MCNC joins NC State's IBM Quantum Innovation Center

New collaboration will bring useful quantum resources to MCNC's higher education and research communities at no charge

RALEIGH, N.C., Sept. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- MCNC today announced that the technology nonprofit in Research Triangle Park has joined the IBM Quantum Innovation Center at NC State University, bringing useful quantum computing resources to the organization's higher education and research communities at no charge.

MCNC President and CEO Tracy Doaks said this collaboration will be a "game changer" over the next year, providing research and education institutions on MCNC's network with free access to the IBM Quantum Network to help support application development, training, and education.

"MCNC always has proactively met the technological needs for citizens in North Carolina by being a consistent leader in innovation and a catalyst for technology-based economic development," said Doaks. "By becoming a member of the IBM Quantum Innovation Center at NC State, we will be able to help advance quantum computing and continue exploring its powerful potential as a viable platform of the future."

Quantum computing is an advanced field of computer science that leverages the principles of quantum mechanics to perform calculations. Unlike "classical" computers which use bits to store information as either a 0 or a 1, quantum computers use quantum bits, or Qubits. A key difference is that Qubits can exist in a superposition of both states at the same time, allowing quantum computers to process information in a fundamentally different way.

"While the field is still in its early stages, with many challenges to overcome, such as error correction and maintaining a stable quantum state, quantum computing holds the promise of revolutionizing our ability to solve some of the world's most difficult problems," said Greg Byrd, Executive Director, IBM Quantum Innovation Center at NC State. "We are excited to bring MCNC onto the IBM Quantum Network as a member of a select group of collaborators who bring unique and necessary resources to a shared mission of advancing quantum computing."

The IBM Quantum Innovation Center at NC State is an epicenter of quantum computing education, research, development, and implementation – working directly with industry and academic members and IBM to advance quantum computing as well as interdisciplinary applied research, student development, and quantum curricula. MCNC's broadband network today spans more than 4,500 miles of digital infrastructure in all 100 counties, providing connectivity, networking technologies, cybersecurity and support to colleges, universities, community colleges, K-12 schools, health care institutions, libraries, governments, research institutions and more. This will be one of many discussions happening at MCNC Community Day on Nov. 4 and Nov. 5 in Durham, N.C.

About IBM Quantum Innovation Center at NC State University

The IBM Quantum Innovation Center at NC State is a center of quantum computing education, research, development and implementation. We work directly with our industry and academic members and IBM to advance quantum computing, as well as interdisciplinary applied research, student development and quantum computing curricula at NC State. Together we are working to solve real-world problems faster and more efficiently than may be possible with a classical computer. Visit https://quantum.ncsu.edu/ibm-quantum/.

About MCNC

MCNC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit client-focused technology organization. Founded in 1980, MCNC owns and operates the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN), one of America's longest-running regional research and education networks. With over 40 years of innovation, MCNC provides high-performance services for education, research, libraries, healthcare, public safety, and other community anchor institutions throughout North Carolina. NCREN is the fundamental broadband infrastructure for over 850 of these institutions including all public K-20 education in North Carolina. As one of the nation's premier middle-mile fiber backbone networks, MCNC leverages NCREN to customize protected Internet, cybersecurity services, and related applications for each client while supporting private service providers in bringing cost-efficient connectivity to rural and underserved communities in North Carolina.

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SOURCE MCNC