Gov. JB Pritzker (D-IL) unveiled the location for the Illinois Quantum And Microelectronics Park alongside other state and local officials.
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NewsTranscript
00:00D. D. G. G. G. G. G. G. G. G.
00:30There's so much more to the
00:39And from the earliest days of
00:42this pursuit when I first
00:43became governor we have been
00:45guided by a clear vision making
00:48Illinois a global capital for
00:50quantum development and since
00:51then we've brought together
00:53partners from across government
00:56and research institutions and
00:58and technology. To achieve our
01:06goal today that vision comes
01:08further into focus as we stand
01:10here at the site of the future
01:11Illinois quantum and micro
01:24electronics park. Right here
01:27at the site of the future. We
01:31are committed to a better
01:32environment of life for all
01:35humankind. We intend to drive
01:37innovation on a history
01:39altering scale and provide
01:41unprecedented economic
01:43opportunity for the people of
01:45this great city and state. I'm
01:47also very excited to be joined
01:49today by some of the brilliant
01:51minds that are powering that
01:53work including especially our
01:55partners in the field of
01:57quantum computing. Thank you.
02:09Quantum brings years of
02:11foundational research and
02:13scientific groundwork a clear
02:15and comprehensive business and
02:17tech development strategy and a
02:19global reputation as a pioneer
02:21in quantum computing
02:23applications with extensive
02:24knowledge and experience.
02:26Quantum understands both the
02:28challenges and the
02:30opportunities ahead and shares
02:32in our vision for quantum as a
02:35powerful force for good. I am
02:37thrilled to welcome them to
02:39Chicago and to have their
02:41partnership in the work ahead.
02:50The fact that I'm sort of a
02:52newbie to quantum computing is
02:54a little bit of an understatement
02:56but I want to make sure that I
02:58express my gratitude to all who
03:00have helped to make this happen
03:02to our governmental partners,
03:04our esteemed colleagues in the
03:06General Assembly and I do want
03:08to highlight them just for a
03:10moment. This is a leap of faith
03:12in many ways. The General
03:14Assembly understood that we had
03:16a great opportunity but they
03:18also knew that making an
03:20investment in quantum computing
03:22was timely and important to do
03:24right now and they really, they
03:26stepped up to the plate and I
03:28want to thank the Speaker of the
03:30House and the Senate President
03:32and all of their colleagues in
03:34the General Assembly for helping
03:36to make this happen.
03:38Here in Chicago, Mayor Brandon
03:40Johnson and his team, thank you
03:42for your partnership. Thank you
03:44for helping us make this
03:46property a reality. Thank you
03:48for helping us make this property
03:50the location of this new park.
03:52You really have been a terrific
03:54partner standing side by side in
03:56this great advancement for our
03:58city and our state. Thank you,
04:00Mr. Mayor.
04:07And Cook County President Tony
04:09Preckwinkle and her county board
04:11they really, you know, you
04:13sometimes when you're thinking
04:15about something that's going to
04:17happen in the next couple of
04:19years, you know, you're thinking
04:21about the city of Chicago, maybe
04:23sometimes people forget about
04:25the county or the state even.
04:27But Cook County Board President
04:29Tony Preckwinkle has been a
04:31leader thinking always about
04:33advancement for our city and our
04:35state and stepping in sometimes
04:37in the breach of where we're not
04:39able to get something done but
04:41for her and her county board
04:43members. So thank you to Tony
04:45and not to give a short trip to
04:47anybody but I'll just quickly
04:49say DARPA and our federal
04:51partners indispensable and we
04:53look forward to working with you
04:55for many, many years to come
04:57right here in this park.
05:04Quickly to the economic
05:06development apparatus of the
05:08many folks who are involved
05:10Intersect Illinois, P33, and
05:12Brad Henderson, my staff,
05:14in the governor's office with a
05:16special thank you to our first
05:18assistant deputy governor,
05:20Claire Lindberg.
05:28And to DCEO's chief business
05:30attraction officer, Kez
05:32Peters.
05:38And the leaders and the staff at
05:40our Illinois Department of
05:41Commerce and Economic
05:42Opportunity, thank you all for
05:44being involved and pushing hard
05:46to make this happen. To our
05:48world-renowned labs, our
05:50academic and research
05:52institutions that are with us,
05:54Fermilab in Argonne, University
05:56of Chicago president, Paul
05:58Alivisatos. Where are you, Paul?
06:00There he is. Thank you.
06:04The University of Illinois
06:06Urbana-Champaign chancellor,
06:08Robert Jones.
06:12Z. Scott of
06:14Chicago State.
06:20And Juan Salgado of
06:22City Colleges.
06:28This was a combined effort that
06:30took all of us, not only
06:32believing in the potential of
06:34this project, but putting our
06:36time and our investment behind
06:38that belief. It is a powerful
06:41moment for Illinois, for the
06:43country, and for the world,
06:45when we are all pulling in the
06:47same direction. Today, we bring
06:49ourselves a step closer to our
06:51quantum future, opening up a
06:53world of possibilities in
06:55everything from climate
06:57solutions to national security
06:59to health care and beyond. And
07:01in doing so, we are bringing
07:03jobs and opportunity and are
07:05laying the groundwork, the
07:07foundation, for a long-term
07:09future for the state of
07:11Illinois.
07:17I want to thank again the
07:19leaders at SciQuantum and
07:21express my excitement for this
07:23partnership. Thank you all for
07:25being here and helping Illinois
07:27take this quantum leap forward.
07:29Oh, come on now.
07:41Good afternoon, everybody.
08:08This is a pretty great day.
08:11I just want to thank Governor
08:13Pritzker for that kind
08:15introduction and for his
08:17remarks to acknowledge
08:19Lieutenant Governor Stratton,
08:21Mayor Brandon Johnson,
08:23President of the Senate Don
08:25Harmon, Speaker Chris Welch,
08:27Commissioner Stan Moore of our
08:29Cook County Board of
08:31Commissioners, State
08:33Representative Marcus Evans,
08:35State Representative Cam
08:37Buckner. Thank you.
08:39And last but not least, I see
08:41Alderman Peter Chico and
08:43Alderman Greg Mitchell.
08:47I hope I didn't miss anybody.
08:49I'm very grateful that all of
08:51you could join us this
08:53afternoon. This is a really
08:55historic moment. It's an
08:57occasion for which this site
08:59has long awaited, a real,
09:01tangible, transformative plan.
09:03Most importantly, it marks a
09:05historic investment in the
09:07residents of Chicago, Cook
09:09County, and the state of
09:11Illinois. I always say that a
09:13government's values are
09:15reflected in how it invests its
09:17revenues and resources.
09:19Today's historic announcement
09:21reflects a significant
09:23commitment by state and local
09:25units of government to a
09:27neighborhood, a community of
09:29color that has long been
09:31marginalized and is overdue for
09:33genuine investment. It's been
09:3530 years since U.S. steel
09:37shuttered its doors, but as you
09:39just heard from the governor,
09:41SciQuantum will build the first
09:43utility-scale quantum computer
09:45in the United States right here
09:47in Cook County.
09:59I'm a history teacher, so I'm
10:01going to leave it to others to
10:03explain all of what quantum
10:05computing is. I should say
10:07here, you know, about a decade
10:09ago, Bob Zimmer, who was
10:11president of the University of
10:13Chicago at the time, I used to
10:15meet with him fairly regularly.
10:17I'm actually an alum of the
10:19university, and he started
10:21talking to me about quantum
10:23computing, and I had absolutely
10:25no idea what he was talking
10:27about, but he insisted that he
10:29was going to make the University
10:31of Chicago the first place in
10:33training folks in quantum
10:35computing, and here we are.
10:37What I'll say is in a few short
10:39years, it's predicted that
10:41quantum will soon touch all
10:43aspects of our lives. It will
10:45revolutionize the way we
10:47approach challenges, providing
10:49unprecedented insights into the
10:51mysteries of traffic jams,
10:53diseases, and even the economy.
10:55So today stands as yet another
10:57reminder that world-class
10:59institutions can and will come
11:01into being, not just in Silicon
11:03Valley or in Boston, but on the
11:05southeast side of Chicago.
11:07And, of course, it doesn't hurt
11:09that we're home to an extremely
11:11talented workforce, world-class
11:13educational institutions, and
11:15that we're at the nexus of
11:17industry and transportation.
11:19This investment is an example
11:21of what the University of
11:23Chicago can and will do.
11:25It's an opportunity to
11:27make a difference.
11:29This investment is an example of
11:31what the U.S. needs to remain
11:33competitive in the global
11:35economy. Other countries,
11:37particularly China, have made
11:39significant investments in
11:41quantum, and we need to
11:43accelerate our efforts to catch
11:45up. To help our nation do just
11:47that and further support this
11:49groundbreaking project, Cook
11:51County is considering a new
11:53property tax incentive to drive
11:55growth in the U.S.
11:57In addition to this incentive,
11:59Cook County will commit $5
12:01million to help establish the
12:03Quantum Park at the USX site.
12:05We'll have more to share on
12:07these incentives in the months
12:09ahead.
12:11Today represents a new era for
12:13economic development and
12:15intergovernmental collaboration
12:17between the U.S. and the
12:19United States.
12:21Today represents a new era for
12:23economic development and
12:25intergovernmental collaboration
12:27and cooperation.
12:29We have long known that to a
12:31business, municipality, and
12:33county boundaries have little
12:35meaning.
12:37Workforces and supply chains
12:39don't stop at lines on a map.
12:41With this in mind, about a year
12:43and a half ago, the city of
12:45Chicago and seven counties in
12:47northeastern Illinois came
12:49together to strategically advance
12:51the growth and competitiveness
12:53of our region, and today's
12:55announcement stands as a
12:57testament to the success of this
12:59partnership.
13:01Together, we're not just building
13:03a quantum computing hub.
13:05We're laying the foundation for a
13:07brighter future for all of the
13:09residents of our region.
13:13And now it's my pleasure to
13:15bring to the podium my friend,
13:17the mayor of Cook County,
13:19bring to the podium my friend,
13:21the mayor of the city of Chicago,
13:23Brandon Johnson.
13:25Thank you, President Pericwinko,
13:27for that introduction, and good
13:29afternoon, everyone.
13:31It is truly an exciting day.
13:33Thank you all for joining us.
13:35I want to begin by expressing my
13:37profound gratitude to Jeremy and
13:39the PsyQuantum team for choosing
13:41Chicago as the anchoring future
13:43for quantum technology in this
13:45amazing city.
13:47I also want to thank the partners
13:49who have made this investment
13:51possible, the city, to our elders
13:53that are here today, the county,
13:55the state of Illinois, our
13:57community of research universities,
13:59and the entire tech and quantum
14:01ecosystem.
14:03I'm honored to have worked with
14:05you all to usher in this
14:07extraordinary investment, this
14:09investment in our city, most
14:11importantly, the investment in
14:13our people.
14:15We stand here today ready to launch
14:17the future of quantum computing,
14:19and I'm thinking about the history
14:21of this place. We stand on the
14:23grounds of the former U.S. Steel
14:25South Works site.
14:27It was in 1882
14:29until 1992,
14:31this was a bustling steel mill that
14:33produced a million
14:35tons of steel each year,
14:37shaping the face of our nation
14:39through skyscrapers, trains, bridges,
14:41and cars. At its peak,
14:43it provided almost 20,000 jobs
14:45to Chicagoans.
14:47Many of those jobs were filled by European
14:49immigrants.
15:13Three years, this land
15:15that once was so integral to the
15:17soul of Chicago
15:19has been sitting stagnant while the
15:21neighborhood around it saw continued
15:23disinvestment.
15:25This site is long overdue for
15:27transformation that ultimately
15:29is prepared to revitalize this
15:31community and reconnect the people
15:33of the southeast side of Chicago
15:35to opportunities in this thriving
15:37economy.
15:39I'm honored to be here today
15:41to celebrate this
15:43historic and thriving economy.
15:45Steel manufacturing was the
15:47premier industry of Chicago's past.
15:49With this multi-billion dollar
15:51investment from PsyQuantum,
15:53quantum computing will be the
15:55premier industry of Chicago's
15:57future.
15:59Applause
16:01Applause
16:03Applause
16:05PsyQuantum joins
16:07a growing list of quantum computing
16:09companies that are coming to Chicago
16:11in the Chicagoland region.
16:13PsyQuantum will expand this industry
16:15with the
16:17PsyQuantum
16:19PsyQuantum
16:21PsyQuantum
16:23PsyQuantum
16:25PsyQuantum
16:27PsyQuantum
16:29PsyQuantum
16:31PsyQuantum
16:33PsyQuantum
16:35PsyQuantum
16:37PsyQuantum
16:39PsyQuantum
16:41PsyQuantum
16:43PsyQuantum
16:45PsyQuantum
16:47PsyQuantum
16:49PsyQuantum
16:51PsyQuantum
16:53PsyQuantum
16:55PsyQuantum
16:57PsyQuantum
16:59PsyQuantum
17:01PsyQuantum
17:03PsyQuantum
17:05PsyQuantum
17:07PsyQuantum
17:09PsyQuantum
17:11PsyQuantum
17:13PsyQuantum
17:15PsyQuantum
17:17PsyQuantum
17:19PsyQuantum
17:21PsyQuantum
17:23PsyQuantum
17:25PsyQuantum
17:27PsyQuantum
17:29PsyQuantum
17:31PsyQuantum
17:33PsyQuantum
17:35PsyQuantum
17:37PsyQuantum
17:39PsyQuantum
17:41PsyQuantum
17:43PsyQuantum
17:45PsyQuantum
17:47PsyQuantum
17:49PsyQuantum
17:51PsyQuantum
17:53PsyQuantum
17:55PsyQuantum
17:57PsyQuantum
17:59PsyQuantum
18:01PsyQuantum
18:03PsyQuantum
18:05PsyQuantum
18:07PsyQuantum
18:09PsyQuantum
18:11PsyQuantum
18:13PsyQuantum
18:15PsyQuantum
18:17PsyQuantum
18:19PsyQuantum
18:21PsyQuantum
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18:25PsyQuantum
18:27PsyQuantum
18:29PsyQuantum
18:31PsyQuantum
18:33PsyQuantum
18:35PsyQuantum
18:37PsyQuantum
18:39PsyQuantum
18:41and PsyQuantum
18:43of the entire quantum technology ecosystem
18:45PsyQuantum
18:47PsyQuantum
18:49PsyQuantum
18:51crypto
18:55PsyQuantum
18:57you
19:27Deputy Mayor of Business and Economic Development, she's a Westsider, Kenya Merritt.
19:32And just, I don't want to go on a tangent, but just saying to balance out
19:43the Southside, we only needed one Westsider. It's like, yeah, I got a bunch
19:48of heralds, we only need one Uncle Remus. I'm just saying, all right. Where was I?
19:55To the Psi Quantum team, know that you have the continued support of my administration
19:59as we guide this investment in our city. I'm committed to working with all of our partners
20:03in this multi-billion dollar investment to make sure that this community is never left
20:08behind again.
20:25There was Carnegie, where the steel industry exploded and built cities across the globe.
20:49And now we have another innovator, someone who is helping to build America and its future.
20:55Now, I'm not quite sure if he's ever been compared to Carnegie or J.P. Morgan, but please
21:00help me welcome Professor Jeremy O'Brien.
21:19Thank you, Governor Pritzker, Mayor Johnson, President Preckwinkle, and our friends from
21:23the Illinois legislature, Intersect Illinois, P33, World Business Chicago, and everyone
21:29else who helped make today possible. It is a real privilege to be with you all. I also
21:36want to acknowledge one of my co-founders, Pete Shadbolt, who is here today. Along with
21:49a host of my SciQuantum colleagues. I was joking to the whole company yesterday that
21:55you can't walk down the streets of Chicago without bumping into a SciQuantum colleague
21:59these days. My co-founders, Pete, Mark, Terry, and I have spent the better part of our lives
22:06chasing down these devices called quantum computers and the immense promise linked to
22:12them. We have devoted countless hours in the lab, day and night, hoping to find a path
22:18to build systems that could one day unlock this technology. A technology so revolutionary
22:24it promises to transform entire industries and economies. Following a combined 60 years
22:31spent in university research, my three co-founders and I had uncovered a path to building a useful
22:37quantum computer and came to Silicon Valley from the UK and started SciQuantum. In the
22:44eight years since, our team has made tremendous progress. Now, while there is still work to
22:50do, we are thrilled to be here today to announce that we will build our first US-based utility
22:57scale quantum computer here in Chicago at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics
23:01Park. Governor Pritzker and his team have long had their sights set on turning Illinois
23:18into a global leader in this emerging technology. And it has been a great honor to work with
23:24all of you over the last several months to make this quantum park a reality. We have
23:29received tremendous support from the Illinois Legislature, Cook County and City of Chicago
23:35and so many others over this journey and we look forward to continuing to build this partnership.
23:41The quantum park brings together Illinois' best and brightest from US national labs like
23:45Argonne and Fermi to Illinois' leading academic institutions and a burgeoning quantum ecosystem
23:52all determined to unlock this technology's promise and propel us into the future.
23:59Today we stand on the ground of a former US steel facility. The history of this place
24:05and the impact it had on this community, on this city, is certainly not lost on our team.
24:11At its peak, Southworks produced a million tons of steel a year, shaping and reinforcing
24:17the nation's bridges, trains, cars and the iconic skylines of American cities.
24:24When we first visited this site earlier this year, Alderman Chico shared how his grandfather
24:29worked at USX. He told us how this plant was not just a place of work, but how it helped
24:35support this community and the lives within it for decades. We are humbled by the opportunity
24:42to come to this community here in Chicago in partnership with Governor Pritzker, Mayor
24:47Johnson, President Preckwinkle and so many others to help write a new chapter for this
24:52site.
24:55It has been a long time since this plant hummed with industry. Yet, just like that US steel
25:01facility, quantum computing will be the fulcrum of a new innovation community. It will serve
25:07as a foundation for critical industries in Illinois and across the United States, stirring
25:13a new industrial revolution. These systems will allow us to simulate, calculate and understand
25:20the behavior of materials, chemistry, physics and information at a level that no conventional
25:26computer will ever rival. The potential applications are vast and transformative, from developing
25:33new life-saving drugs and next-generation electric batteries and solar cells, this quantum
25:39computer will change how the world lives, works and heals. And that machine will be
25:44built here in Chicago, a new beacon of innovation and progress.
25:51Our journey to this point has been marked by perseverance, collaboration and an unwavering
25:56belief in the purpose of this mission. Today, we stand at the threshold of a new era, one
26:02that promises cleaner skies and seas, faster development of life-saving drugs and advancements
26:09we can only begin to imagine. We look forward to the hard work ahead and we look forward
26:14to doing that with all of you here. Thank you.
26:21I'll now turn over to the Senate President.
26:38Good afternoon all. I want to emphasize something that Governor Pritzker said. We are all so
26:46much better off when the city, the county and the state are acting together in genuine
26:51partnership. And so, President Parkwinkle, Mayor Johnson, thank you for a new day of
26:56governmental collaboration.