Stony Brook Quantum Memory Named to TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026

Insider Brief

• Stony Brook University‘s patented quantum memory technology, commercialized by Qunnect as Qu-MEM, has been named to TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026 list in the Experimental category.
• Qu-MEM is a room-temperature quantum memory designed to store and retrieve quantum information and operate with existing fiber-optic infrastructure for quantum networking.
• Developed from research led by Stony Brook physicist Eden Figueroa and his former graduate students, Qu-MEM systems are being deployed on quantum networking testbeds in New York and Europe.

PRESS RELEASE — A quantum technology invented at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Stony Brook (Stony Brook University) is earning international recognition. Qunnect’s Qu-MEM, a commercial room-temperature quantum memory device developed from Stony Brook-patented technology, has been named to TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026 in the Experimental category for concept inventions and prototypes showing future potential. This competition recognizes inventions that make the world better, smarter and more impactful.

This recognition highlights Stony Brook’s role in advancing quantum technology and demonstrates how university research can move beyond the laboratory to help shape emerging industries.