Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C)
The prestigious IEEE Quantum Technical Community Distinguished Synergy Award was given to QED-C.
In honor of its leadership in promoting cooperation throughout the worldwide quantum economy, the Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C) has been selected as the 2025 IEEE Quantum Technical Community (QTC) Distinguished Synergy Award winner. This yearly prize honors exceptional work that demonstrates successful collaborations across several fields within the global community of quantum computing. QED-C was particularly commended for its “exemplary leadership in forging effective and globally impactful partnerships between industry, government, and academia that accelerate the growth and success of the quantum industry”.
During an awards ceremony at the 2025 IEEE International Conference on Quantum Computing and Engineering in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the honor was formally given to the members of the QED-C Steering Committee. This recognition highlights the critical role that the Quantum Economic Development Consortium plays in developing quantum technology via a cooperative environment.
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A Consortium Driving Quantum Progress
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provided vital support for the establishment of the Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C) in 2019. As required by the National Quantum Initiative Act, its development was a key component of the federal strategy for improving quantum information science. QED-C has established itself as the leading industry consortium devoted to the development of quantum technology since its founding.
Building a trustworthy community that collaborates to expand the quantum economy and ecosystem is at the heart of QED-C’s primary goal. The consortium, which is run by SRI, has grown quickly and currently includes about 250 members from 19 different countries. Its members are at the forefront of making quantum technology usable in the real world, which supports a thriving supply chain and commercial sector.
The Power of Synergy and Collaboration
The Executive Director of QED-C, Celia Merzbacher, expressed the deep meaning of this honour. Merzbacher said this honor shows the members, staff, and advisors’ persistent dedication to advancing quantum technology for the economy, national security, and society. She further underlined that the goal of the Quantum Economic Development Consortium is to grow the quantum economy by consciously fostering community and cooperation.
QED-C facilitates the success of its members by efficiently bringing together stakeholders from every area of the innovation enterprise. Within the quantum industry, the consortium is respected as a reliable voice that enables its members to advance quantum technology for the good of the economy and national security. Their combined efforts are speeding up the development of quantum technologies that have the potential to completely transform a number of industries, including cybersecurity, energy, healthcare, and business. In addition to encouraging cooperation, QED-C is essential in establishing industry norms, which strengthens the framework of a more robust quantum environment.
Quantum Innovations and the Broader Tech Landscape
The discovery of Quantum Economic Development Consortium coincides with a dynamic time for quantum computing and the advanced computing sector as a whole. Early September 2025 headlines show a lot of activity and important developments. The National Science Foundation (NSF), for example, declared that it would begin to scale up the National Quantum Virtual Laboratory. In order to greatly expand access to quantum resources, this project seeks to create a distributed quantum computing infrastructure that includes both hardware and software. Similar to this, Pawsey’s September 5, 2025, national acknowledgement for its quantum breakthrough demonstrated the field’s ongoing advancement.
QED-C’s leadership in the quantum domain places it at the vanguard of a technological revolution that promises to transform the future economy, national security, and society as the world continues to witness ground-breaking advancements in AI and exascale computing. The IEEE QTC Distinguished Synergy Award is a potent testament to its pivotal part in this life-changing experience.
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About QED-C
A public-private partnership called the Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C) was formed to hasten the growth of the quantum industry and its supply chain in the United States. It was established as part of the National Quantum Initiative Act of 2018 with assistance from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) with the goal of promoting cooperation between government, industry, and academia in order to tackle important opportunities and challenges in the ecosystem of quantum technology.
Key Objectives and Activities
Fostering Collaboration: QED-C serves as a focal point for various stakeholders, including government laboratories, businesses, and academic institutions. To tackle common issues and spur innovation, it brings together a variety of experiences.
Identifying Gaps: The consortium seeks to identify and close important gaps in the quantum ecosystem, including the requirement for a trained workforce, enabling technology, and standardized performance indicators.
Workforce Development: Building a strong workforce with the skills required for the expanding quantum sector is a major priority. This covers programs for education, career development, and training.
Standards and Benchmarks: Common standards and benchmarks for quantum technologies are established with the aid of QED-C. This is essential for maintaining quality control, market expansion, and interoperability, much like standards propelled the semiconductor industry.
Advocacy and Guidance: Serving as a unified voice for the quantum sector, the consortium advises and counsels government organizations on funding, policy, and research and development goals.
Membership
Members of QED-C come from all around the quantum supply chain and are diverse and international. Among its members are:
Large Corporations: By using their resources and experience, firms like Google, IBM, and Microsoft are participating.
Small and Medium-Sized Businesses (SMBs): The consortium offers a venue for specialized businesses and smaller startups to connect, work together, and become more visible.
Academic Institutions: Research centers and universities support innovative studies and assist in educating the upcoming generation of quantum engineers and scientists.
Government Agencies: To guarantee that government initiatives are in line with business demands, organizations such as the Department of Energy (DOE) and NIST take part.
By uniting these disparate industries, QED-C contributes to the development of a strong and reliable quantum ecosystem that spurs innovation, fortifies the supply chain, and guarantees that the United States maintains its position as a leader in quantum technology for the benefit of the economy and national security.
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