The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced a $100 million investment to establish the National Quantum and Nanotechnology Research Infrastructure (NQNI) program. This initiative will create a nationwide network of up to 16 open-access research sites over the next five years, providing a shared national resource for academic researchers, community colleges, and small businesses. The NQNI serves as the direct successor to the National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI, 2015–2025), expanding the previous mandate to include a dedicated focus on the specialized fabrication and characterization needs of Quantum Information Science and Engineering (QISE).
The program is structured to support regional innovation ecosystems by providing hands-on access to state-of-the-art instrumentation—such as advanced lithography, cryogenic characterization, and cleanroom facilities—that are often financially inaccessible to smaller institutions. Individual NQNI sites will receive between $500,000 and $2,000,000 per year, with a secondary selection phase planned to establish a central NQNI Coordinating Office. This office will oversee the collective impact of the network, ensuring that technical expertise and workforce training protocols are standardized to accelerate the transition of quantum and nanoscale discoveries into commercial applications.
This investment aligns with the National Quantum Initiative (NQI) Act and broader federal priorities to secure U.S. leadership in critical technologies, including semiconductors, biotechnology, and advanced manufacturing. By integrating quantum-ready infrastructure into a proven nanotechnology framework, the NSF aims to bridge the “valley of death” for emerging hardware startups. Letters of Intent for institutions seeking to host an NQNI site are required by March 16, 2026, with full proposals due by May 14, 2026.
Read the official announcement from the NSF here.
February 13, 2026
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