#qedc

QED C: Global Quantum Industry Support via Strategic Partnerships and Innovation

Overview

Quantum Economic Development Consortium is a well-known multinational organization that promotes commercial quantum technology. The SRI-led group fosters global cooperation among dozens of nations to strengthen the sector's supply chain and real-world applications. Members have access to funding opportunities, technical research, and networking events. Multiple technical advisory groups help the consortium standardize and expand its personnel. Their digital platform connects partners and providers with a quantum marketplace while protecting data. Overall, the organization accelerates quantum economy development and expansion.

A Foundation for Industry-Driven Progress

QED-C's Technical Advisory Committees (TACs) drive cooperation and progress. Members can work with “like-minded quantum champions” on these committees to address the field's most pressing structural and technical concerns. The consortium has six TACs:

Enabling technologies focus on hardware and software needed to build quantum systems.

Law and policy address the legal and regulatory mechanisms needed for a global quantum market.

Quantum for National Security (Q4NS): Examines quantum technology's security and defense effects.

Performance Metrics & Standards: Provides industry progress metrics and a standards database including App-Oriented Benchmarks and common benchmarks. Commercialization and Use Cases: Dedicated to finding and developing quantum technology-based commercial applications in various fields.

Workforce: Building a talent pool to sustain sector growth.

M. Kahn of Kyocera and C. Dukatz of Accenture work on these committees to advance the quantum ecosystem.

Enabling Businesses with Quantum Marketplace

One of the consortium's most noteworthy assets is the Quantum Marketplace, which connects technological partners and suppliers. The marketplace features a comprehensive directory and periodic lectures on skills, technology, and people. QED C's Quantum Business Edge gives expanding enterprises new tools to navigate the quantum economy.

QED-C helps its members overcome financial challenges and connect to the market by finding financing for quantum-related projects. Membership benefits include a comprehensive standards database, a private forum, and exclusive discounts and incentives.

Developing Future Talent

Because a well-trained workforce is crucial to industry success, QED C prioritizes staff development. The consortium runs a Talent Showcase and Quantum Jobs board to connect employers with emerging expertise. D. Baxter of Indiana University says QED-C has helped educational institutions “identify and keeping abreast of recent developments in workforce development funding opportunities.”

Current and Future Trends

To educate its members, the consortium creates valuable information. The weekly contained a new member-only Frequency Combs report for February 9, 2026. The industry is preparing for the April 14–15, 2026 Quantum Summit, a global networking and strategic event.

Its Been There Done That Podcast, Qubits & Pieces Blog, and annual “State of the Global Quantum Industry” report contribute to QED-C's thought leadership.

Transparency and Data Quality

QED-C's open internet presence reflects the sector's high standards. An innovative cookie management system improves service delivery and user privacy on the consortium's website. Preference cookies store user settings, Statistics cookies collect anonymous data, and Functional cookies are only needed for communication. The consortium's "Law & Policy" commitment includes using marketing cookies for user profiling, and users have express consent options.

The Leadership and Membership

The Quantum Economic Development Consortium QED-C won the IEEE Quantum Technical Community Distinguished Synergy Award.

The 2025 IEEE Quantum Technical Community (QTC) Distinguished Synergy Award was to the Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C) for its leadership in advancing quantum economy collaboration. This annual prize recognizes excellent global quantum computing partnerships across multiple domains. Its “exemplary leadership in forging effective and globally impactful partnerships between industry, government, and academia that accelerate the growth and success of the quantum industry” earned QED-C praise. At the 2025 IEEE International Conference on Quantum Computing and Engineering in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the QED-C Steering Committee received the award. This accolade emphasizes the Quantum Economic Development Consortium's crucial role in cooperative quantum technology development. Group Promoting Quantum Progress NIST was crucial to the 2019 founding of the Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C). The federal strategy to improve quantum information science relied on its development, as required by the National Quantum Initiative Act. QED-C has been the foremost industry consortia for quantum technology development since its formation. A trustworthy community that collaborates to advance the quantum economy and ecosystem is QED-C's main purpose. SRI runs the consortium, which has grown swiftly to 250 members from 19 countries. Its members pioneer quantum technology's real-world application, supporting a robust supply chain and commercial sector. Synergy and Collaboration Power QED-C Executive Director Celia Merzbacher underlined the significance of this honor. Merzbacher said this accolade indicates members, staff, and advisors' commitment to quantum technology for the economy, national security, and society. She added that the Quantum Economic Development Consortium promotes community and cooperation to create the quantum economy. QED-C efficiently brings together stakeholders from across the innovation enterprise to help its members succeed. The quantum industry respects the consortium as a dependable voice that advances quantum technology for economic and national security. Their collaboration is accelerating quantum technology research, which might alter cybersecurity, energy, healthcare, and business. QED-C establishes industry norms and promotes cooperation, strengthening the quantum environment. Quantum Innovations and Tech Diversity Quantum Computing and advanced computing are in a dynamic phase with the discovery of Quantum Economic Development Consortium. Early September 2025 headlines are busy and significant. For instance, the NSF announced it would grow up the National Quantum Virtual Laboratory. This project aims to construct a hardware-software distributed quantum computing infrastructure to dramatically increase quantum resource access. Pawsey's September 5, 2025, national recognition for its quantum breakthrough showed the field's progress. QED-C's quantum domain leadership puts it at the forefront of a technological revolution that will revolutionize the economy, national security, and society as AI and exascale computing advance. The IEEE QTC Distinguished Synergy Award recognizes its major role in this life-changing experience.

The Quality Education in Developing Countries initiative (“QEDC”) was an eight-year effort to help ensure that all children have the chance to go to school and to learn, unfortunately this effort came to a end late 2014. However the QEDC made great strides in the 8 years of its work.  The QEDC set out to tackle the challenge that many children in school are not actually learning.   In addition to drawing attention to the learning crisis, the QEDC initiative also supported those attempting to demonstrate how to overcome the crisis. In particular, the Foundation funded organizations that were providing teachers with methods and materials for teaching reading and math better and organizations focused on engaging parents and communities in their children’s learning.

This photo, taken at a school outside Accra, Ghana, illustrates some of the barriers that get in the way of learning: there are over 60 children and not a single textbook in sight.  (Photo Credit: Dana Schmidt/ Hewlett Foundation)

This photo shows a teacher testing a young boy outside of Lucknow, India, in preparation for their annual assessment. These assessments have made the learning crisis visible in a way that has inspired both donors and governments to act. (Photo Credit: Dana Schmidt/ Hewlett Foundation)

In this photo, hundreds of children in Northern Uganda make their way to school in the morning. In Uganda, it’s clear to parents and policymakers alike that most children are now going to school. The issues of access in Uganda were much more visible than issues of learning. So the the QEDC sought to bring more attention and visibility to the issue of learning outcomes. (Photo Credit: Dana Schmidt/ Hewlett Foundation) ______________________________________________________________