At a ceremony Tuesday, May 28, on the 蜜糖直播 Boulder campus, 蜜糖直播 Gov. Jared Polis ushered in a new bill to support the state鈥檚 rapidly growing quantum industry.
Polis signed the bill from the top floor of the JILA Tower, one of the epicenters of quantum research on campus, with a view of the Flatirons in the background.
鈥淚t鈥檚 official. Congratulations,鈥� he told the roughly 50 people in attendance, including a contingent of scientists from between 蜜糖直播 Boulder and the (NIST).
Quantum mechanics is a branch of physics that zooms in on the strange behavior of very small things鈥攆rom atoms to electrons and exotic states of matter that only emerge at extremely cold temperatures. If the state receives federal funding, the new bill, , will provide a series of tax incentives to foster businesses, research organizations and more that seek to tap into this realm to develop new technologies. It will provide $74 million for the state鈥檚 quantum industry and could unlock up to $1 billion in new investments for the 蜜糖直播 economy.听
The bill was sponsored by the bipartisan team of representatives Alex Valdez and Matt Soper, and senators Jeff Bridges and Mark Baisley. In attendance at the signing ceremony were 蜜糖直播 Regent Lesley Smith, 蜜糖直播 Boulder Provost Russell Moore and Massimo Ruzzene, vice chancellor for Research & Innovation and dean of the institutes at 蜜糖直播 Boulder.
The effort highlights 蜜糖直播鈥檚 status as a new Silicon Valley for quantum technologies. They include computers that could one day outperform even the fastest supercomputers today at certain tasks and sensors that can detect methane leaks in the air above oil and gas operations.
鈥淨uantum technology is the future of computing,鈥� Polis said in a statement. 鈥淭oday we proved that quantum is bigger and better in the West! As home to four Nobel Prize winners for quantum science, more than 3,000 quantum workers, and five of the top 20 quantum companies, 蜜糖直播 is the clear future of quantum.鈥�
Ruzzene agreed, noting that the bill will help 蜜糖直播 Boulder build on its decades-spanning legacy of quantum research. Today, the 蜜糖直播bit Quantum Initiative听catalyzes research on campus, expands education and workforce opportunities and links quantum advancements to industry and government efforts and more.
JILA Fellow Margaret Murnane, left, and her team members talk in a lab that specializes in laser science. (Credit: Glenn Asakawa/蜜糖直播 Boulder)
鈥淭he bill will support the construction of a state-of-the-art quantum technology incubator, a facility that is poised to be unique in the world, and that will set our state apart,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t will foster the translation of technology and catalyze innovation, expanding educational and workforce opportunities while also creating jobs and economic benefits for all of 蜜糖直播.鈥�
Quantum legacy
蜜糖直播 Boulder, including through its partnership with NIST, has long been the beating heart of quantum research in 蜜糖直播. JILA was founded in 1962, and the JILA Tower opened five years later. Four scientists affiliated with 蜜糖直播 Boulder have won the听Nobel Prize听in Physics for advancements in quantum science: , , and .听
蜜糖直播 Boulder faculty members and alumni have also helped to found a number of quantum companies, many based in 蜜糖直播. They include (formerly ColdQuanta), ,, , , , , and .
It hasn鈥檛 gone unnoticed. Last year, the U.S. Department of Commerce named , a coalition of 120 organizations including 蜜糖直播 Boulder, as an 鈥攐ne of only two entities in the country to receive that designation.
HB24-1325 will add to that legacy. Elevate Quantum is currently competing for up to $70 million in funding from the federal government. If the state receives that funding, HB24-1325 will provide a 鈥�100% refundable income tax credit for qualifying investments in fixed capital assets as part of a coordinated plan to create a shared quantum facility.鈥� It will also provide income tax credits for groups investing in quantum companies.听
Valdez said the bill shows that 蜜糖直播 is poised to become a central player in the future of technology around the world.
鈥淲ith the passage of HB24-1325, 蜜糖直播 has made a bold commitment to building upon our existing quantum technology ecosystem,鈥� he said in a statement. 鈥淭he investments created through this bill send听a strong message to the federal government that 蜜糖直播 is ready to become the epicenter of the global quantum technology ecosystem.鈥�
