QuantumCT Community Impact Pilot Program - Quantum Workforce Innovation Award

QuantumCT Community Impact Pilot Program - Quantum Workforce Innovation Award is sponsored by QuantumCT (Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development and Connecticut Office of Innovation). This award category invites proposals from Connecticut-based workforce development boards, technical training institutions, and educational nonprofit organizations that will support projects to upskill individuals in quantum technologies and related fields.

Growth Sectors & Research Strengths Startups & Investor Network QuantumCT is a public-private partnership accelerating the adoption of quantum technologies in Connecticut and beyond. By bringing together the state’s research power, industry expertise, and entrepreneurial energy, we’re positioning Connecticut at the forefront of the next quantum revolution.

Connecticut's Growth Sectors Connecticut’s Innovation Engine QuantumCT is Connecticut’s quantum innovation engine — bridging academia, industry, entrepreneurship and government to advance next-generation technologies from lab to marketplace. As a public-private partnership, QuantumCT is fueled by University of Connecticut, Yale University, and Department of Economic and Community Development.

We work with a broad coalition of partners to expand research capacity, engage industry to provide companies with a competitive edge in the marketplace, and develop a robust pipeline of new talent prepared to step into the opportunities offered by a quantum economy. We have a rare window of opportunity to lead the New England region in this emerging field.

Connecticut’s industrial base — spanning top companies in life sciences, aerospace and defense, insurance, and financial services — is unmatched, giving the state an unparalleled advantage in leveraging quantum innovation for economic growth. U.S. National Science Foundation Announces Transformational Award to Connecticut’s Quantum Tech Sector WASHINGTON, D. C.

— The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) announced today that Connecticut is one of twelve regions selected to receive an NSF Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) award, joining a portfolio of regional technology clusters that are accelerating the development of critical technologies and building a durable U.S. The NSF Quantum Technologies Engine in Connecticut, led by the University of Connecticut in partnership with Yale University, Southern CT State University, Connecticut State Community College, ConnCORP, CT Innovations, and the State of Connecticut, aims to advance American quantum innovation and secure the domestic quantum supply chain by accelerating the commercialization of quantum technologies for national defense, biotechnology, and financial services.

Through innovation, applied research leading to new technologies, support for inventors and entrepreneurs, and workforce development, the NSF Quantum Technologies Engine will advance quantum sensing, secured communications, computing, and materials through shared testbed, deep-tech incubator and translation pathways.

“NSF Engines investments in critical technologies and future industries will transform America’s innovation infrastructure for decades to come,” says Brian Stone, performing the duties of the NSF director. “The NSF Quantum Technologies Engine will advance the Nation’s quantum innovation by accelerating the commercialization of quantum technologies for national defense, biotechnology and financial services.

” The NSF Quantum Technologies Engine in Connecticut (the QuantumCT Engine) team will initially receive a two-year, $15 million award. The funds will support the Engine’s technology translation, workforce development, and incubator operations. The funds will also facilitate industry and community engagement to deliver broad societal benefits.

By demonstrating sufficient progress, the QuantumCT Engine has the potential to receive $160 million from NSF over the next decade. The QuantumCT Engine will leverage world-leading research and innovation expertise from UConn and Yale to pursue translational research to benefit industry, generate technology ventures, and train the region’s workforce to enter a high-growth field.

It will also deliver technology acceleration and startup support services to drive public-private partnerships and create a quantum ecosystem that generates economic growth. Quantum technology industries are expected to grow to $200 billion by 2040, with the potential to reshape sectors important to Connecticut and the country, including aerospace, defense, drug development, manufacturing, and finance and insurance.

Connecticut companies that are adopting quantum technologies support over 270,000 jobs, accounting for 38% of wages in the state. They also are responsible for millions of jobs and over $28. 7 billion in GDP nationwide.

“Connecticut is the nation’s leading state for quantum technology adoption,” says Pamir Alpay, UConn’s provost and the principal investigator on the NSF-funded proposal. “The award recognizes our team’s success in establishing partnerships with industry to accelerate quantum technologies and build a quantum-ready workforce.

” “This award application process was highly competitive, and it’s a huge win for Connecticut,” says Gov. Ned Lamont. “Our pioneering research and advanced application pipeline helped set us apart from the competition. Whereas other states may be theorizing about quantum, we’re already applying it together with corporate partners across the state.

These federal funds, combined with state investment, will accelerate Connecticut’s progress in quantum technology and help establish our state as a national and global leader in this field—and we’re grateful for NSF’s support in getting us here.

This investment will help create good jobs and new opportunities for workers across the economy as The NSF Engines program invests in regional ecosystems with the potential to drive economic growth through technological innovation.

The QuantumCT Engine proposal was chosen for funding from a field of 15 finalists following a highly competitive national “As Connecticut’s flagship public university and the state’s land-grant institution, UConn takes pride in its leadership role within the QuantumCT Engine.

Our university is home to more than 60 esteemed faculty members who are experts in the field of quantum science and will collaborate with Yale researchers to drive innovative advancements and groundbreaking discoveries in quantum research,” UConn President Radenka Maric says.

“Over the past three years, we have been working hand-in-hand with our academic, state, industry, and community partners to position quantum technologies as a catalyst for economic development that will fuel prosperity in our state and nation. It is crucial that America take the lead in the global quantum race to safeguard national security, secure our digital economy, and drive future economic growth.

Furthermore, we must excel internationally in quantum healthcare to deliver life-saving therapeutics and diagnostics. I am grateful to Governor Lamont and Dan O’Keefe, the commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development, for their grand vision for our state.

” The State of Connecticut has pledged $121 million to the QuantumCT Engine, comprising $60 million already invested and an additional $60 million upon receiving the NSF award.

This state support will build a quantum incubator in New Haven, the Engine’s hub, among In 2023, NSF awarded the QuantumCT Engine team a $1 million NSF Engines Development Award through UConn, which established the operational structure and built the partnerships to drive the ecosystem.

QuantumCT, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was founded by UConn and Yale as part of the NSF Engine Development Award to support applied research, help companies explore quantum applications, generate startups, and prepare a skilled workforce. Industry partners are key to the QuantumCT Engine’s success.

Quantinuum and D-Wave are partnering to develop quantum computing testbeds with QuantumCT that will be used for experimentation and technology translation activities.

Quantum technology adopters – including RTX, Travelers, Boehringer Ingelheim, Pfizer, Amphenol, and Microsoft – have been working with the QuantumCT Engine team over the past several years on applied research projects that bring quantum capabilities directly to “With this transformative award, NSF has recognized the scale of the QuantumCT Engine’s ambition and its potential to accelerate the quantum revolution for our state, region, and the United States as a whole,” Yale University President Maurie McInnis says.

“I am so proud of this effort to develop real-world solutions that enrich our communities and of the spirit of collaboration that it represents,” she adds. “Together with our partners at UConn and across the state, we have been able to drive innovation and unleash economic growth, while fulfilling Yale’s vital mission of research and education.

” Alongside industry partnerships and state support, sustained investments by UConn and Yale have helped build the quantum ecosystem that this award will accelerate.

At Yale, this includes startups such as Quantum Circuits, co-founded by Robert Schoelkopf and Michel Devoret — whose pioneering work in quantum computing earned him the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics — and recently acquired by tech innovator D-Wave with plans to double its workforce in New Haven.

Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) also plays a critical role as the QuantumCT Engine’s workforce lead, with its QNT (CSCU Center for Quantum and Nanotechnology) serving as the optimal coordinator based on its successes in leading educational initiatives and strong alliances with industry, community stakeholders, and IHEs throughout Through longstanding technical and education collaborations with Yale, UConn, and the CT State Community College System, the QNT is a conduit to all academic institutions in the state and to small and medium businesses including those in advanced manufacturing, biotech, photonics, and other supply chain sectors.

“Southern Connecticut State University is more than ready to take the lead on workforce development in Connecticut’s quantum ecosystem,” says Sandra Bulmer, interim president of the university. “We are proud to be part of Connecticut’s ‘research triangle,’ along with Yale and UConn, serving as the support for the talent pipeline.

Our mission is grounded in access and opportunity, and the workforce piece of this effort enables us to open up new frontiers in research and innovation to countless students across QUANTUMCT, UCONN, AND YALE LAUNCH INDUSTRY-ALIGNED PILOT PROJECTS TO ADVANCE QUANTUM INNOVATION FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MAY 18, 2026 Connecticut researchers, together with global industry collaborators, translate quantum breakthroughs into...

Governor Ned Lamont and the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) are pledging $121 million to strengthen Connecticut’s already robust leadership in the emerging quantum economy.

Coordinated state, university, and industry commitments now exceed $1 billion to position Connecticut as a national hub for quantum research, workforce development, and innovation — with contributions from University of Connecticut , Yale University , Connecticut Innovations , and industry partners.

This combination of significant state investment, federal recognition, and venture-driven innovation is driving Connecticut into a new phase of growth and underscores the scale of Connecticut’s ambition and the confidence of its partners. QuantumCT was launched in response to the U.S. National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Regional Innovation Engines program.

In May 2023, the NSF awarded QuantumCT a $1 million grant to develop plans for a vibrant, technology-driven innovation ecosystem centered on quantum technologies. In July 2025, the NSF named the QuantumCT proposal one of just 29 semifinalists, narrowed from an initial pool of 294 submissions.

Following intensive review, QuantumCT advanced to finalist status — one of just 15 proposals nationwide to reach the final stage of the NSF competition — a recognition of the state’s strengths and the growing coalition behind this work. The winning proposals are expected to be announced in early 2026. Working with the private sector and research faculty on quantum-tech-driven pilot projects that address industry challenge problems.

Explore Industry Engagement Providing support to startups, engaging investors, and building an incubator that supports the entrepreneurial community. Explore Startups & Investor Network Developing interdisciplinary curricula and training pathways for seamless upskilling to prepare for next-generation industry roles.

Explore Workforce & Education Collaborating with stakeholders to demystify quantum and educate the public on how it will impact their lives and communities. Quantum technologies are transforming how we compute, communicate, and understand the world around us. They promise faster problem-solving, unbreakable security, and new tools for discovery across every industry.

At QuantumCT, we believe this future should be accessible to everyone. Whether you’re a student, an expert, or just quantum-curious, here you will find stories, videos, and resources that bring this field to life. See what’s happening across Connecticut’s quantum ecosystem.

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