Tennessee bets big on the future of quantum tech

Sept. 14, 2026, 4:25 p.m. ET

• Tennessee has launched a $43 million grant program to expand access to quantum technologies statewide.
• The QUBIT program will fund infrastructure to connect the state's quantum assets, including Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
• Eligible applicants include higher education institutions, development districts, ORNL, and public utilities.
• The initiative aims to strengthen Tennessee's position as a national leader in quantum innovation and economic growth.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and Stuart C. McWhorter, deputy governor and state Department of Economic and Community Development commissioner, announced Monday, Sept. 14, the launch of the Tennessee Quantum Utilization Buildout Infrastructure and Technology (QUBIT) Grant Program. The program will allocate $43 million, which was included in the state budget, to support the physical and digital shared-use infrastructure and support network needed to connect Tennessee’s quantum assets and expand access to quantum technologies statewide. It will be housed under the department's Office of Innovation, according to a news release from the TNECD.The QUBIT Grant Program is open to the following Tennessee-based eligible applicants: public or private nonprofit higher education institutions, development districts, Oak Ridge National Laboratory or public utilities. These applicants may lead consortia of project partners including for-profit companies, national or regional laboratories, nonprofit organizations, utilities, educational institutions, economic development organizations and other public or private entities. Applications will be evaluated based on strategic alignment, statewide benefit, technical merit, interoperability, readiness, access, partnerships, economic and workforce impact, cybersecurity, cost effectiveness and sustainability. “Tennessee is uniquely positioned to lead the future of quantum technology because of the extraordinary assets we have across our state,” Lee stated in the release. “By investing in the infrastructure needed to connect those assets, we're creating new opportunities for innovation, economic growth and high-quality jobs for Tennesseans.”The projects selected will aim to strengthen regional quantum hubs, expand quantum cloud access, establish open-access testbeds and advance a coordinated statewide quantum infrastructure network.“Between Oak Ridge National Laboratory, EPB’s vast quantum network, leading research universities and an ever-growing technology sector, Tennessee has the foundation to become a national hub for quantum innovation,” McWhorter said. “TNECD is committed to cultivating a statewide innovation ecosystem that enables researchers, students, entrepreneurs and companies to transform groundbreaking ideas into real-world quantum technologies, creating new pathways for economic growth and long-term competitiveness.”