Published on Thursday, July 24, 2025
Today IBM and the University of Chicago announced their intent to offer Duality startups resources and support to develop quantum software and explore algorithms and applications that could help unlock the potential of quantum computers. This includes access to the IBM Quantum System Two planned to be deployed at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP). Selected startups will be provided with funding from IBM, as well as access to IBM’s quantum computers over the cloud and technical expertise.
Duality is the nation’s first quantum startup accelerator led by multiple research and industry leaders, including the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago and the Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE), along with founding partners the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Argonne National Laboratory and P33. This plan expands IBM’s support of UChicago’s goal of identifying and co-developing a pipeline of quantum computing startups while cementing the Midwest’s leadership in quantum innovation.
“The University of Chicago is proud to play a leading role in building the quantum economy—advancing breakthrough science, supporting startups and shaping technologies that will power everything from the highest-resolution sensors to next-generation computing. Partnering with IBM reflects the kind of cross-sector collaboration that makes Chicago’s quantum ecosystem so strong. Together, we’re not just accelerating innovation—we’re helping secure the nation’s technological future,” said Nadya Mason, Interim Vice President for Science, Innovation, and Partnerships at UChicago and dean of the UChicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering.
The new plan is another example of longstanding collaborations between IBM, the University of Chicago, and organizations across Illinois, which includes recently announced plans to establish the National Quantum Algorithm Center (NQAC) at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP). Announced in December of last year, the new center will initially operate out of Discovery Partners Institute and the University, and will be anchored by an IBM Quantum System Two deployed at Hyde Park Labs.
The NQAC will bring together quantum information experts, experimentalists, and domain experts across industries. They will share a unified objective to uncover yet unknown algorithms that leverage quantum-centric supercomputing, which combines quantum and classical supercomputing resources across workflows to achieve what neither paradigm can do alone. Ultimately, this work and resulting innovation will reinforce Illinois’ status as a leader in emerging technology and a global quantum hub.
IBM and the University of Chicago have also been collaborating since 2023 with universities across Japan and South Korea to prepare 40,000 students for careers in quantum computing over the next decade. IBM’s dedication to the state of Illinois also extends to the IBM-Illinois Discovery Accelerator Institute, a decade-long collaboration with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign announced in 2021 to bolster technical skills and accelerate breakthroughs in cloud, AI, quantum computing, materials discovery and sustainability.
“We are excited to support the startups selected to explore the development of new quantum-centric algorithms through Duality’s quantum software track. This work is poised to be a foundational element to our mission to deliver useful quantum computing,” said Jay Gambetta, vice president of IBM Quantum. “Enabling innovators with access to IBM’s performant quantum computers available on the cloud today, along with collaborations across Chicago’s vibrant ecosystem of academic and industry experts, will help us to build the future of computing together.”
“This collaboration with the Polsky Center at the University of Chicago underscores IBM’s commitment to growing and fostering a dynamic quantum ecosystem in Illinois and beyond,” said Emily Fontaine, global head of IBM Ventures. “By equipping startups in the Duality accelerator with access to funding from IBM Ventures, IBM cutting-edge quantum technology, and deep domain expertise, we aim to accelerate innovation and empower the next generation of quantum leaders that will shape the future.”
Funding for startups selected for the planned Duality accelerator’s quantum software track is expected to be provided by IBM Ventures, the corporate venture capital fund operated by IBM, which invests in enterprise AI and quantum computing startups.
The announcement this week follows several new initiatives designed to support startups within the University of Chicago ecosystem, including the new UChicago Science Incubator. Located in Hyde Park Labs and open to early-stage startups, the space will feature a dedicated quantum suite with the necessary advanced infrastructure needed for testing and development. Also launched earlier this year, Harper Court Ventures is a new $25 million fund that will target companies in high-impact sectors, including quantum computing, as part of a formal cooperation agreement with the University.
Duality has supported more than 25 startups, helped raise over $50 million in follow-on funding, and developed a growing network of corporate, academic, and investor partners since it launched in 2021.