IonQ (NYSE: IONQ) and the University of Chicago (UChicago) have signed a strategic agreement to establish the IonQ Center for Engineering and Science on campus and deliver a dedicated next-generation quantum computer and an entanglement distribution quantum network. This deployment marks the first time a production-grade quantum computer and entanglement distribution quantum network will be deployed on a university campus.
The core objective of the agreement is to fuel IonQ’s product roadmap by accelerating the development of novel quantum technology through UChicago research, with the collaboration aiming to generate intellectual property for future commercial growth. Research areas include quantum hardware for computing, networking, sensing, and security, as well as quantum applications for chemistry, materials science, and advanced communication protocols. IonQ will also contribute to the construction of a new building on campus, the IonQ Center for Engineering and Science, which will house the UChicago’s Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering.
The partnership positions IonQ to become a core partner of the Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE), linking its systems directly into the multi-institutional research consortium that includes Argonne and Fermilab national laboratories, the University of Illinois, Northwestern, and Purdue. This collaboration is designed to leverage the region’s research base to identify and incubate real-world quantum use cases.
IonQ CEO Niccolo de Masi noted that the agreement combines commercial-grade quantum computers with leading academic talent to generate innovations with real-world applications that will strengthen the company’s competitive advantage. UChicago President Paul Alivisatos stated that the partnership reflects the university’s conviction that foundational discovery and industry can advance the field together.
Read the full announcement here.
November 10, 2025
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