Innosphere, Montana alliance leverage quantum links for Mountain West tests

On August 13, 2026, Innosphere, acting on behalf of the National Science Foundation ASCEND Engine, formalized a collaboration with the Montana Photonics and Quantum Alliance and the Headwaters Tech Hub through a signed Memorandum of Understanding. The agreement establishes a unified Mountain West innovation and test facilities network, linking federally funded initiatives in Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana.

This partnership connects the NSF ASCEND Engine with the Headwaters Tech Hub’s “Integrated Photonics Ecosystem component project,” led by MPQA, to pursue opportunities beyond the reach of any single organization. “We’ve seen first-hand that collaboration, not competition, strengthens our innovation networks,” said Mike Freeman, CEO of Innosphere.

NSF ASCEND Engine and Headwaters Tech Hub Formalize Mountain West Network

The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on August 13, 2026, solidifies a coordinated effort to link innovation resources across the Mountain West, going beyond a simple announcement of future plans. The Department of Commerce initiative focuses on Montana, establishing a federal strategy to amplify regional technological development. The collaboration centers on bolstering integrated photonics, a field crucial for advanced sensing and quantum technologies.

This connection to Innosphere’s NSF ASCEND Engine platform creates a network designed to accelerate the commercialization of technologies addressing critical regional challenges and enhancing competitiveness in critical industries. The organizations will explore joint initiatives in areas like advanced sensing, autonomous systems, and environmental intelligence, with a particular focus on applications for national security.

The partnership’s scope extends to aligning testbeds, workforce development programs, and access to capital, aiming to overcome obstacles that individual organizations could not address alone. Tim VanReken, Executive Director and Regional Innovation Officer of the Headwaters Tech Hub, explained that this partnership with Innosphere and the NSF ASCEND Engine expands the reach of the Headwaters Tech Hub and its work to grow a strong regional ecosystem in photonics technologies and their cross-sector applications.

Increasing coordination and collaboration on testbeds, workforce strategies, capital access, and other initiatives will accelerate innovation across the Mountain West, the company says. The recently published report, “Quantum Technologies in the Mountain West,” highlights the importance of these priorities for the region, and the MOU serves as a formal step toward realizing the potential outlined within.

Jason Yager, Executive Director of MPQA, added, “We are thrilled to be part of this broader Mountain West network; this partnership marks a step in strengthening our innovation ecosystem.” By aligning with Innosphere, we are creating robust commercialization pathways for emerging technologies and significantly accelerating our ability to translate regional photonics and quantum research into real-world, scalable solutions through initiatives such as the ASCEND Engine accelerator and MPQA’s PhotonIQ commercialization platform. This unified network intends to address pressing issues like wildfire management, water scarcity, and resource sustainability across the Mountain West.