Northwest Quantum Signal
April 20, 2026
The Northwest Quantum Nexus (NQN) connects quantum researchers, industry leaders, policymakers, and investors across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and the Northwest to advance quantum technology, build a quantum-ready workforce, and position the region as a global hub for quantum innovation.
📅 UPCOMING NORTHWEST EVENTS
Cybersecurity for Energy Resilience Summit (CyFERS) 2026
April 28--30, 2026 · PNNL, Richland, WA
PNNL's summit on cybersecurity and energy resilience, with sessions on post-quantum cryptography threats to critical infrastructure. Relevant for NQN members working at the intersection of quantum security and the energy sector.
Seattle Quantum Computing Meetup
May 7, 2026 · 3:30--4:30 PM · Gates Center (CSE2), G20 Amazon Auditorium, UW Seattle
Monthly meetup for software engineers, physicists, and quantum enthusiasts in the Seattle area. Open to all skill levels.
Seattle Deep Tech Week: Navigating the Classical-Quantum Gap
June 10, 2026 · 9:30 AM · Seattle, WA
Part of Deep Tech Week Seattle (June 8-12). Morning session on bridging classical and quantum computing, followed by a hands-on quantum workshop (1:30-4:30 PM) led by engineers from AWS and IonQ, where participants will run jobs on a real trapped-ion quantum computer.
Qiskit Global Summer School 2026 --- Seattle Watch Party
July 6, 2026 · Seattle, WA (venue TBA)
Local watch party hosted by the Seattle Quantum Computing Meetup for IBM's annual Qiskit Global Summer School, covering quantum algorithms, error mitigation, and hands-on programming.
📍 NORTHWEST
Governor Ferguson Invests $500K in IonQ's Quantum Expansion in Bothell
April 18, 2026 · Olympia / Bothell, WA
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson announced $500,000 from the Governor's Economic Development Strategic Reserve Fund to support IonQ's continued expansion in Bothell. The investment is matched by more than $14 million in private capital and is expected to generate 1,200 to 2,000 jobs over five years, with roughly 100 engineering positions at an average salary of $177,000 planned over the next 18 months. IonQ's Bothell campus, the nation's first dedicated quantum computer manufacturing facility, has grown to a 100,000-square-foot hub for production, R&D, and a second quantum data center.
Governor Ferguson press release
Northwest Quantum Nexus Formalizes Structure with New Executive Leadership Team
April 15, 2026 · Seattle, WA
NQN announced three leadership appointments to guide its transition from an informal partnership into a formalized regional organization. Joseph Williams has been named Executive Director, bringing seven years of quantum economic development experience. Dr. Charles Marcus, Boeing Johnson Endowed Chair at the University of Washington and member of the National Academy of Sciences, will serve as NQN Chief Scientist. The appointments signal NQN's maturation into an institution capable of coordinating quantum research, workforce, and policy across the Pacific Northwest.
Tech Alliance Panel Calls for State Quantum Strategy and Funding
April 14, 2026 · Seattle, WA
A panel discussion convened by the Tech Alliance on World Quantum Day warned that Washington risks falling behind states like Illinois, Montana, and Colorado that are aggressively investing in quantum infrastructure. Panelists urged the state to develop a formal quantum strategy and commit public funding to scale existing initiatives, particularly the Northwest Quantum Nexus, to maintain the region's competitive position alongside Microsoft, Amazon, IonQ, UW, and PNNL.
NQN coverage: Washington needs a game plan
🇺🇸 NATIONAL
Senate Commerce Committee Advances National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization
April 15, 2026 · Washington, D.C.
The Senate Commerce Committee approved the National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act with seven amendments aimed at accelerating practical quantum applications, cybersecurity migration, and manufacturing readiness. Key provisions direct federal agencies to establish a Manufacturing USA institute for quantum, and require the White House OSTP to coordinate a national strategy for migrating federal systems to post-quantum cryptography. The bill also expands testbed access for quantum science and technology.
Senate quantum reauthorization coverage
QED-C Report: Global Quantum Market to Double by 2028, Reaching $3 Billion
April 14, 2026 · United States
The Quantum Economic Development Consortium released its State of the Global Quantum Industry 2026 report on World Quantum Day, projecting that global quantum computing revenue will grow at a 30% annual rate to reach $3 billion by 2028, with quantum sensing adding another $1.1 billion. The report counted 7,418 quantum-engaged organizations worldwide and 556 pure-play quantum companies. The global pure-play quantum workforce grew 14% in 2025, and private venture capital investment more than doubled.
🌍 INTERNATIONAL
EU Positions Quantum Technologies at Center of Hybrid Computing Strategy
April 15, 2026 · Europe
At HPE's World Quantum Day event, European officials outlined plans to integrate quantum processors into the continent's high-performance computing infrastructure as part of a broader hybrid computing strategy. The EU is also preparing a Quantum Act expected in mid-2026 that would coordinate member-state investments and establish sovereign supply chains. Europe currently attracts only 5% of global private quantum funding compared to over 50% for the United States, underscoring the urgency of coordinated policy action.
EU hybrid quantum computing strategy
🏛 QUANTUM CENTER WATCH
IBM and University of Illinois Expand Discovery Accelerator for Quantum-HPC Integration
April 16, 2026 · Chicago / Urbana-Champaign, IL · Bloch Quantum Tech Hub
IBM and the Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign announced the second phase of their 10-year, $100 million Discovery Accelerator Institute, shifting focus to quantum-centric supercomputing. The expansion will integrate NCSA's Delta and DeltaAI supercomputers with IBM quantum systems and establish a second home at Chicago's Discovery Partners Institute. IBM is also committed to leading the National Quantum Algorithm Center at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park, anchored by an IBM Quantum System Two coming online later this year.
IBM-Illinois quantum expansion
Elevate Quantum and Partners Launch Q-PAC, First Open U.S. Quantum System
March 2026 · Golden, CO · Elevate Quantum Tech Hub · [out-of-window --- most recent available]
The Elevate Quantum Tech Hub and partners launched Q-PAC, described as the first fully open, commercially deployable quantum system in the United States. The system is available for companies, researchers, and government users. The hub is also developing Quantum Commons, a 70-acre campus at the Colorado School of Mines featuring a 10,000-square-foot cleanroom, open-access quantum labs, and expansion space for startups. Google has also hired a quantum physicist in Boulder, marking the company's first quantum presence in Colorado.
Northwest Quantum Signal is produced by the Northwest Quantum Nexus. nwquantum.uw.edu