Insider Brief
- Quantinuum will convert a facility in Albuquerque into a quantum research and development hub, signaling both company growth and the Southwest’s emergence as a quantum technology center.
- The site will initially focus on photonics control, a key component in trapped-ion systems that rely on laser-based manipulation and measurement of qubits.
- Quantinuum plans to employ at least seven staff members at the facility by year’s end and integrate the site into its broader global full-stack quantum computing operations.
Quantinuum, the world’s largest integrated quantum computing company, will begin transforming an Albuquerque facility into a new research and development hub next month, local business press is reporting. The move not only marks a significant expansion of the company’s operations, but highlights the Southwest’s rising role in the national quantum landscape.
The company’s move into New Mexico comes just months after it announced its expansion from its Colorado headquarters. Quantinuum has now signed a multi-year lease for a site in northwest Albuquerque, though the exact location and timeline for beginning operations remain undisclosed, according to The Albuquerque Journal.
This marks the first major commitment by a qubit builder to establish a physical presence in New Mexico, Jenni Strabley, vice president and general manager of compute products at Quantinuum, told the journal. Strabley told the paper that the new R&D center will tie into Quantinuum’s full-stack capabilities, meaning the site will be supported by a broader ecosystem that includes software, cybersecurity, and algorithm development teams across the globe.
“We’re there to develop R&D for our hardware, but we also bring with us the connections to a full-stack quantum computing company, and I think that adds to the richness of our presence in New Mexico,” Strabley said, as reported in The Albuquerque Journal.
The public and private leaders have increasingly promoted New Mexico as a potential hub for quantum research and technology. Quantinuum joins a growing list of advanced technology firms with R&D footprints in the state, reinforcing efforts to brand New Mexico as a player in the national quantum ecosystem, The Albuquerque Journal reported.
Photonics Control
Initially, the Albuquerque facility will concentrate on photonics control — a critical component in quantum computing involving the testing and measurement of photonic devices. Although Quantinuum uses trapped ions rather than photons as qubits, its systems rely heavily on lasers and optical components to manipulate and measure quantum states, making photonics central to the performance and scalability of its hardware. Over time, the company plans to install test beds, or miniature quantum computing systems, to accelerate hardware development.
The facility is expected to employ at least seven staff members by the end of the year, with a hiring focus that includes New Mexico-based talent. About half of those positions have already been filled, according to the company.
Although the company declined to reveal how much capital it is investing in the Albuquerque site, Strabley described the amount as “significant.” Leasing, rather than purchasing, aligns with the company’s real estate strategy, though long-term property ownership hasn’t been ruled out.
The Broader Message
Quantinuum is one of the few firms in the quantum sector that integrates both hardware and software capabilities in-house. It was formed through the 2021 merger of Honeywell Quantum Solutions and Cambridge Quantum, and remains backed by Honeywell, which retains a majority stake.
Its expansion into New Mexico builds on longstanding connections with the region and adds momentum to efforts to attract federal research funding and private capital into local quantum initiatives. As The Albuquerque Journal suggested, the new facility not only signals confidence in the state’s technical workforce but also reinforces its role in shaping the emerging quantum economy.
“There’s been a long- standing relationship with New Mexico, and this just builds on it. This is a chapter in strengthening those relationships,” Strabley said, according to the journal.
