IonQ has partnered with the energy and communications company EPB of Chattanooga to establish the EPB Quantum Center in Tennessee.
The center will house an IonQ Forte Enterprise quantum computer, in addition to the existing EPB Quantum Network, establishing Chattanooga, Tennessee, as the ‘first quantum computing and networking hub in the US,’ the two companies said.
Launched in September 2023, IonQ’s Forte Enterprise is a rack-mounted version of the company’s existing 32-qubit Forte system, which was first announced back in May 2022. The rack-mounted system offers 35 Algorithmic Qubits (#AQ), which is IonQ’s benchmark measure for how well a system performs.
The $22 million deal will also see IonQ establish an office in Chattanooga to provide quantum computing, networking, and application development support and training.
“This partnership represents more than just a technological milestone, it’s a pivotal step in building a quantum economy and IonQ ecosystem in Tennessee,” said Niccolo de Masi, president and CEO of IonQ. “By delivering our Forte Enterprise-class quantum capabilities to Chattanooga, we’re expanding our quantum access to customers across the state and working together to drive long-term economic growth for Chattanooga.”
David Wade, CEO of EPB, added: “By establishing Chattanooga as the first US hub for quantum computing and networking, we stand ready to work with companies and researchers across the nation to accelerate the development of real-world applications for quantum technology.”
Elsewhere in the US, in addition to the newly established EPB Quantum Center, IonQ also operates a manufacturing site and data center in College Park, Maryland, that launched in 2020 and, in January 2025, announced plans to develop a new facility in the state in collaboration with the University of Maryland as part of a project dubbed the “Capital of Quantum” initiative.
The company is also developing a second location outside Seattle in Washington.