Quantum technology is advancing rapidly, outpacing most companies’ ability to keep up. Quantum sensing devices are moving from prototypes to commercial products, and quantum networking and computing are drawing significant federal and private investment. Across sectors such as defense, aerospace, artificial intelligence, and healthcare, companies are increasingly focused on how quantum will impact products, supply chains, and competitiveness.
For companies, the main challenge is access rather than awareness. Quantum research is highly specialized, spread across disciplines, and often based in university labs. Understanding quantum’s importance does not always translate to knowing whom to contact.
In the Midwest, a coalition of research universities is working to close this gap.
Building Something Bigger
Michigan State University (MSU), the University of Michigan (U‑M), and Purdue University have each developed strong quantum research programs. However, major opportunities in quantum, such as federal center grants, complex industry partnerships, and multidisciplinary breakthroughs, benefit from resources beyond a single campus.
This led to the creation of the Midwest Quantum Collaboratory (MQC), a regional consortium connecting industry with leading quantum research across multiple institutions. The MQC provides a unified framework for collaboration, making it easier for companies to access expertise, facilities, and talent.
“The quantum computing technologies of the future will be heterogeneous and made up of different kinds of devices, materials, systems, and modalities,” says Johannes Pollanen, Associate Professor in MSU’s Department of Physics & Astronomy. “In this regard, building them
requires expertise that no one research group, or even one university, has. That’s why we need the MQC, it brings together disparate, but complementary, approaches to developing these exciting new technological advances.”
The consortium now includes the University of Illinois Chicago, Northwestern University, Ohio State University, Washington University in St. Louis, and Indiana University, totaling eight member universities. Together, they form one of the nation’s most concentrated academic quantum networks, united by a common mission in quantum information science and engineering.
This collaboration is already producing tangible results. For example, MSU, U‑M, and Purdue jointly participate in the National Quantum Virtual Laboratory, a federally funded initiative that has accelerated shared research and fostered new cross-institutional solutions for industry partners. For companies, this demonstrates that MQC partnerships lead to ongoing collaborations with measurable industry impact, not just isolated projects.
What the Consortium Brings Together
The MQC’s strength is the complementary expertise of its members. MSU offers deep knowledge in quantum materials and qubit development, including pioneering work on novel qubit technologies in the United States. The University of Michigan leads in ultrafast spectroscopy and photonics. Purdue University specializes in topological quantum materials for quantum computing, sensing and communications, along with quantum photonics. Additionally, the three universities operate some of the nation’s premier academic nanofabrication and clean-room facilities, which are available to external partners. These include the Lurie Nanofabrication Facility at the University of Michigan, the Birck Nanotechnology Center at Purdue, and the Keck Microfabrication Facility at MSU.
For companies addressing quantum sensing, thermal management, or networking, MQC provides a network of collaborating faculty, shared equipment, and rapid team assembly that no single university can offer.
With more than 100 affiliated faculty at collaborating universities and hundreds of graduate students across all eight institutions, the network’s scale ensures that collaborations can grow and be sustained over time.
What This Means for Companies
Companies engage with MQC in various ways, depending on their stage of quantum adoption. For those assessing quantum’s relevance, MQC offers broad access to researchers across the full spectrum of quantum science and engineering.
“Quantum is moving from the lab to the market faster than most companies expect—and MQC has the talent and infrastructure to help them keep pace,” says Brice Nelson, Director of Corporate Partnerships at the MSU Innovation Center.
For those already developing applications, the consortium can facilitate direct introductions to specific faculty, connect companies with shared infrastructure, and help structure sponsored research agreements or joint development programs without requiring companies to navigate each institution independently.
Talent development is another practical advantage. MQC’s member universities collectively train a significant share of the Midwest’s quantum graduate student population.
Corporate partnerships naturally create pathways for internships, collaborative research projects, and direct recruiting, helping companies build a pipeline in one of the most talent-constrained fields in science and engineering today.
The consortium helps companies looking to move or expand quantum operations in the Midwest. Eight research universities with shared infrastructure and strong expertise anchor businesses that need close research, talent, and technical partners.
MQC Entanglement 2026
MQC supports companies year-round, but many gather during the consortium’s annual MQC Entanglement workshop. Hosted this year at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, July 21–22, 2026, the two-day event brings together more than 300 attendees from MQC member universities, as well as industry and government participants, for presentations, panel discussions, and networking.
Companies can attend, present, serve on a panel, or host an exhibit table. Organizations interested in more substantial engagement can also explore MQC membership, which includes waived conference fees and year‑round access to the consortium’s research network.
The workshop is designed for companies assessing quantum’s relevance, technology developers already working in the space, and organizations seeking research partnerships or workforce pipelines.
To attend this year’s MQC Entanglements workshop, contact David Stewart at Purdue University (davidstewart@purdue.edu) or visit the MQC website at www.midwestquantum.org
Opportunities for Partnership
The Midwest Quantum Collaboratory (MQC) and the MSU Innovation Center welcome companies and organizations exploring quantum sensing, computing, communications, and enabling technologies.
Whether you’re looking to meet researchers, sponsor research, join the consortium, access shared facilities, or build a talent pipeline through internships and recruiting, MQC offers multiple ways to engage across its eight-university network.
If your team is exploring how quantum could shape your roadmap, email Brice Nelson at bnelson@msu.edu. He can help connect you with the right MQC researchers and facilities to move forward.
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About the Midwest Quantum Collaboratory
The Midwest Quantum Collaboratory (MQC) brings together eight Midwestern research universities to promote collaboration in the field of quantum information science and engineering. The consortium provides companies and partners with streamlined access to quantum research, facilities, and talent, supporting research translation, workforce development, and the development of emerging quantum technologies. Visit www.midwestquantum.org to learn more.
About the MSU Innovation Center
The MSU Innovation Center supports the commercialization of research, startup creation, and corporate partnerships at Michigan State University. Through technology transfer, venture creation, and industry partnership, the Innovation Center helps transform Spartan research and ideas into market-ready solutions that benefit society and strengthen Michigan’s economy. For more information, visit innovationcenter.msu.edu