Quantum Science and Technology Institute

UCLA has been awarded $75 million in grants from the US National Science Foundation to advance quantum technology research. The funding will support work in quantum computing, sensing and related fields at the university. The announcement highlights the growing federal investment in quantum science and positions UCLA among the leading US institutions in the field.

Researchers at UC Santa Barbara will take part in three of the National Science Foundation's Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes, large-scale collaborations aimed at advancing quantum science and technology. The university is expected to contribute expertise in quantum computing, sensing and materials. The news comes as NSF invests heavily in building national quantum research networks across US universities.

Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara will take part in three of the National Science Foundation's Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes, the university announced. The multi-institution institutes are part of the NSF's effort to advance quantum science and technology, and UCSB's involvement underscores its standing as a leading center for quantum research.

The Korea Institute of Science and Technology is helping Korean quantum technology startups build partnerships with American counterparts at the Quantum World Congress 2026. The initiative aims to give South Korea's emerging quantum companies access to U.S. markets, investors and research collaborators, strengthening transpacific ties in a sector both countries view as strategically important.

Florida State University has received $2.1 million in funding to build a quantum communication testbed. The award will support research into quantum networking technology, a field seen as key to future secure communications. The grant positions FSU among US institutions investing in quantum information science infrastructure.

South Korea's Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) is moving to accelerate the global expansion of Korean quantum deep-tech startups through its participation in Quantum World Congress 2026. The initiative is aimed at connecting homegrown quantum companies with international investors, partners and customers. Details on the specific startups and programmes involved have not yet been made widely available.

Five researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara have joined the National Science Foundation's Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes, multi-institution hubs dedicated to advancing quantum science and technology. The appointments connect UCSB scientists to federally funded collaborative efforts in quantum information research, reinforcing the university's role in one of physics' fastest-moving fields.

Australian quantum computing company Diraq is set to establish a quantum research and development laboratory in New Mexico. The announcement, reported by the Los Alamos Daily Post, signals the company's expansion of its silicon-based quantum dot technology efforts into the United States, adding to New Mexico's growing profile as a hub for quantum science alongside institutions such as Los Alamos National Laboratory.

The Korea Institute of Science and Technology sent a delegation to the Quantum World Congress 2026 to support the Korean quantum startup ecosystem and help domestic companies enter the United States market. The delegation's participation is being covered as part of Korea's broader push to build international partnerships in quantum technology and expand its emerging startups abroad.