Chicago Bets on Quantum Tech as 'Next Big Thing' for Its Future

Chicago is betting on quantum -- a technology that could ensure everything from emails to online shopping is 100% secure -- to fuel future economic growth. But there's still much work to do before the city realizes its dream of becoming the nation's capital for the promising technology. From a report: Best known for traditional industries including food, agriculture and manufacturing, the Windy City has been trying to lure investments from companies such as Google and Amazon.com as it shifts its focus to quantum, which promises to make Internet communication unhackable. Illinois already gets 40% of all the federal dollars for the technology and has four of the nation's 10 quantum centers, the most of any state. But being at the forefront of quantum developments requires the city to focus on translating science into companies and jobs, said Brad Henderson, chief executive officer at P33, a non-profit founded by former Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker. "We have a top five science setting and we're not even in the top 10 at translating science into commerce," he said. "We're targeting tens of billions of dollars in annual GDP that we expect to have in 10 years. That's our goal. And tens of billion dollars actually translates into thousands of jobs."

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