Insider Brief
- Roadrunner Venture Studios and Qunnect have launched ABQ-Net, New Mexico’s first entanglement-based quantum network, as part of a $25 million state-backed initiative to advance quantum commercialization.
- ABQ-Net is the United States’ first open-access, full-stack quantum networking user facility, connecting Qunnect’s new Albuquerque offices with the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies using existing telecom fiber.
- The network serves as a real-world testbed for researchers and entrepreneurs, supporting New Mexico’s goal of building a quantum economy amid a global market projected to exceed $5 billion by 2030.
PRESS RELEASE — Roadrunner Venture Studios today announced the launch of ABQ-Net, New Mexico’s first quantum network and a cornerstone of the state’s $300 million commitment to building a quantum economy. Developed in partnership with Qunnect, the leader in next-generation quantum networks, ABQ-Net applies the public investment toward talent attraction and company creation as quantum commercialization accelerates across the state.
“ABQ-Net will be the proving ground for America’s next generation of quantum entrepreneurs to test, validate, and scale their technologies,” said Adam Hammer, Co-founder and CEO of Roadrunner Venture Studios. “We are proud to partner with Qunnect to create the Southwest’s first entanglement-based quantum network here in Albuquerque. Our partnership with the State of New Mexico is already helping build the foundation for a global quantum ecosystem. With continued investment and collaboration, New Mexico is poised to become a leader in the industries of the future.”
ABQ-Net will deploy essential network infrastructure to advance New Mexico’s quantum commercialization efforts. The network will serve as a hub for researchers and entrepreneurs to test and validate technology in real-world conditions before commercialization.
“ABQ-Net is the first open access user facility in the U.S. providing full-stack quantum networking infrastructure,” said Noel Goddard, CEO of Qunnect. “Qunnect has made a name for itself bringing entanglement-based, quantum networking out of the lab and into the real world. New Mexico is positioned to become the place where the next generation of quantum networking technologies advances from breakthroughs to commercialization.”
Beyond its impacts on company and job creation, ABQ-Net also lays the groundwork for the future quantum internet, positioning New Mexico as a national leader in the next era of secure communications and advanced networking technologies. Qunnect will deploy its turnkey quantum entanglement system, Carina, establishing a quantum network across existing telecom fiber connecting the locations. The network will be anchored at Qunnect’s new offices in downtown Albuquerque and the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, a Department of Energy/Office of Science National User Facility operated jointly by Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories, establishing a scalable foundation able to expand and connect additional facilities across the region.
“ABQ-Net shows what’s possible when New Mexico invests in innovation and strong partnerships,” said Nora Meyers Sackett, Director of the Technology and Innovation Office. “Together with Roadrunner and Qunnect, we’re turning cutting-edge research into jobs, companies, and a thriving quantum economy right here at home.”
The network represents the first phase of the Roadrunner Quantum Lab outlined in the state’s broader initiative. Roadrunner’s coalition comprises nearly a dozen official partners, including Elevate Quantum, national laboratories (Sandia, Los Alamos), pioneering quantum startups (Qunnect, QuEra, and Maybell), academic centers (University of New Mexico), and top-tier venture capital firms (DCVC, Playground Global, Quantonation).
With the global quantum networking market projected to grow from $200 million today to over $5 billion by 2030, and governments worldwide investing more than $15 billion in quantum technologies, ABQ-Net positions New Mexico at the forefront of an industry race with profound national security and economic implications.
