Machines is investing in the kind of environment the quantum industry needs next: one where control, hybrid computing, and ecosystem integration accelerate progress toward fault-tolerant systems – in Illinois, across the US, and globally.
