The Biden administration on Monday designated Colorado as a Tech Hub.
The designation is aimed at helping the state’s quantum computing industry grow with the help of millions of dollars in federal grants.
“The quantum sector is one of the key industries of tomorrow, and I’m thrilled the Biden administration is awarding Colorado a Tech Hub designation for quantum technology,” Gov. Jared Polis said in a news release. “We will take full advantage of this decision to help create jobs, and support businesses and entrepreneurs because Colorado is the best place for quantum technology and related innovation.”
Colorado’s quantum efforts are centralized in Elevate Quantum, a consortium of regional industry leaders. It was one of 31 technology hubs spread across 32 states and Puerto Rico to help spur innovation and create jobs in the industries that are concentrated in these areas. There were some 378 applications to the program.
“We’re going to invest in critical technologies like biotechnology, critical materials, quantum computing, advanced manufacturing — so the U.S. will lead the world again in innovation across the board,” President Joe Biden said. “I truly believe this country is about to take off.”
The tech hubs are the result of a process that the Commerce Department launched in May to distribute a total of $500 million in grants to cities.
Elevate Quantum CEO and Regional Innovation Officer Zachary Yerushalmi said the state’s diversity helped it earn the designation.
“With quantum poised to transform the coming century, most people know that our region is a leader in quantum research and qubit development,” Yerushalmi said in a news release. “But here, quantum is already out of the lab and creating good jobs for a wide range of people. We have sensor companies like Longpath protecting our environment by detecting methane leaks. We have hardware companies like Maybell Quantum and Vescent Photonics building the ‘picks and shovels’ for the quantum gold rush.”
The $500 million in federal money came from a $10 billion authorization in last year’s CHIPS and Science Act to stimulate investments in new technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing and biotech. It’s an attempt to expand tech investment that is largely concentrated around a few U.S. cities — Austin, Texas; Boston; New York; San Francisco; and Seattle — to the rest of the country.
“I have to say, in my entire career in public service, I have never seen as much interest in any initiative than this one,” Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told reporters during a Sunday conference call to preview the announcement. Her department received almost 400 applications, she said.
“No matter where I go or who I meet with — CEOs, governors, senators, congress people, university presidents — everyone wants to tell me about their application and how excited they are,” said Raimondo.
“Being designated a Tech Hub is a significant acknowledgment of the Mountain West’s quantum strengths and the rich confluence of research, industry, and technological prowess that it hosts,” said Dr. Marlou Slot, quantum lead at the Womanium Foundation and Elevate Quantum member, in a news release.
Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colorado, said: “This is the culmination of the hard work we started on my first day as mayor of Denver: making Colorado the best place in the country to do business, to find a good-paying job, and to live a good life. This will future-proof our successes and ensure we remain an economic and technological powerhouse.”
The Associated Press contributed to this story.