Argonne National Laboratory a Founding Partner in Nation’s First Startup Accelerator Program Dedicated Exclusively to Quantum Information Sciences

LEMONT, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory is a founding partner of Duality, the first program in the nation that is dedicated to accelerating startup companies focused on quantum science and technology — a rapidly emerging area that is poised to drive transformative advances across multiple industries.

The University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and the Chicago Quantum Exchange, which are co-leading Duality, announced today the launch of the program. In addition to Argonne, the other founding partners are the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and private-sector-led non-profit P33.

The program’s purpose is to help quantum startups bridge the gap between the laboratory and the marketplace that is often a critical barrier to success for emerging technologies.

The launch of Duality comes at a time when countries around the world are racing to unlock the potential of quantum technology, which could transform industries in the same way the internet has reshaped the world in recent decades.

The Chicago area has emerged as a leading global quantum center. Last year, it was announced that three of eight federally funded quantum information science research centers and institutes would be based in the region.

“Argonne is excited to partner with our academic and industrial collaborators as we make the Chicago region a focal point of quantum innovation,” Argonne Laboratory Director Paul Kearns said. “Duality will provide inventors and entrepreneurs from across the U.S. the powerful facilities, tools, and talent that are needed to move transformative discoveries into applications. This will inspire an even more robust environment for future innovations, which will help maintain American scientific leadership in quantum science and technology.”

With a $20 million investment, Duality will help up to 10 quantum startups per year grow their businesses in the Chicago area. The program will be based within the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Chicago Booth is widely known for its thought leadership – with nine Nobel laureates – and its impact on the global business community.

Duality will soon begin taking applications through its website for the first cohort. Companies are invited to apply and will be considered on a rolling basis until May 14, 2021. Actively promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, the program seeks a range of diverse applicants in terms of race, gender, and ethnicity.

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