January 07, 2026 -- The Bloch Quantum, a designated Tech Hub of the US Economic Development Administration, has advanced to the second, and final, stage of the EDA’s awards competition with a proposal to secure the US quantum supply chain and accelerate quantum commercialization. It was among 11 of 19 Tech Hubs to advance to this next stage, which is expected to culminate in an announcement of winners in April or May.

The cross-sector coalition, which serves the Chicago metropolitan area spanning Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana, is led by the Chicago Quantum Exchange.

If funded, The Bloch will scale quantum-based innovations by integrating quantum developers, manufacturers, and other players into a development cycle that incorporates design, production, assembly, testing, and dedicated facilities.

“Quantum technologies offer potential solutions to issues of national importance, including commercial and defense security, energy grid resilience, financial security, and, and biomedical advances — but to realize this potential, we must bring industries, technologists, and manufacturers together and ensure a strong domestic supply chain,” said Jean-Luc Cambier, The Bloch’s Regional Innovation Officer. “EDA funding will enable The Bloch to leverage the Midwest’s manufacturing capacity, talent, and diverse industry base to achieve this.”

The Bloch, designated as a Tech Hub in 2023, was instrumental in expanding the region’s cryogenic capacity by attracting Bluefors Lab Service to Chicago.

The CQE region is a leading hub for quantum innovation. It is home to leading universities and national labs; more than two dozen quantum startups; and a growing roster of facilities across the Quantum Prairie, a region that includes Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana. Those facilities Hyde Park Labs, which through the UChicago Science Incubator provides access to shared quantum equipment; the growing Chicago Quantum Network, and the Illinois Quantum & Microelectronics Park, which will include the DARPA-Illinois Quantum Proving Ground, shared cryogenic facilities, and more.