‘We’re kind of in the sweet spot’: After setback, New Mexico doubles down on quantum future
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Posted: Nov 01, 2025
When taking ambitious risks in the advanced technology industry, Elevate Quantum CEO Zach Yerushalmi knows not every swing connects to the ball.
The quantum tech hub recently struck out, as its Quantum Moonshot initiative was not named a finalist for the U.S. National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engines program. If it won, the award could have brought up to $160 million in funding for quantum breakthroughs and technology commercialization over 10 years.
Bob Ledoux, director of Quantum New Mexico Institute, said a supportive community is absolutely crucial in making the state an innovation hub. Assuming his role this August, Ledoux wasn’t involved in putting Moonshot together — though he’s still “happily embedded” in the ecosystem.
“We’re all working together to see what other initiatives we can apply to together,” Ledoux said. “From the (Economic Development Department), to the labs, to the universities — everybody is still intimately connected and working on everything that’s already set in motion.”
Despite Moonshot not advancing, Ledoux said New Mexico’s momentum in quantum “is truly spectacular,” adding that the initiative was only a small piece of the giant puzzle experts are working to put together now.
By: Hannah Garcia, Albquerque Journal Staff Writer
