FemtoSenseLabs, a West Lafayette, Indiana-based startup, has officially joined the Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE) as a corporate partner. This partnership marks a significant step in the development of practical, low-cost quantum sensors designed for diverse applications ranging from medical imaging to GPS-free navigation.
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The Science of Sensing: Harnessing Diamond Defects
FemtoSenseLabs is at the forefront of quantum sensing, which many experts consider to be the closest quantum technology to reaching widespread commercial application. Quantum sensors are already proving that they can employ the basic ideas of quantum physics to sense changes in the environment with previously unheard-of accuracy, in contrast to quantum computers, which are still scaling toward general utility.
The company’s core technology revolves around solid-state defects, specifically those found within the crystal lattice of diamonds. FemtoSenseLabs overcomes a major obstacle for many other quantum technologies that need extreme cryogenic cooling by engineering these microscopic flaws to produce sensors that can function at ambient temperature. These incredibly sensitive platforms are made to identify even the smallest variations in:
- Magnetic fields
- Electric fields
- Temperature
FemtoSenseLabs wants to democratize high-precision sensing by making these platforms available to consumers and businesses of all sizes.
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Strategic Integration into the “Quantum Prairie”
FemtoSenseLabs’ inclusion to the CQE is indicative of the “Quantum Prairie,” a local ecosystem that already comprises over 20 quantum technology businesses. FemtoSenseLabs President and Founder Dr. Farid Kalhor noted the strategic significance of the Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana corridor.
“Joining the Chicago Quantum Exchange is a tremendous opportunity for FemtoSenseLabs,” Kalhor stated. He pointed out that the company’s goal to expedite the development of affordable, useful sensors is well aligned with the region’s growing strength in quantum materials, especially the specialized diamond supply chain currently taking shape.
The company aims to “contribute by extending the region’s materials capabilities into real-world sensing applications and by helping grow the next generation of quantum talent,” according to Kalhor.
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Recognized Innovation and Market Potential
The startup’s creative strategy for overcoming obstacles in the creation of quantum sensors has already won it considerable federal backing and approval. The company received Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) awards in both 2024 and 2025. These awards are specifically aimed at creating devices that are more compact, efficient, and capable of operating under ambient (real-world) conditions rather than controlled laboratory environments.
The business won Stage 1 of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Quantum Sensing Challenge last year. This award highlights their technology’s revolutionary potential in the medical field, especially with respect to early conditions identification.
David Awschalom, the founding director of the CQE and the Liew Family Professor of Quantum Engineering and Physics at the University of Chicago, commended the company’s progress. “From symptoms detection to GPS-free navigation, quantum sensing offers transformative potential, and FemtoSenseLabs’ work is moving the sector closer to achieving that broad, real-world impact,” Awschalom stated.
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The Broader Mission of the Chicago Quantum Exchange
The CQE is a Midwest-based team that consists of almost 70 industrial and charity partners, national laboratories, and academic institutions. Developing a “full-spectrum discovery-to-deployment quantum ecosystem” is its goal. The CQE aims to further the following goals by combining corporate speed with academic research:
- Quantum Research: Pushing the boundaries of what is scientifically possible.
- Workforce Development: Training the technicians and scientists needed for a quantum economy.
- Economic Innovation: Ensuring that Midwest-grown technologies lead to job creation and scalable industries.
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