Six hundred registrants from 27 states and three countries attended EPB’s Quantum in Business summit this month, demonstrating significant national and international interest in the emerging field and Tennessee’s growing role within it. The event, a collaboration with Vanderbilt University, highlighted real-world applications of quantum technology across industries like finance and healthcare, building on a partnership announced in December 2025.
Krish Roy, Bruce and Bridgitt Evans Dean of Engineering and University Distinguished Professor, emphasized that “Quantum will require quick and effective collaboration for long-term success,” a sentiment reflected in Vanderbilt’s efforts to connect academic research with business application. The summit demonstrated Chattanooga’s progress toward becoming home to the most advanced commercially available ion trap quantum computer in the United States.
EPB and Vanderbilt Partner to Build Chattanooga Quantum Campus
Vanderbilt University plans to establish an academic research and innovation institute in Chattanooga, pending accrediting agency approval, housing up to 250 researchers, professors, and graduate students focused on advancing quantum networking, sensing, and computing. This expansion builds directly from the December 2025 partnership announcement between Vanderbilt and EPB, rapidly translating initial collaboration into concrete infrastructure development and industry engagement.
The event featured a panel titled “How Quantum Moves from Campus to Company” that included representatives from Vanderbilt, University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, Middle Tennessee State University and Tennessee Tech, signaling a coordinated, statewide effort to commercialize quantum research. Vanderbilt will also develop graduate-level academic offerings providing students hands-on experience with EPB’s quantum and energy infrastructure, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application.
These initiatives are designed to encourage continuous collaboration with EPB, attract partners and investment and drive local job creation, startup formation, and broader economic development in Chattanooga and across Tennessee. Padma Raghavan, the chancellor’s executive director for science and technology policy, emphasized the importance of these partnerships, stating, “University, industry and government collaborations are essential for accelerating how we take emerging quantum technologies into the real-world.” Raghavan further explained that “These types of collaborations are our guiding principle as we launch and grow our Institute for Quantum Innovation to drive breakthroughs in areas such as secure quantum communication and precision quantum sensing.” The university will also provide industry-integrated training programs, offering upskilling and credentialing in cooperation with regional entities, ensuring a skilled workforce to support the growing quantum ecosystem.
University, industry and government collaborations are essential for accelerating how we take emerging quantum technologies from the lab into the real-world.
Padma Raghavan, the chancellor’s executive director for science and technology policy
Vanderbilt’s regional influence is also expanding through its recent membership in the SE Quantum Collaborative, an initiative originating from the University of Alabama in Huntsville College of Science. Focused initially on quantum computing, the collaborative aims to establish the Southeast as a global leader in the field.
See today’s quantum computing news on Quantum Zeitgeist for the latest breakthroughs in qubits, hardware, algorithms, and industry deals.
