Quantum Connect October 2026

Every year, October represents fall, Halloween, and college football. But did you know it’s also Cybersecurity Awareness Month? Quantum technology is quickly becoming a critical part of the cybersecurity conversation. At EPB’s Quantum in Business conference this month, panelists stressed the need for quantum cyber readiness, where businesses shore up their cybersecurity defenses to guarantee they are quantum-secure and quantum-safe encrypted. The escalating conversation follows the Trump administration’s dual executive orders this summer, requiring government agencies to begin their own post-quantum migration process to maintain cyber defenses.

CQC and its partners are helping to build the workforce that will be implementing protocols and developing algorithms. This month, for example, graduates from our inaugural QuantumReady program produced capstones to help their respective industries think about ways to use quantum and quantum-enhanced technology to begin this migration process, ensuring their organizations are not caught flat-footed.

Next month, 70 students will participate in the CQC and CO.LAB’s co-hosted TN Quantum Hackathon. We received over 200 applicants from interested students spanning 56 colleges and universities nationwide, showing both the demand and desire to build and participate in the quantum-ready workforce.

Keep reading to learn more about our QuantumReady program, quantum in Tennessee this month, and what’s coming down the pipeline.

What’s Next:

TN Quantum Hackathon: November 13-15

Over the course of the weekend, 70 undergraduates from across 19 colleges and universities will tackle energy-sector challenges by building quantum-enhanced solutions across a multitude of quantum computing technologies. Participating students are already using qBraid, a platform providing access to multiple systems that simulate algorithms and will be used to test problems over the 36-hour hackathon.

CQC partners such as EPB, TVA, IonQ, and Quantinuum will serve as mentors and judges, and connect participants to industry professionals who may be interested in working further with the students on their submissions.

Reach out to haden@chattanoogaquantum.com if you would like to volunteer to be a part of this inaugural event!

Monthly Recap:

Meet Tennessee’s First QuantumReady Graduates

On October 6, CQC presented certificates to the inaugural cohort of the QuantumReady program, the nation’s first such program. Professionals from 16 Tennessee employers, spanning healthcare, financial services, logistics, energy, advanced manufacturing and public service completed the 12-week program. Each graduate submitted a capstone project, mapping where quantum could make a difference for their own organization, providing use cases including diagnosing problems and quantum-enhanced solutions.

Capstones focused on quantum-resistant encryption, optimizing operations to streamline efficiency and costs, and using quantum sensing to address navigation issues, including when a GPS navigation system is jammed, among many others.

Harnessing the power of quantum technology and their industry expertise, these graduates are paving the way to solve sector-specific problems, streamlining efficiency and efficacy. In the words of Chattanooga Mayor, Tim Kelly, “quantum allows us to solve problems that we don’t even think about, because we had given up ever being able to solve them.”

Congratulations to the graduating class! CQC is proud of your work and dedication to understand, apply, and integrate quantum technologies, readying yourself and your company for the future.

The graduates: Kalpesh Amin (KUB), Jason Barks (Integrity Business Automation), David Barnes and Velvet Hernandez-Johnson (Unum), Levi Bushman (Middle Tennessee Electric), Veatrice Conley Lee (Environmental Solutions Group), Arthur Fowler (Dixie Group), Zac Fox (Erlanger), Kristie Goodson (TVA), Ronnie Hogges II (BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee), Tim Love (Mueller), Forrest Payne (U.S. Army Special Operations Forces), Hudson Quatro (Southern Champion Tray), Wayne Rongey (Johnson Group), Diamond Sloop (Covenant Logistics), Lakota Stevens (CARTA), and Abu Swafford (Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union).

Read the full press release here. Interested in participating in the next cohort? Email haden@chattanoogaquantum.com.

The QuantumReady program was supported by a National Science Foundation planning grant awarded to UTC, with CQC leading workforce and industry engagement.

Quantum in Business Conference Brings Industry to the Table

EPB’s inaugural Quantum in Business conference on October 1 drew business leaders from finance, healthcare, logistics and manufacturing to Chattanooga. Participants heard from state representatives including from Tennessee’s Department of Economic and Community Development, and Labor and Workforce Development; private sector partners, including IonQ CEO Niccolo de Masi; research experts in academia and the labs; and quantum community leaders, including CQC. In case you missed it, here’s a recap of a couple of the day’s panels.

Why Tennessee is the place for quantum now. Moderated by Sheila Boyington, CEO of Thinking Media and co-developer of TN QuantumWorks, which we discussed last month, legislators made the case that you don’t need to be technology-proficient to see the quantum opportunity.

Sen. Bo Watson and Commissioner Deniece Thomas of the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development argued that a ready workforce will decide where industry goes, because companies locate where they don’t have to import talent.

As Tennessee sports fans know, and Commissioner Thomas echoed, “You win your season in recruiting.”

Senator Watson noted that quantum technology gives Tennessee an opportunity to make a business case and be competitive in the knowledge economy. Between Oak Ridge National Lab and Huntsville’s defense and space command center, Chattanooga is ideally located between two technologically important landmarks of our government.

From campus to company. CQC’s CEO Charlie Brock moderated “How Quantum Moves from Campus to Company” with panelists from across the Tennessee higher education system. The common thread was that institutions can operate as an extension for industry to conduct research and support product development, rather than needing to develop in-house expertise. With the breadth of knowledge required and speed of the industry, panelists also stressed that quantum will require quick and effective collaboration, and that there is plenty of room for everyone.

Learning Opportunity for Businesses: EPB and IonQ are now offering sector-specific webinars to help businesses both understand how quantum can help them prepare for potential opportunities, and explore real-world use cases. Sign up here!

CQC Around Town

Beyond QIB, CQC was on stage across Chattanooga this month talking about workforce development, industry adoption, and creating a Chattanooga Quantum cluster.

Both Charlie Brock and Danna Bailey spoke at TNECD’s Governor’s Conference on Economic Development, with Danna also taking the stage at Thrive Regional Partnership’s Tri-State Summit. They also briefed industry professionals and corporate directors, helping businesses understand how they plug into today’s quantum technology revolution rather than waiting for tomorrow.

‍CQC’s Danna Bailey speaking at the Thrive Regional Partnership’s Tri-State Summit.

If you’re interested in finding out how CQC can support your business and organizational needs in learning about quantum, reach out to us at info@chattanoogaquantum.com.

Policy Watch:

A couple of interesting developments on the policy front emphasizing how Washington is prioritizing quantum-safe cybersecurity.

First, the National Security Agency announced on October 1 that, starting in 2027, all new commercial national security systems must be capable of supporting quantum-resistant algorithms, ensuring systems are effectively protected.

Second, an October report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office found that none of the twenty-four major government agencies have fully prepared to transition to post-quantum cryptography. Importantly, the root cause cited is a lack of in-house expertise, as well as a shortage of tools.

What does this mean? The government is taking the quantum cybersecurity threat seriously and prioritizing post-quantum migration, but, similar to the quantum technology industry, a key challenge is finding the talent to support these efforts. Companies can learn from the government’s timeline, both in understanding that this process is deliberate and lengthy, but is considered absolutely critical to maintain defenses.

And that’s a wrap!

From our first QuantumReady graduating class to a packed Quantum in Business conference, October showed how Chattanooga is leading the way nationally in industry adoption by leveraging infrastructure and local expertise to help businesses understand how quantum technology can solve their real-time problems.

In November we keep that momentum going with the TN Quantum Hackathon, connecting students to quantum technology modalities to solve industry’s most pressing challenges. We hope to see you there!

If you are interested in membership, sponsorship, or finding out more about how CQC can support your work, reach out to us at haden@chattanoogaquantum.com.