California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced a $48.5 million state investment under the California Jobs First Regional Investment Initiative (Round II Implementation Phase) to advance high-growth technology sectors and regional workforce infrastructure. Of the total funding allocation, $9,742,070 has been awarded specifically to Regional Cluster #7, focusing on the Quantum subsector to expand regional coordination, research infrastructure, shared testing capabilities, and workforce pipelines across Southern California. The state grant is complemented by $30 million in leveraged co-investment funds.
| [ California Jobs First Regional Quantum Investment Overview (Cluster #7) ] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coalition Lead & Co-Investment | Regional Execution Triad | Strategic Subsector Focus |
| • Coalition Lead: UCLA | • Los Angeles County Region | • High-Tech / Quantum Subsector |
| • State Award: $9,742,070 | • Orange County Region | • Shared Quantum Testing Capabilities |
| • Leveraged Funds: $30,000,000 | • Southern Border Region (San Diego) | • Venture Funding & Talent Pipelines |
Itemized Project Awards & Sub-Initiatives
Led by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the cluster coordinates quantum hardware and software expansion across a three-county ecosystem:
- California State University San Marcos ($2,137,920) — SoCal Quantum Alliance for Development: Initialize: A dedicated workforce development project focused on increasing accessibility to quantum education, hands-on training, and career entry points.
- University of California, Los Angeles ($7,604,150) — SoCal Quantum Alliance for Development: Cohere, Entangle, Excite: An ecosystem support initiative providing multi-region coordination, shared quantum testing infrastructure, and quantum-focused venture capital access.
- State Evaluation Alignment: Projects were evaluated based on geographic equity, alignment with the California Economic Blueprint, feasibility of high-road job creation, and the ability to combine state grants with outside capital.
Statewide Economic Impact and Federal Recognition
The Round II implementation grant completes the final funding phase of the California Jobs First Regional Investment Initiative (formerly the Community Economic Resilience Fund). The broader $48.5 million rollout spans 18 projects across eight economic regions and is projected to create 20,000 direct and indirect jobs statewide.
All regional plans under the initiative received formal designation as Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS) by the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), enabling regional quantum coalitions to leverage additional federal matching capital.
Review the official press release via the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom here, and inspect the full award breakdown via the California Labor & Workforce Development Agency (PDF) here.
August 28, 2026
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