The Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE) has announced that Belden, a provider of network infrastructure and connection solutions, and Photon Queue, a quantum hardware startup, have joined as corporate partners. This move highlights the growing collaboration between industry and academia within the Midwest’s quantum ecosystem.
Photon Queue, a spinout from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) and an alum of the Duality quantum accelerator, develops quantum memories by storing single photons in free-space loops. This approach is intended to provide low-cost storage for photonic qubits, with potential applications in quantum communication, computing, and metrology. Nathan Arnold, CEO of Photon Queue, commented that the company is looking forward to collaborating with CQE members to accelerate the advancement of quantum technologies.
Belden’s engagement with the CQE will focus on the intersection of quantum communications and industrial networking. The company will collaborate on quantum technology development and evaluate the best post-quantum cryptography (PQC) approach for its networking hardware products. This aligns with NIST’s finalized PQC standards and a recommended adoption timeline of 2030. Hiran Bhadra, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Technology Officer at Belden, noted that the partnership demonstrates the company’s interest in emerging technologies that could impact critical infrastructure and communications.
This combination of a new hardware startup and a major established industry player as partners in the CQE reflects a maturing ecosystem that supports the full spectrum of quantum innovation. Read the full announcement from the Chicago Quantum Exchange about Photon Queue here and Belden here.
September 11, 2025
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