The Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP) has launched an On-Ramp initiative designed to give future park tenants immediate access to the region’s quantum innovation ecosystem before the campus opens. IQMP announced that mHUB will serve as the primary host for the On-Ramp program, providing companies with a near-term base of operations while the 128-acre park continues through development.
In addition to mHUB, several other locations will provide On-Ramp facilities across Chicago and Illinois. These include the UChicago Science Incubator at Hyde Park Labs, the Discovery Partners Institute, and space affiliated with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Grainger College of Engineering in downtown Chicago. Collectively, these sites offer participating companies interim space and access to research, collaboration and innovation resources tied to the IQMP network.
The On-Ramp structure is intended for companies that plan to become long-term tenants at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park. By temporarily locating at these local innovation hubs, participants can begin building teams, advancing research and engaging with partners in the Chicago and Illinois quantum community without waiting for the park’s physical facilities to be delivered. IQMP Executive Director and CEO Harley Johnson noted that the program is aimed at ensuring tenant companies can start building, hiring and collaborating in Illinois immediately, rather than deferring activity until the park is fully operational.
Several technology firms are already participating in the On-Ramp program as future IQMP tenants. These include IBM, Pasqal, Diraq and Quantum Machines, all of which are active in quantum computing and related technologies. Their early engagement underscores the park’s focus on companies working at the forefront of quantum hardware, software and applications.
The Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park itself broke ground in fall 2025. Envisioned as a 128-acre development, the park is planned to provide specialized infrastructure and resources to support the development and commercialization of quantum technologies. This includes facilities for companies working on quantum hardware, software platforms and a range of quantum-enabled applications. While detailed development timelines, costs and leasing metrics have not been disclosed, the launch of the On-Ramp program signals an effort to build tenant activity and ecosystem density ahead of the park’s physical completion.
For the commercial real estate community, the IQMP and its On-Ramp program highlight how specialized technology campuses are using interim space strategies to secure commitments from target users early in the development cycle. By aligning multiple innovation facilities under a single program, IQMP is positioning its future campus as the eventual hub of a broader, already active quantum and microelectronics ecosystem centered in Chicago and Illinois.
