Image Credit: Chicago Council on Global Affairs / Ana Miyares Photography
Hundreds of industry leaders from around the world gathered for the inaugural Global Quantum Forum (GQF) held July 23-24 during TechChicago Week 2025: Big Bets. Governor J.B. Pritzker, quantum CEOs and technology journalists were among the featured speakers and expert panelists who led discussions on quantum’s implications on AI, energy, workforce, national security and breakthroughs in biomedical science throughout the jam-packed event.
The forum opened with a major announcement about a future tenant of the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park – quantum company Infleqtion – and included an interactive exhibit outlining plans to transform the former U.S. Steel Works site, which once fueled our 20th-century economy, into an engine of growth and innovation in the 21st century.
Time and time again, speakers on the 13 expert-led panels praised Chicago as an idyllic location for a global quantum hub — pointing to the region’s outstanding research universities, two national labs and support for advancing quantum technology at the state level.
Read on for an inside look into key moments at this year’s Forum and a look at what our partners at Intersect Illinois and P33 Chicago, plus the team at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, have been hard at work planning.
Infleqtion Announcement
Image Credit: Chicago Council on Global Affairs / Ana Miyares Photography
Governor JB Pritzker announced Infleqtion as the latest tenant of the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP), where it will invest $50 million to develop a utility-scale neutral atom quantum computer and expand its hardware and software operations. This exciting milestone was made possible by Team Illinois — including the Governor’s Office, Illinois DCEO, Intersect Illinois and a network of partners across industry, academia and government — whose vision and collaboration are at the heart of Illinois’ quantum progress.
“The company’s focus on hardware-software co-design, quantum compilers, software libraries and real-world quantum applications makes them a perfect fit for the innovation-driven environment we’re building at the IQMP,” said IQMP Executive Director Dr. Harley Johnson at the announcement. For Infleqtion, this move is also a homecoming: its Chicago-based software team originally spun out of the University of Chicago as “Super.tech!”
Activation Space
Image Credit: C-Strategies Inc.
Home to the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park and additional future developments, the Quantum Shore site is transforming 440 vacant acres of Chicago’s legendary lakefront into a beacon of progress and economic growth. Project partner and developer Related Midwest organized an engaging, interactive space to introduce Forum visitors to the vision for the former U.S. Steel South Works site, including the landmark IQMP. Representatives from the IQMP were on the ground to answer questions, meet with prospective tenants and share our vision for the Park.
Introducing the National Quantum Algorithm Center
Image Credit: C-Strategies Inc.
After the unveiling of a video showcasing the National Quantum Algorithm Center (NQAC) at the IQMP, industry end users gathered for a breakfast and presentation to learn more about how quantum algorithms developed at the NQAC will unlock practical applications that impact the way we work and live — providing an edge for those who leverage this technology early. In the video, PsiQuantum’s Director of Technology Partnerships Dr. Aaron Fluitt spells it out: “The companies that learn to leverage this new capability early on to benefit their business are often those that are in a competitive advantage later on.”
Quantum 101: What Everyone Needs to Know
Image Credit: Chicago Council on Global Affairs / Ana Miyares Photography
What exactly is quantum? The IQMP’s Business Development Lead and Intersect Illinois Chief Quantum Officer, Dr. Preeti Chalsani, has the answer. Preeti helped kick off the Forum on the panel “Quantum 101: What Everyone Needs to Know” where she outlined why now is the time to get ahead of this transformative technology. Whether you’re a policymaker, investor, founder, or just figuring out what a qubit is, this session set the stage for why everyone should be paying attention.
Solving the Unsolvable: Quantum and Humanity’s Grand Challenges
Image Credit: C-Strategies Inc.
Historically, when humanity has pursued the seemingly impossible — the Moon landing, the Human Genome Project, eradicating disease — we’ve seen how bold ambition is the fuel that drives innovation and societal change. In this panel, IQMP Executive Director and CEO Dr. Harley Johnson asked: what could happen if we treat quantum the same way? Joined by panelists Dr. Joe Altepeter, Program Manager of Microsystems Technology Office at DARPA, and Dr. Shana Kelley, President of CZ Biohub Chicago, the conversation made it clear that big breakthroughs are not just the result of technical capacity, but of imagination, coordination and courage.
Quantum Ready: Preparing Today’s Workforce for Tomorrow’s Tech
Image Credit: Chicago State University
At a complementary event hosted by IQMP partner Chicago State University (CSU), IQMP leadership, local students and representatives from career development organizations came together to explore the work being done today to prepare young people for the quantum careers of tomorrow — including those at the Park. IQMP Board of Managers member and Chairman of Intersect Illinois John Atkinson delivered the keynote address and participated in a fireside chat with President Scott. Meanwhile, several members of the PsiQuantum team attended to share their insights and present CSU with a donation to continue their on-the-ground work preparing learners to enter this rapidly growing industry.
