July 22, 2026 -- During a conversation in 2024, Vanderbilt Chancellor Daniel Diermeier and Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly discussed the mayor’s vision for connecting Chattanooga’s expanding innovation ecosystem to the capabilities of a leading research university. That conversation led to an introduction to David Wade, CEO at EPB, Chattanooga’s cutting-edge energy and connectivity provider, who asked if Vanderbilt would like to partner on a quantum technology campus. As Diermeier says, “ We loved the opportunity right from the start.” 

In early July, representatives from Vanderbilt and EPB hosted an official launch event to share more information about the Institute for Quantum Innovation and Vanderbilt’s quantum campus in Chattanooga. Former U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, inaugural chair of the IQI Board, was master of ceremonies for the gathering of more than 80 government, business, academic and innovation leaders from across the region. 

“I agreed to chair this board because of my strong support of this effort and respect for the two outstanding partners that comprise this institute,” Corker said. Other board members are Wade, Vanderbilt Board of Trust Chair Bruce Evans; Padma Raghavan, the chancellor’s executive director for science and technology; and EPB Board Chair Vicky Gregg.  

Diermeier and Wade emphasized that the people working to bring the institute to life believe there is no better place for a quantum campus than Chattanooga. Wade credited EPB’s board for ensuring that Chattanooga remains a technological leader—from its status as an inaugural fiber-optic town to having the first commercially available, industry-led quantum network and now a quantum computer. 

“Together, we have an opportunity to create something truly distinctive: a quantum ecosystem that connects research, education, innovation and industry,” Diermeier said. “We are bringing together stakeholders and partners at the regional, state and federal levels, united by the shared belief that Tennessee can and should be a leader in quantum.” 

The search for the institute’s first CEO will focus on candidates who can lead academics and create economic opportunities for the region and the nation based on quantum technology, Corker added. 

Finding the right partners will be essential to building a complete quantum ecosystem comprising academic programs to prepare a quantum-ready workforce, research efforts, support for startup companies and opportunities for existing industries who want a competitive advantage through quantum, Wade said. He celebrated the partners already involved with the institute, including local universities, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, IonQ and elected officials at every level. 

U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann of Tennessee’s 3rd district, who chairs the energy and water development subcommittee in Congress, emphasized the possibilities for the institute to compete and win investment for research using quantum computing and networks. The radical collaboration that has led to Chattanooga’s rise, he said, will lead to more partnerships that boost the region’s upward trajectory. Fleischmann’s district includes Chattanooga and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. 

“Competitive advantage applies to cities as much as universities,” said Kelly, while highlighting the benefits of being a midsize city focused on creating a competitive ecosystem. “Our most important competitive advantage is our ability to collaborate radically. Research assets help us create a competitive regional advantage.” 

The institute intends to bridge discovery and opportunity to deliver the promise of quantum technology to the people it will serve. But the vision doesn’t end there—it also includes workforce development that will ensure that people throughout the region have opportunities to become leaders in this new technology, Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp added.  

Launching the institute is a defining moment, Corker told the event’s attendees. “But it must be built and nurtured. It has to grow over time and with attention,” he said. He charged the audience and the people working to get the institute and Vanderbilt’s quantum campus off the ground to make this defining moment something lasting and good for Tennessee—and for the world.