Roadrunner Venture Studios and Qunnect have unveiled ABQ-Net, New Mexico’s first quantum network, marking a significant step in the state’s multi-year effort to build a competitive quantum economy. The launch reflects a broader $300 million state commitment to growing the sector. It aligns with a $25 million public investment dedicated to accelerating the commercialization of quantum technology and attracting top scientific talent to the region.
Announced jointly in Albuquerque and Brooklyn, ABQ-Net is designed to serve as a foundational platform for researchers, startups, and industry partners building next-generation quantum technologies. Roadrunner Venture Studios and Qunnect developed the network as part of a long-term plan to strengthen New Mexico’s role in the rapidly expanding field of quantum networking.
ABQ-Net will provide a full-stack, open-access quantum networking infrastructure, enabling entrepreneurs and scientists to test and validate technologies in real-world environments before commercialization. The deployment includes Qunnect’s entanglement-based Carina system, which will operate across existing telecom fiber linking key innovation centers. The network will initially connect Qunnect’s new office in downtown Albuquerque with the Department of Energy’s Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, jointly run by Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories. This structure creates a scalable foundation that can integrate additional facilities across the region.
New Mexico views ABQ-Net as a catalyst for economic growth, company formation, job creation, and long-term leadership in secure communications and quantum internet technologies. The initiative forms the first phase of the Roadrunner Quantum Lab. It brings together nearly a dozen partners, including Elevate Quantum, national laboratories, quantum startups such as Qunnect, QuEra, and Maybell, the University of New Mexico, and venture capital firms like DCVC, Playground Global, and Quantonation.
The global market for quantum networking is projected to grow from $200 million today to over $5 billion by 2030, with governments worldwide investing more than $15 billion in quantum technologies. State leaders and industry partners view ABQ-Net as a strategic opportunity to position New Mexico at the forefront of these developments while establishing a long-term ecosystem for advanced research, commercialization, and workforce expansion.
KEY QUOTES:
“ABQ-Net will be the proving ground for America’s next generation of quantum entrepreneurs to test, validate, and scale their technologies. We are proud to partner with Qunnect to create the Southwest’s first entanglement-based quantum network here in Albuquerque. Our partnership with the State of New Mexico is already helping build the foundation for a global quantum ecosystem. With continued investment and collaboration, New Mexico is poised to become a leader in the industries of the future.”
Adam Hammer, Co-Founder And CEO, Roadrunner Venture Studios
“ABQ-Net is the first open access user facility in the U.S. providing full-stack quantum networking infrastructure. Qunnect has made a name for itself bringing entanglement-based, quantum networking out of the lab and into the real world. New Mexico is positioned to become the place where the next generation of quantum networking technologies advances from breakthroughs to commercialization.”
Noel Goddard, CEO, Qunnect
“ABQ-Net shows what’s possible when New Mexico invests in innovation and strong partnerships. Together with Roadrunner and Qunnect, we’re turning cutting-edge research into jobs, companies, and a thriving quantum economy right here at home.”
Nora Meyers Sackett, Director Of The Technology And Innovation Office
