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QUANTUM COMPUTING & TECHNOLOGY
Chicago is establishing itself as one of the country's foremost quantum hubs — anchored by world-class federal research infrastructure, a deep and interdisciplinary talent base, and coordinated investment in commercialization. The region is positioned not just to conduct quantum research, but to build and grow quantum companies.
By The Numbers:
$12.2B — Quantum-adjacent industry output (2025)
56K — Quantum-adjacent workers in Chicagoland (2025)
412,000+ — Total local workers across quantum-specific, adjacent, and translator roles
20+ — Quantum-focused companies in the Chicago metro
#1 — Illinois ranks first in the nation in federal quantum funding
$700M — State and local investment committed to the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park
Up to $80B in projected regional economic value and 190,000 jobs by 2035, per a Boston Consulting Group analysis for the Chicago Quantum Exchange — roughly 30% of projected global quantum economic impact
Federal infrastructure, research depth
Two of the nation's premier federal laboratories anchor Chicagoland's quantum ecosystem. Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (above) and Argonne National Laboratory (below) provide world-class research infrastructure, advanced computing capacity, and deep scientific talent — assets that few metropolitan regions can match.
Illinois leads the country in federal quantum funding, with 27 contracts totaling approximately $51 million, and Illinois startups and universities have received 81 quantum-related grants, third-most nationally.
From lab to market
The Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP) is the region's central commercialization engine — a purpose-built facility for quantum R&D, fabrication, and company growth on Chicago's South Side.
Supported by roughly $700 million in state and local investment, IQMP provides the physical infrastructure for quantum companies to develop and scale. The Duality accelerator complements this by connecting early-stage quantum startups with mentorship, business training, and access to the region's research facilities and corporate partners.
A coordinated ecosystem
The Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE) coordinates research, workforce development, and industry engagement across universities and national labs — providing the institutional connective tissue that accelerates progress and attracts global attention.
In 2025 alone, four quantum companies launched or expanded in Chicagoland, with projects expected to create approximately 227 jobs and $22 million in earnings. Recent entrants include Infleqtion, Diraq, Pasqal, and Bluefors.
Talent built for an emerging industry
Chicagoland's quantum talent pipeline ranks among the strongest in the nation. In 2024, regional institutions produced 35,913 STEM program completions (#4 nationally), 2,909 computer science graduates (#4), and 367 physics graduates (#4). The University of Chicago hosts the nation's first Ph.D. program in Quantum Science and Engineering; Chicago State University offers undergraduate quantum certificates and a minor in Quantum Information Science and Engineering.
The local workforce spans the full range of quantum roles — 128,748 workers in quantum-specific positions such as computer hardware engineering and software development; 40,374 in quantum-adjacent roles such as physics and data science; and 243,412 in quantum translator roles spanning operations, support, and industrial engineering. According to a Chicago Quantum Exchange analysis, over 70% of projected quantum jobs will be accessible to workers with bachelor's, associate's, or technical credentials.
Industries primed for transformation
Chicago's existing industry base makes it a natural site for quantum application development. Finance, transportation, logistics, and healthcare — all core sectors in the regional economy — are among the industries where quantum advances in computing, sensing, communications, and cybersecurity are expected to have the greatest near-term impact.
Featured Research
Grow Your Quantum Business In Chicago
World Business Chicago works with quantum companies exploring the region — connecting site selectors, founders, and investors with the research assets, talent pipelines, and commercialization infrastructure that make Chicagoland competitive.